Growl Fork

Name: Growl Fork
Rating: 4.3846 (13 reviews)

1.2.2f1

06 December 2011

Free version of the popular notification system.

Overview

Growl Fork is a notification system that can display information from a variety of apps. For example, you can be notified that you have new email, or that a download completed.

bitbucket.org/pmetzger/growl is an unofficial patched version of the Growl 1.2.x sources taken from the last available public source tree. It is maintained by Perry Metzger.
The branch builds cleanly under XCode 4.1. As provided, it constructs binaries that run only under OS X 10.7 "Lion", though people running Snow Leopard are probably better off using the official 1.2.x binaries anyway.
This branch also incorporates a patch for HardwareGrowler.app, which otherwise crashes on Lion if your WiFi adapter changes state.
None of this work is official, it is not endorsed by the growl.info folks, it is not guaranteed to work at all.
(The tip of this tree is the "fork-1.2" branch, which was branched from the "maintenance-1.2" branch. The "default" branch seems to be old and unused.)
On my own machines, I am running the growl prefpane itself, HardwareGrowler and GrowlTunes, but I wouldn't call that "extensive testing", and I haven't properly tested the other Extras -- you have been warned!

Growl Fork Screenshots

7 Growl Fork Reviews

Cybergoober

06 December 2011

Most helpful

FYI - Any Lion user with Xcode installed can actually check out and build Growl 1.3 for free themselves. I have done so, and it appears to be working quite well. see: http://growl.info/documentation/developer/growl-source-install.php I have sent an email to Perry Metzger to inform him of the availability of 1.3 source to accommodate those users not familiar with compiling source themselves.

Like (9)

Version 1.2.2f1

Mrhooks

15 February 2012

I'm not sure if it's a Growl issue or a Camino issue, but turning off notifications for download started and short download completed (and I'm assuming the other two as well) has no effect. The moment I download something, the checkboxes go back to being checked. I haven't reproduced this behavior with other apps yet (haven't tried, that is). And I agree, HardwareGrowler should be made not to have a Dock icon. In the meantime, I'm glad Dockless still works on 10.7.3.

Version 1.2.2f1

1 answer(s)

Mrhooks

15 February 2012

I also tried disabling Growl support for Camino and removing Camino (2.1) from Growl's list completely. Neither worked.

gatovadio

31 December 2011

there's a flaw in my comment right below. the fork checks for updates on the original growl server so it warns me there's the new app store version. let's hope perry updates it to change the server to bitbucket like samiamwork did with the movist fork.

Like (2)

Version 1.2.2f1

1 answer(s)

misterjspencer

18 January 2012

I'll second that

alcourt

15 December 2011

This is what I've been looking for, a version of growl that will install cleanly on Lion without the changes of 1.3. I strongly disagree with the decision to move the configuration out of the system preferences section. I understand why the authors felt they had to do that, but it is not how I want it configured. Since this is now a fork, I believe hardware growler could get a tiny bit of attention. Make it easy to disable the dock icon. Long term suggestion would be to put hardware growler control in the same preference pane. (Start/stop the tool, disable the dock icon both as check boxes). Since it is a fork, you will likely need to change the icon and name over time. Documentation is another area that has long been one that could stand improvement. This is something that should be a bit easier. If you create a project page, you may attract attention to the project, including some other contributors.

Like (2)

Version 1.2.2f1

SickTeddyBear

08 December 2011

One of the things I find interesting about this "fork", is that there doesn't seem to be any indication of what has been fixed to make it more compatible with Lion. People keep touting it as if it has numerous bug fixes and compatibility enhancements beyond the official version, but I don't find any evidence that supports that. Many people have stated that the official 1.2.2 binaries were working fine for them under Lion. The developer himself states: "I would simply have continued using Growl 1.2.2, but the old HardwareGrowler was failing pretty badly for me under Lion, and I both wanted that fixed and to know that, if I needed to continue supporting Growl just for myself, that I could." That doesn't say to me that he fixed much. Are there any actual fixes beyond the hardware growler, or are people just reading something into this that isn't actually true?

Like (2)

Version 1.2.2f1

1 answer(s)

gatovadio

10 December 2011

despite the original 1.2.2 works with lion, i think the purpose of this fork is to: 1. fix hardware growler 2. keep hardware growler being distributed with growl (not so with the app store version) 3. open the possibility for future updates for those who prefer the preference pane version (not so with the official release)

Like (2)

This is exactly what I was looking for: a version of Growl 1.2.x that's been updated to work with Lion. Bravo, Mssr. Metzger!

Like (2)

Version 1.2.2f1

Cybergoober

06 December 2011

Like (9)

Version 1.2.2f1

1 answer(s)

Lolita

02 February 2012

Perry, any chance you have the time to do this? Either way, I appreciate all you've done to date.

Really? You can't pay $2 for an app that makes your $1000 machine more awesome? PAY THE DAMN TWO BUCKS

Like (8)

Version 1.2.2f1

6 answer(s)

Robotank

07 December 2011

I agree that Growl's move to the MAS isn't nearly the big deal that a lot of people here on MU have made it out to be. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with someone creating a free Growl fork for people who can't/won't use the MAS (or really can't spare the $2).

Like (8)

Cybergoober

07 December 2011

I think most people feel kind of slighted by having an app(?) which has been free for so many years now costing $2.00. I don't necessarily feel this way myself, but I can see where these people are coming from.

Like (4)

Fishscale

07 December 2011

It's not about people being cheap. Actually, I believe most of the people who are complaining, bought the app and are not satisfied with all the errors and incompatibility present since the move to MAS. One star for someone sharing his work for FREE. Your rating deserves a "Really?"... not the fork.

Like (9)

Trondah

08 December 2011

You gave it one star because you don't have a clue. What a douche.

Like (4)

Dana-Sutton

21 December 2011

The issue isn’t the measly two bucks. The issue is that for a lot of people, myself included, Growl 1.3.2 simply failed to work properly. In my case, it didn’t work at all, so I went back to 1.2.2, which works fine for me (I’m running Lion).

Like (2)

Blackmagic

23 December 2011

My major complaint was that I had the impression (mistakenly) that when I paid $2 for the new Growl, it was going to fix Hardware Growler. Lo and behold, the $2 became $4 because it's another $2 for Hardware Growler, which is really the only part of it I use (included in 1.2.2). This newly-compiled version is awesome!

Like (1)