NOVICIUS  You can build the source and let it install the files to the default locations /usr/local/... etc, and you can use it by manually. But it is BETA.

I hope this answer is not too short ;)

Using from terminal:

cd /usr/local/sbin

sudo ./privoxy --user privoxy.privoxy /usr/local/etc/privoxy/config

Build:

The instructions are in the INSTALL file. Just write "make", press enter and answer yes when it wants to do the autoheader && autoconf etc. If you would like to run privoxy with special user called "privoxy", you must google the instructions for creating the user etc. or check if you already have it. In 10.5: "dscl localhost list /Local/Default/Users" or something similar. In 10.4. you can use GUI program from System Utilities, was it Directory or what??

After build, install it: "sudo make -s install USER=privoxy GROUP=privoxy".

When the installation succeeded, copy the missing files as instructed in below.

You can still use the Startup Item in OSX 10.4. and 10.5. even it is not supported anymore. The stuff we need is at the end of this text. The newest approach is the launchd daemon. I wrote a basic solution for this only for testing privoxy so no further support is coming from me.

If you would like to use the current Privoxy Utility (mine was v. 1.2), you choice is the Startup Item. Use only one solution.

My privoxy is build as default and installed as "make -s install USER=privoxy GROUP=privoxy" to the 10.5. environment.

Launchd:

1. write a property list file inside /Library/LaunchDaemons/ and save it as org.privoxy.privoxy.plist

2. change the owner to the root and and the group to the wheel, and give everyone only read rights.

3. boot the system and check if privoxy is running and the system logs are not reporting any errors.

Startup Item:

1. create the Privoxy folder inside /Library/StartupItems/

2. write a property list file named StartupParameters.plist and a shell script named privoxy inside the Privoxy folder (plain text file).

3. the owner must be the root, the group is the wheel and the rights for the plist are rw-r--r--. So only the owner has write access. The folder and the shell script needs also the execute rights: rwxr-xr-x. If you don't change the rights, OSX will fix it after next system boot if you allow.

4. Boot the system, start the Privoxy Utility and check that it is working.

- - - Start of the Files - - -

File1 for launchd: org.privoxy.privoxy:

Label

org.privoxy.privoxy

KeepAlive

ProgramArguments

/usr/local/sbin/privoxy

--user

privoxy.privoxy

/usr/local/etc/privoxy/config

RunAtLoad

File2 for StartupItems: StartupParameters.plist

{

Description = "Privoxy";

Provides = ("Privacy enhancing proxy");

Requires = ("Network", "Resolver");

OrderPreference = "None";

Messages =

{

start = "Starting Privoxy";

stop = "Stopping Privoxy";

};

}

File3 for StartupItems: Privoxy:

#!/bin/bash

##

# Privoxy

##

. /etc/rc.common

PRIVOXY_PATH=/usr/local/sbin

PRIVOXY_PIDFILE=/var/run/privoxy.pid

PRIVOXY_USER=privoxy

PRIVOXY_CONFIG=/usr/local/etc/privoxy/config

PRIVOXY_LOG=/var/log/privoxy.log

StartService ()

{

if [ -x ${PRIVOXY_PATH}/privoxy ]; then

if ! pid=$(GetPID privoxy); then

echo "Starting privacy enhancing proxy"

${PRIVOXY_PATH}/privoxy --pidfile ${PRIVOXY_PIDFILE} --user ${PRIVOXY_USER} ${PRIVOXY_CONFIG} >> ${PRIVOXY_LOG} 2>&1

fi

fi

}

StopService ()

{

if pid=$(GetPID privoxy); then

echo "Stopping privacy enhancing proxy"

kill -TERM "${pid}"

else

echo "privoxy is not running."

fi

}

RestartService ()

{

if pid=$(GetPID privoxy); then

echo "Restarting privacy enhancing proxy"

kill -HUP "${pid}"

else

StartService

fi

}

RunService "$1"

- - - End of the Files - - -   
(Version 3.0.14b)

TRONDAH  Check your facts before commenting. Privoxy still compiles and runs fine on OSX. You can either install from source manually or install using MacPorts.  
(Version 3.0.14b)

TEKNOWLEDGIST  My statement was based on the facts here:

http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=E1ME4eK-0008C5-AF%40d55xhf1.ch3.sourceforge.com&forum_name=ijbswa-users

and here:

http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=211118&aid=1876629&group_id=11118

If it's working for you, great. Maybe you could post a link or some information on how the average MU user can "install from source manually".

Privoxy should not however be on MU based on your anecdotal word when the official status for OS X is untested and unsupported.  
(Version 3.0.14b)

TRONDAH  Nowhere does it say that Privoxy will not run or compile on OSX. Like I said, it runs fine.

Here's the steps to install it:

1. Install MacPorts

2. Run 'sudo port install privoxy' in a terminal.

I agree that it might not belong on MU though as nobody is providing a packaged installer for it, but just because they ain't supporting OSX anymore doesn't mean it doesn't work. OSX is UNIX and POSIX compliant, it's pretty much guaranteed to work the same way as in BSD or Linux.  
(Version 3.0.14b)

STROB  Well, about one week later I received a kernel panic and had to reboot. I then received a pop-up asking me to fix my security settings. All of a sudden Privoxy 3.0.10 is working. Not sure what happened to make the upgrade work. Is a reboot necessary?  
(Version 3.0.10)

NEONBLUE2  ...yes? I'm not 100% sure but I reckon Privoxy doesn't start itself after installation. That's why you need to restart.  
(Version 3.0.10)

SPACECAT85  According to Pacifist's examination of the install package, it's installed within various subfolders of the /usr directory (hit Command-Option-G in the Finder, then type in the path).

Not sure why they changed this, myself--it might be easier for developers porting it from other systems, but it's definitely less friendly for end users, especially as the traditional Unix directories aren't visible by default on OS X. 3.0.6 and 3.0.3 were both in one tidy "Privoxy" folder in the OS X Library folder.  
(Version 3.0.8)

NEONBLUE2  It seems they forgot to update their documentation. If you were using Privoxy 3.0.6 then uninstall it (using the uninstall script in the same folder), install Privoxy 3.0.8, and then restart.

Privoxy 3.0.8 installs into the startup items.  
(Version 3.0.8)

HEAVY_SHOWER  Thanks, Neonblue -- I found the folder. But it seems I'll have reinstall.  
(Version 3.0.8)