Difference between revisions of "Macbook Air install log"

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I got a new MacBook Air. These are the first things I do with it given my experience with the older 2011 MBA, based on what worked well for my environment and what not.
This is what I do with a new '''Mac''' or '''MacBook''' based on my experience and needs.

Last update: 2013-2014.


* Open the box, unpack stuff, got upset that the power supply has a new MagSafe adapter - this means my old power brick will not serve without an adapter.
* Open the box, unpack stuff, got upset that the power supply has a new MagSafe adapter - this means my old power brick will not serve without an adapter.
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* Fix Safari (and Chrome) settings to not save passwords, and start with my favorite start page.
* Fix Safari (and Chrome) settings to not save passwords, and start with my favorite start page.
* Move Terminal shortcut to the Dock
* Move Terminal shortcut to the Dock
* Terminal->Properties->Settings->Shell-> change "When the shell exits" to "Close if the shell exited cleanly"
* Terminal->Preferences->Settings->Shell-> change "When the shell exits:" to "Close if the shell exited cleanly"
* Terminal->Properties->Window change width to 120 - I wan to see long messages.
* Terminal->Preferences->Settings->Window change width to 120 - I wan to see long messages.
* System Preferences -> Languages and Text; also in Keyboard, and add and enable options for Latvian text input support.
* System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Full Keyboard Access: in windows and dialogs... [x] all controls


= AppStore =
= AppStore =


Install some apps from the AppStore:
Install some apps from the AppStore:
* TextWrangler
* TextWrangler - the text editor
* Evernote
* Evernote - take notes, save in cloud
* Numbers, Pages, Keynote
* Numbers, Pages, Keynote - Apple office
* MplayerX
* MplayerX - play videos nicely
* SmartConverter Pro
* SmartConverter Pro - convert most any video formats to common target formats
* The Unarchiver
* The Unarchiver - easy zip file management
* Caffeine
* Caffeine - Turn off screen saver
* Sketchbook Express
* Sketchbook Express - drawing program by AutoCad
* Kindle
* Kindle - read books from Amazon
* Xcode - for development and command line tools
** Xcode->Preferences->Downloads-> install Command Line Tools


= Other Apps =
= Other Apps =
Install some apps from other sources, or directly from the developer.
Install some apps from other sources, or directly from the developer.
* Google Chrome
* Google Chrome
* [https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/25141/keyremap4macbook KeyRemap4MacBook] - to rearrange the keyboard
* [https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/25141/keyremap4macbook KeyRemap4MacBook] - to rearrange the keyboard. Here are some of my favorite mappings:
** '''Control+Arrow''' to '''Option_L+Arrow''', to get the control to skip words, not desks.
** '''Command_R''' to '''Option_R''', or else I keep pressing command+a to get 'ā' for my Latvian text, but it selects everything instead, and kills the text with the next stroke.
** '''Option_R''' to '''Forward-Delete''', to get my Del key back and close.
** '''Z'''+'''X''' to '''Left click''' (to make drag and drop easier with the touch pad)

* [http://winebottler.kronenberg.org Winebottler] - like Wine on Linux
* [http://winebottler.kronenberg.org Winebottler] - like Wine on Linux
* [http://www.dropbox.com DropBox]
* [http://www.dropbox.com DropBox]
* [http://totalfinder.binaryage.com/ TotalFinder] - makes the Finder suck less
* [http://totalfinder.binaryage.com/ TotalFinder] - makes the Finder suck less
* [http://cyberduck.ch/ CyberDuck] - for SFTP and other file transfer protocols
* [http://cyberduck.ch/ CyberDuck] - for SFTP and other file transfer protocols
* [http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/ X11 by XQuartz] - X-windows (that are NOT bundled with OS X since Mountain Lion)
* [http://osxfuse.github.io/ FUSE and SSHFS for OSX] - to mount my remote (linux) drives over ssh

* [http://www.sketchup.com/ Sketchup] - easy 3D modeling
* [http://www.sketchup.com/ Sketchup] - easy 3D modeling
* [https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/31352/coolterm CoolTerm] - serial port terminal

