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List of the things to do on a new Mac

new-mac

The things I do when setting up a new Mac

Setup shell

Alfred

  • [ ] Download and enable it for CMD + space
  • [ ] Enable sync via Google Drive

BetterTouchTool

  • [ ] Download, install and enable BTT
  • [ ] Transfer settings from other Mac

Tweetbot

  • [ ] Login to all accounts

VS Code

  • [ ] Login for settings sync
  • [ ] CMD + Shift + P => install code command

Finder

  • [ ] Show Path Bar
  • [ ] Remove labels and clean up Sidebar

Dock

  • [ ] Auto-hide dock
  • [ ] Remove all the  things

Install and setup

Mac App Store

  • [ ] Trello
  • [ ] Tweetbot
  • [ ] Bear Notes
  • [ ] Pixelmator
  • [ ] Timing

Other

  • [ ] Enable iMessages Cloud sync
  • [ ] Make emojis faster using defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled -bool false
  • [ ] Enable taps for trackpad
  • [ ] Increase trackpad speed
  • [ ] Add email to lock message in Security & Privacy settings
  • [ ] Enable zoom for control + scrolling (System Preferences -> Accessibility -> Zoom -> Use scroll gesture ...
  • [ ] Custom keyboard shortcut for all apps: control + tab => Select Next Tab and Next Tab, same for previous (used in applications like Tweetbot)
  • [ ] Keyboard Key Repeat to the fastest, Delay to the second shortest
  • [ ] Enable US keyboard with German Umlaut mapping: https://hci.rwth-aachen.de/usgermankeyboard
  • [ ] Install Bitbar and point to Google Drive Bitbar folder
  • [ ] Disable all app dock bouncing defaults write com.apple.dock no-bouncing -bool TRUE
  • [ ] Disable Siri system wide, and remove Siri button from touch bar
  • [ ] defaults write com.flexibits.fantastical2.mac HideLocationSuggestions -bool YES
  • [ ] defaults write com.flexibits.fantastical2.mac AlwaysIgnoreLocation -bool YES
  • [ ] defaults write com.flexibits.fantastical2.mac ShowEmailDefaultAlarm -bool YES
  • [ ] Fantastical Advanced setting Go to today after adding items (who even comes up with that default)
  • [ ] Disable all kinds of animations
    • [ ] defaults write -g NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled -bool false (disable popover animations)
    • [ ] defaults write -g NSWindowResizeTime -float 0.001
  • [ ] System preferences -> Notifications -> Tower -> None, as Tower shows pretty useless notifications all the time, same for Sonos
  • [ ] Setup /etc/hosts using someonewhocares.org/hosts
    • [ ] Don't use Little Snitch for this, as it will slow down their UI a lot, better use the hosts file
  • [ ] Block port 80 using Little Snitch
  • [ ] Change the screenshot location from BTT
  • [ ] Transfer keybase.io account
  • [ ] Keyboard settings -> Shortcuts -> Input Sources -> Uncheck both input source switching options
  • [ ] iTerm Tab Bar Location to bottom
  • [ ] iTerm Profiles Advanced -> Select Editor VS Code
  • [ ] iTerm Profiles Terminal -> Scrollback lines -> Unlimited scrollback