macports

MisterH wrote:

Thanks for that too. Been there and found the same explanation. Being an ordinary non-techie, I have no idea what "compiling, installing, and upgrading either command-line, X11 or Aqua based open-source software on the Mac operating system" means.

That's the purpose of Macports, to help people who don't know how to download packages, compile them, and make them easily accessible. It is not something that is part of the OS, so someone who had physical control of that Mac installed Macports. Since it can't magically appear, I assume it is the user of the Mac who installed it at some point and would be familiar with the name.

So, since this user is not visible in System Settings, how do I delete it? Is it as simple as moving it to the trash from a Finder window where it is visible?

Uninstalling Macports might do it. Check for uninstall instructions on the link BobHarris provided.

If not, you may have to use Directory Utility, Directory Editor. Pick Users from the Viewing popup menu and click the padlock to authenticate. Select the macports user and click the – button.

If you did not install macports, then check with other users of the Mac to determine whether you should remove the app, the packages it installed, and the user.

If you no longer use MacPorts, removing the user won’t have any consequences.

Or ignore it, as it is not hurting anything.

A simple Google search for "Whaat is MacPorts?" found this:

The MacPorts Project is an open-source community initiative to design an easy-to-use system for compiling, installing, and upgrading either command-line, X11 or Aqua based open-source software on the Mac operating system. 

https://www.macports.org/