From OS X Scientific Computing

Fink on 10.5 and Earlier

If you have a PPC Apple computer, 10.5.X is the end of the line. I will keep my PPC fink packages on the server until my machine kicks the bucket.

If you have an Intel Computer, I very strongly suggest updating to 10.6.X. It is an inexpensive upgrade, most things work better, it is straightforward to have a 64-bit fink installation, and it is the only version I am in any position to help you with. So, please, upgrade if you can.

Binary installers are available for 10.5 and earlier, so it is by far easiest to use one of these.

Binary installer for 10.4 or 10.5

Go to the Fink quick start page and install the binary installer, or do a Fink Manual Install.

Using "Unstable" packages

If you need a lot of packages from the unstable branch of fink (you probably will), here is How to Activate the Unstable Branch in fink. Now is a good time to do this. To do so, edit the file /sw/etc/fink.conf and add the final two entries to the line "Trees" so that it looks like this:

Trees: local/main stable/main stable/crypto unstable/main unstable/crypto

Update everything to the most current distribution

Then immediately update it by typing the following commands in a new terminal window:

fink index
fink selfupdate-rsync
fink update-all
fink scanpackages

This will make sure you have the most up to date database base fink packages, even if this means you have to compile some yourself. It will save you huge headaches to do all three now. The second line and the third line are commands you will use to keep fink updated. I recommend issuing them at least once a week.

(You might want, in addition, to install MacPorts. Even if you install MacPorts, I suggest you also keep and use fink, as it is currently better suited for scientific work. The two peacefully coexist.)

More details are available on this wiki.