* [http://brew.sh/ Homebrew] - the missing package manager for OS X

* LeapMotion - because I have the gesture input gadget

= Wine / Windows apps =

* [http://www.irfanview.com/ Irfanview] - the easiest photo editor and viewer


= Experimental =
There are a few things I am not sure will stay long term, but anyway, there they are:

* [http://learnaholic.me/2012/10/10/installing-nginx-in-mac-os-x-mountain-lion/ nginx] - webserver for development needs. Yes, Mountain Lion still has Apache somewhere within, although the enabling checkbox has been removed from the system settings. So, I will try the nginx.
* [http://nodejs.org/download/ node.js] - for some experiments.


= ToDo =
= ToDo =
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* VLC?
* VLC?
* EagleCAD
* EagleCAD
* CoolTerm
* DiskRing?
* DiskRing?


Latest revision as of 12:58, 22 May 2014

This is what I do with a new Mac or MacBook based on my experience and needs.

Last update: 2013-2014.

  • Open the box, unpack stuff, got upset that the power supply has a new MagSafe adapter - this means my old power brick will not serve without an adapter.
  • Charge the battery. Set up the basics and register the Mac.
  • Log in for the first time. Change the background, make the dock smaller.
  • Set the trackpad to the tap mode - I prefer light tapping to strong clicking.
  • Remove some apps from the dock that I rarely use: the stock email reader, FaceTime, Contacts, etc. Many of these are integrated in Google apps.

Tweaks

  • Fix Safari (and Chrome) settings to not save passwords, and start with my favorite start page.
  • Move Terminal shortcut to the Dock
  • Terminal->Preferences->Settings->Shell-> change "When the shell exits:" to "Close if the shell exited cleanly"
  • Terminal->Preferences->Settings->Window change width to 120 - I wan to see long messages.
  • System Preferences -> Languages and Text; also in Keyboard, and add and enable options for Latvian text input support.
  • System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Full Keyboard Access: in windows and dialogs... [x] all controls

AppStore

Install some apps from the AppStore:

  • TextWrangler - the text editor
  • Evernote - take notes, save in cloud
  • Numbers, Pages, Keynote - Apple office
  • MplayerX - play videos nicely
  • SmartConverter Pro - convert most any video formats to common target formats
  • The Unarchiver - easy zip file management
  • Caffeine - Turn off screen saver
  • Sketchbook Express - drawing program by AutoCad
  • Kindle - read books from Amazon
  • Xcode - for development and command line tools
    • Xcode->Preferences->Downloads-> install Command Line Tools

Other Apps

Install some apps from other sources, or directly from the developer.

  • Google Chrome
  • KeyRemap4MacBook - to rearrange the keyboard. Here are some of my favorite mappings:
    • Control+Arrow to Option_L+Arrow, to get the control to skip words, not desks.
    • Command_R to Option_R, or else I keep pressing command+a to get 'ā' for my Latvian text, but it selects everything instead, and kills the text with the next stroke.
    • Option_R to Forward-Delete, to get my Del key back and close.
    • Z+X to Left click (to make drag and drop easier with the touch pad)
  • Homebrew - the missing package manager for OS X
  • LeapMotion - because I have the gesture input gadget

Wine / Windows apps

  • Irfanview - the easiest photo editor and viewer


Experimental

There are a few things I am not sure will stay long term, but anyway, there they are:

  • nginx - webserver for development needs. Yes, Mountain Lion still has Apache somewhere within, although the enabling checkbox has been removed from the system settings. So, I will try the nginx.
  • node.js - for some experiments.

ToDo

  • Microsoft office
  • Parallels
  • Handbrake
  • Python Launcher?
  • Keyspan Serial Assistant
  • Gimp
  • Google Drive
  • Arduino, Tinkerkit
  • Waspmote?
  • smcFanControl
  • VirtualBox?
  • VLC?
  • EagleCAD
  • DiskRing?

To-not-Do

There are some things that I have decided to stay away based on previous experiences or storage and other restrictions.

  • No MacPorts for now. Will see, how long can I stay this way.
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