Please read this entire article before installing Spot.

Spot requires Java version 1.6 or 1.7. It does not work with version 1.8. A clean High Sierra installation comes with Java 1.8. We advise you to install Java 6 before installing Spot. You can download this from Apple:

1. Go to https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572 and click "Download" to download Java 6.

2. Double click ~/Downloads/ javaforosx.dmg and follow the instruction to install Java 6. It will install the 1.6.0.jdk in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines.

If you are using OS X 10.13 (High Sierra) on your Mac with the most up-to-date Java you might get this error message when you try to start Spot:

To open "spot" you need to install the legacy Java SE 6 runtime. Click "More Info..." to visit the legacy Java SE 6 download website.

To fix this follow the directions for installing Java 6 above, then reinstall Spot.

 If you have OS X 10.13 (High Sierra), when you install and then run Spot, you might see one of these error messages:

You do not have permission to open the application "spot". Contact your computer or network administrator for assistance

Spot is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash

Mac OS X High Sierra tightens the security control over applications that are not from Mac App Store and identified developers. This includes Spot.

To make Spot run, users need to change the 'Security & Privacy' setting.

1. Open a terminal; Enter the command: “sudo spctl --master-disable”; Hit return and authenticate with an admin password.
2. Open System Preferences
3. Click on 'Security & Privacy'
4. Login by clicking the lock icon
5. Choose 'Anywhere' under the title 'Allow applications downloaded from'
6. Close the System Preferences dialog
7. Start Spot by double clicking on Spot icon

 See http://osxdaily.com/2016/09/27/allow-apps-from-anywhere-macos-gatekeeper for more details. 

 For some users Spot will run but not auto-update (Options -> Use Automatic Spot Version Update) if Spitzer-Pride is installed in the /Applications directory even if you have admin privileges and the /Applications and Spitzer-Pride directories are read/writeable. This may be an added security measure from Apple under High Sierra (non-App store apps may not be update-able if installed in /Applications).

We have found that if you re-install Spitzer-Pride in a directory under your user account (i.e. in /Users/janedoe/) and start up Spot, it detects the update (check that Options -> Use Automatic Spot Version Update is selected) and does actually download and install the update. Copying or moving Spitzer-Pride from /Applications to another location is not enough to make this work, you need to re-install it. Please note that Spot cannot communicate with the servers at the Spitzer Science Center if auto-update is not enabled.