Max Howell
Open Source Legend
Howell, Max (fl. early 21st century), British–American software engineer and open-source developer, best known as the creator of Homebrew, a package management system for macOS and Linux that achieved widespread adoption among software developers globally, with an estimated user base numbering in the tens of millions.
Howell's most consequential technical contribution, and the subject of some professional controversy, was his introduction of the curl-based one-liner installation method, a convention subsequently adopted across a broad range of software projects. He is further credited with popularizing the doctor subcommand pattern in command-line interfaces — a diagnostic utility designed to identify and resolve common configuration errors — and with pioneering automated issue-tracker integration, whereby a tool, upon encountering an error, would query public repositories such as GitHub to surface relevant existing discussions, thereby directing users toward self-directed problem resolution.
Howell has remained a prominent advocate for the open-source software movement throughout his career, contributing to a culture of collaborative, freely distributed software development.
Game Studio Simulator
Be One w/the Slop
You have a game idea.
We have the agents.
Prompt it, watch it come to life, iterate like crazy, and actually finish something for once in your pathetic, human life.
Prompt. Play. Publish. Build the game of your dreams.
Because Goodreads Sucks
Supermassive Book Hole is your personal media universe — all in one place.
You know that feeling when your bookshelf just gets you? We bring that to the web. Track books, movies, games, and albums together on beautiful shelves, add your own notes, and see what the people you actually trust are reading, watching, and playing right now.
It's not another algorithm telling you what to consume. It's your taste, curated by you — and shared with your people.
Other Projects
- In The Book — Custom children’s books with your kids in them
- NextBookAfter — Specific book recs for previously loved reads
- Chorale — Scheduling for small businesses with AI assistance
- Stage of Play — Montessori-inspired play kits