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As you work with Max, you may want to share your work with other users. There are a few ways to share code, depending on your needs. All of these will work on both Mac and Windows machines.
Max Patch (.maxpat file): You can send your patch to any person who owns Max and has it installed. That person can open it directly, edit and save. There's also a 30-day demo available for download. During the 30-day period, that person can open it directly, edit and save. After 30 days, it cannot be saved.
Max Collective (.mxf file): You may also build a collective out of your patch. This bundles up your patch into one file to make it easier to send. It's especially useful if your patch contains a number of different files. Collectives are cross-platform compatible (Max/MSP 4.3 or greater). Like a Patch, a Collective also requires a Max installation, demo, or runtime version (only for Max 6 or older). Refer to the documentation for more details on how to create collectives.
Max Standalone (.app on Mac or .exe on Win): You may turn your patch into a platform-specific standalone application. A standalone does not require any additional Max installation or runtime. You can give this away free or you can choose to sell it.
Max 8 Project: The project is portable and can be opened by other Max 8 users.