Summary
Document KeepingYouAwake as an alternative to Amphetamine for users who want to avoid the Mac App Store and signing in with a personal Apple ID on a work Mac.
Proposed documentation
Update README.md §1.2 (Keep the Mac awake) to explain that Amphetamine is the recommended App Store option, but it is not the only option:
### App Store-free alternative: KeepingYouAwake
If you want to avoid the Mac App Store or signing in with a personal Apple ID, install the open-source KeepingYouAwake utility through Homebrew:
```bash
brew install --cask keepingyouawake
open -a KeepingYouAwake
KeepingYouAwake appears in the menu bar. Click its icon and choose a predefined duration, or choose Indefinitely to keep the Mac awake until you turn it off. Use a timed session when possible, and configure its battery protection/start-at-login options if available in the installed version.
KeepingYouAwake covers the basic requirement for this setup: preventing macOS from entering system sleep while the host remains available. It does not provide all Amphetamine features, including app/file-based sessions, Triggers, Drive Alive, closed-lid/clamshell sleep prevention, or Amphetamine's separate display-sleep controls. It also cannot prevent sleep with a MacBook lid closed.
For the server-Mac configuration described here, verify that the display may still sleep and that the screen saver/lock policy behaves as required by the organization's MDM policy. Keep the Mac connected to power for long-running sessions.
## Acceptance criteria
- The prerequisites/setup walkthrough documents KeepingYouAwake as an App Store-free alternative.
- The Homebrew install and launch commands are included.
- Basic menu-bar usage and indefinite/timed sessions are explained.
- The important Amphetamine feature differences and closed-lid limitation are explicit.
- The existing Amphetamine recommendation remains available for users who can use the App Store.
Summary
Document KeepingYouAwake as an alternative to Amphetamine for users who want to avoid the Mac App Store and signing in with a personal Apple ID on a work Mac.
Proposed documentation
Update
README.md§1.2 (Keep the Mac awake) to explain that Amphetamine is the recommended App Store option, but it is not the only option:KeepingYouAwake appears in the menu bar. Click its icon and choose a predefined duration, or choose Indefinitely to keep the Mac awake until you turn it off. Use a timed session when possible, and configure its battery protection/start-at-login options if available in the installed version.
KeepingYouAwake covers the basic requirement for this setup: preventing macOS from entering system sleep while the host remains available. It does not provide all Amphetamine features, including app/file-based sessions, Triggers, Drive Alive, closed-lid/clamshell sleep prevention, or Amphetamine's separate display-sleep controls. It also cannot prevent sleep with a MacBook lid closed.
For the server-Mac configuration described here, verify that the display may still sleep and that the screen saver/lock policy behaves as required by the organization's MDM policy. Keep the Mac connected to power for long-running sessions.