When you get a new computer, what are the first things you do? Whether it's:
- Installing programs
- Adding shortcuts
- Disabling certain options
- Setting up new preferences
- Etc.
I'm eager to hear what you'd consider the must-do "first steps" for a new machine.
Latest comments (66)
Linux. Or occasionally another Unix-based OS I'm not supposed to put on it 😉 (but usually that just goes in KVM).
I recently set up Windows on a new laptop and tried to install as much as I could via Chocolatey, so I guess install Chocolatey is now the first thing I do :).
This is my choco install list currently:
I wrote an install-on-setup script that installs homebrew, ohmyzsh, ~40 apps, fonts, and my own keyboard layout (that I created for coding in PHP). Also symlinks all my settings back to their latest, puts my SSH keys backs, and sets my Apache vhosts.
Also, two hidden gems for Mac users: Apptivate (lets to assign any key combo to any app, folder, or file) and Shuttle (lets you create a menu for scripts you run often).
are you using a Brewfile?
No, simple
brew install
andbrew cask install
commands.I download my dotfiles and install them... that repo includes a “setting up a new computer” checklist. It’s surprising how often it gets used (and invaluable every time it does) 😅
Check out my dotfiles repo
Change keyboard, trackpad, and display preferences.
I keep a list here so I don’t forget stuff: github.com/katylava/dotkyl/blob/ma...
Remove all the bloatware.
Install programs
Setup by development environment using dot files I created
neovim
,vscode
,alacritty
(terminal I use on both Linux and Mac),tmux
,zsh
I have a folder of portable app that has most of the apps/programs/utilities I need, I copy this and I can be productive without needing to install too much myself. I will build a chocolatey (or similar) config to handle the rest next time I need to setup a new box
Wipe the hard drive and install OpenBSD.
I install OpenSUSE Tumbleweed with KDE on it, then I install Syncthing, Emacs, OpenJDK and KeePass XC as the first programs. The rest comes as needed.
I immediately install chrome, turn on dark mode, install flux if I am on windows, and then start the usually long process of installing my dev environment. One thing I always install is a notebook app I love called Quiver.
1) Clone my dotfiles, and 2) Install Fish, NeoVim, and Tmux
I install Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7.04 (released 2001).
I spot a fellow arch user and upvote 💪🏾
This specific workflow is for Manjaro, which is currently my main dev distro (that's why there are no steps to install python, zsh or git). I usually go with Arch when I need something minimal to build with a bottom-up approach (no DEs, etc). But even with Manjaro, I'm still in the Arch family 😛.
Visual Studio both versions.
Node and npm
.net
SnagIt
Camtasia
The rest is cloud stuff like GitHub, vsts, OneDrive, etc.