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Freedom is an application that disables networking on an Apple computer for up to eight hours at a time. Freedom will free you from the distractions of the internet, allowing you time to code, write, or create. At the end of your selected offline period, Freedom re-enables your network, restoring everything as normal.

Freedom enforces freedom; a reboot is the only circumvention of the Freedom time limit you specify. The hassle of rebooting means you're less likely to cheat, and you'll enjoy enhanced productivity. Freedom is free, but if you find Freedom useful, please consider a donation of ten dollars to fund continuing development.

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Freedom’s MacWorld Review

If you ever told me that my little piece of software would get its own MacWorld review

Ah, the Internet: Fountain of information, smorgasbord of entertainment, nexus of social networking. Oh, and bane to productivity.

As anyone who’s procrastinated in the past decade knows, the Internet’s vast stores of instantly accessible content are nigh irresistible…especially when you’ve got work that needs doing. A few years back, I covered Think, a utility that visually blocks out all but the current program, and there’s also WriteRoom, a full-screen word processor for focusing on your writing. But while these utilities can help hide other programs, they can’t save you from yourself. That’s where Freedom comes in.

3.5 mice.  Not bad, but I’d argue Freedom is a 4 mouse program at least!

Freedom also got a little coverage in the USA Today article Some ditch social networks to reclaim time, privacy, a front page feature.

One antidote to the always-on life is Freedom, free software that disables any Apple computer’s Internet access for up to eight hours. About 100,000 Web users have downloaded Freedom since 2008, says Fred Stutzman, a graduate student in information sciences at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the program’s creator.

“Freedom is a statement that it’s OK to push back from this tide of technology and find some space to really think,” he says.

I need to update the sidebar!

MacFreedom Raises 350 Dollars for Haiti

Last week, I announced that all proceeds from MacFreedom registrations would be sent to Haiti relief efforts.  I’m pleased to report that because of your generosity, we raised $350.00!  This is no small sum and will go a long way.

Here’s the breakdown of where the money went:

  • I completed one “custom build” of Freedom for a generous donor who sent $150.00 to Médecins Sans Frontières, earmarked for Haiti Relief
  • There were 20 Freedom registrations for a total of $200.00 sent to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund (I covered the fees PayPal charges me).

All I can say is thank you!

Support Haiti Relief Efforts With Freedom

If you’ve ever thought about registering Freedom, now is the time.  For the next week, all Freedom donations will be directed to Haiti relief efforts.  This is a great opportunity for you to register your copy and make a difference.  At the end of the week I will post an update listing the number of donations and where the money was sent.

Register/donate here.

Please register your copy of Freedom and support those in desperate need.

Download Freedom

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Current Version: 0.5.1


Freedom is free to use. Download and open Freedom.dmg, then drag Freedom.app to your Applications folder. Mac OS X only, tested through 10.6.1.

Support Freedom

Your secure donation of ten dollars will fund continuing development of Freedom.

Follow Freedom

Writers on Freedom

Jason Snell, legendary Mac journalist and editorial director, Mac Publishing (publisher of MacWorld): "There may be no bigger boon to Mac productivity.."


Rebecca Traister, writer, Salon and New York Magazine: "I have gotten an immense amount of work done.."


David Sirota, author of New York Times Bestsellers Hostile Takeover (Three Rivers) and The Uprising (Crown): "The greatest tool for work efficiency in Apple programming history."


Dennis Cass, journalist and author of Head Case (HarperCollins): "To say that it’s changed my life is an understatement."


Doree Shafrir, author of Love, Mom: Poignant, Goofy, Brilliant Messages from Home (Hyperion) and writer/editor New York Observer, Gawker, Philadelphia Weekly: "45 minutes of Freedom=844 words written. It's a miracle, I tell you!."


Leo Babauta, editor of Zen Habits and author of The Power of Less (Hyperion): "When I need to do serious work, I try to remove distractions by closing the browser to do actual work. If I find myself opening the browser too much, I’ll use a utility (such as Freedom) to shut off the Internet altogether."


All quotes unsolicited, and sourced from content posted to the web. No endorsement implied.