Hello nest users with a mac,

From now on, it is possible to install nest via homebrew from the default homebrew-core tap: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nest#default [1]

You get nest 2.20.0 with OpenMP and PyNEST bindings with python 3.8 delivered as a 'bottle' (prebuild binary package) in a couple of seconds - with all dependencies.

Go to https://brew.sh/ [2] and follow the installation of homebrew. When brew is installed, just type:

brew install nest

And you should see something like:

$ brew install nest ==> Downloading https://homebrew.bintray.com/bottles/nest-2.20.0_1.catalina.bottle.tar.gz ==> Downloading from https://akamai.bintray.com/38/38bfd492f381cd059a495122d1c3342e8fb5095501c042... ######################################################################## 100.0% ==> Pouring nest-2.20.0_1.catalina.bottle.tar.gz Warning: nest dependency gcc was built with a different C++ standard library (libstdc++ from clang). This may cause problems at runtime. ==> Caveats The PyNEST bindings and its dependencies are installed with the python@3.8 formula. If you want to use PyNEST, use the Python interpreter from this path:

/usr/local/opt/python@3.8/bin

You may want to add this to your PATH. ==> Summary 🍺 /usr/local/Cellar/nest/2.20.0_1: 1,290 files, 21.2MB

Now you can run nest like:

$ nest -- N E S T -- Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative

Version: nest-2.20.0 Built: Jun 22 2020 13:38:00

This program is provided AS IS and comes with NO WARRANTY. See the file LICENSE for details.

Problems or suggestions? Visit https://www.nest-simulator.org

Type 'help' to get more information. Type 'quit' or press CTRL-D to quit.

SLI ]

If you want to use PyNEST, you have to use the python@3.8 formula python - the dependencies numpy, scipy, etc. are also delivered via homebrew and they are build with the python@3.8 formula, which is keg-only [3]. Add the opt-bin path to your PATH variable like:

export PATH=/usr/local/opt/python@3.8/bin:$PATH

and you can start with:

$ python3.8 -c 'import nest' -- N E S T -- Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative

Version: nest-2.20.0 Built: Jun 22 2020 13:38:00

This program is provided AS IS and comes with NO WARRANTY. See the file LICENSE for details.

Problems or suggestions? Visit https://www.nest-simulator.org

Type 'nest.help()' to find out more about NEST.

Best, Tammo

Links: ------ [1] https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nest#default [2] https://brew.sh/ [3] https://docs.brew.sh/How-to-Build-Software-Outside-Homebrew-with-Homebrew-ke...