# A MacOS cloud desktop, where we can test our nodes

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522>\
**Category:** Developing Nodes\
**Created:** [7 November 2020 21:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522 "2020-11-07T21:19:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)\
**Post date:** [7 November 2020 21:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/1 "2020-11-07T21:19:39Z")

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Hi folks,

I received a Github [issue](https://github.com/bartbutenaers/node-red-contrib-ui-svg/issues/76) about the SVG node: seems a couple of things _ **don't work correctly on Safari/Chrome on MacOs** _. However I don't have a MacOS, and I don't know anything about MacOS... I remember that @hotNipi had recently also a Safari [issue](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/gauge-node-compass-in-dashboard-v2-19/18527/25), and also no Safari test environment.

Would be nice if contributors had an easy way to test/troubleshoot their nodes quickly on other systems (like MacOS), because most of us have very limited free time to setup all kind of test environments...

I have started downloading an ISO image of MacOS, to use it inside _ **VirtualBox** _ on my Windows 10 portable. Don't know yet whether it will work, because the download will be finished in 17 hours ...

But seems that [MacStadium](https://www.macstadium.com/opensource) offers free use of a Mac mini i5 for open source projects. Would be great if our community had something like that, an environment where we quickly could troubleshoot issues. However I'm not sure if this is possible, when looking at their qualifications:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/1/a/1ab62d2239001eb34b5858129a8027728019c58b.png)

I see a series of issues:

- We cannot request it ourselves, since a project lead needs to do that. And they are already very busy...
- I'm not sure whether requirement 3 is fulfilled, since IBM is involved.
- And suppose the setup would be approved, I assume the contributors (like me) are considered as third party. Which means we are not allowed to use it. But not sure...
- And the biggest challenge: suppose it would be approved, who is going to maintain the environment (e.g. Node-RED installation ...). Because one contributor might screw up the setup, causing problems for the next contributor.

After writing down the above issues that popup in my head while writing this post, it seems quite undoable...

_**Does anybody has a better idea?  
Or does everybody need to setup his own test environments...**_

Bart

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [7 November 2020 22:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/2 "2020-11-07T22:59:56Z")

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> [@BartButenaers](#):
>
> Does anybody has a better idea?

The best site to test website and see them realtime on MAC Safari is by using

[Browserstack](http://www.browserstack.com/)

They have like 25 free minutes of first time testing and then 10 free mins each day..You can even test your pages from your local PC by using their WEB TUNNEL Feature

(Source: [macos - Testing web application on Mac/Safari when I don't own a Mac - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1825599/testing-web-application-on-mac-safari-when-i-dont-own-a-mac))

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**Author:** ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)\
**Post date:** [7 November 2020 23:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/3 "2020-11-07T23:07:34Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> They have like 25 free minutes of first time testing and then 10 free mins each day

Thanks Steve!  
Have done a quick calculation: since it takes me about 9 minutes to remember where I left the previous evening, it will take me about 2,5 years to solve a single issue 🤣

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**Author:** ![jodelkoenig](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/jodelkoenig/32/44645_2.png) [@jodelkoenig](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jodelkoenig)\
**Post date:** [8 November 2020 16:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/4 "2020-11-08T16:41:20Z")

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Interesting idea, Bart.

macos virtualization on non Mac computer is quite often a hassle. The most performant and least painful way I came across is via ESXI 6.7 as well as 7. It requires patching of ESXI though.

The second best way - for me - is with [macOS-Simple-KVM](https://github.com/foxlet/macOS-Simple-KVM). Easy to install but not as much performance as with ESXI.

Is this a wide spread demand? I might be able to provide easy access to a remote macos instance via zerotier.

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**Author:** ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)\
**Post date:** [8 November 2020 18:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/6 "2020-11-08T18:04:53Z")

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> [@jodelkoenig](#):
>
> Is this a wide spread demand?

It is the first time somebody reported a macos issue for one of my nodes. But then node developers are stuck, unless they start spending free time to figure out how to setup an entire test environment for a single issue. Time that I would like to have spend on my developments...  
Anyway, the ISO image is almost complete so will try to install virtualbox tonight...

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**Author:** ![janvda](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/janvda/32/234_2.png) [@janvda](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/janvda)\
**Post date:** [8 November 2020 18:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/7 "2020-11-08T18:30:53Z")

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Are the issues related to the macOS or more specific to the safari browser ?

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**Author:** ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)\
**Post date:** [8 November 2020 20:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/8 "2020-11-08T20:41:28Z")

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I suppose MacOS because Chrome also doesn't work there correctly.  
But not tried anything yet,because the wife and kids decided to have a movie evening 🙂

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**Author:** ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)\
**Post date:** [8 November 2020 22:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/9 "2020-11-08T22:33:05Z")

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Followed all the steps from this [tutorial](https://www.howtogeek.com/289594/how-to-install-macos-sierra-in-virtualbox-on-windows-10/), and now I have got Catalina MacOs running in virtualbox on Windows 10:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/2/c/2cb231d4dc1e90049a12ff5a422ac2aba5e3fbf7.png)

But unfortunately the weekend is now over and out...

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [7 January 2021 22:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/a-macos-cloud-desktop-where-we-can-test-our-nodes/35522/10 "2021-01-07T22:33:11Z")

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