Notes

New Mac Setup

5 min read

iCloud

Always log into iCloud on every new machine, unless mandated not to by work.

For all machines:

For personal machines

On a case by case basis (always for personal, depends for work):

MacOS

Updates

Run the following to get the latest updates and reboot once ready

sudo softwareupdate -i -a -R

Then enable automatic updates

  • Enable downloading updates
  • Disable installing MacOS updates
  • Enable installing AppStore updates
  • Enable install Security Responses

Siri

Dock

  • Remove any default app I do not use daily
  • Add Applications folder to next to the default Downloads stack
  • convert both stacks to display as Folders in a list
  • Under Settings
    • Enable automatically showing and hiding
    • Shrink size based on screen
    • Enable maximum magnification

Mouse/Trackpad

If primarily using a mouse:

If using a trackpad (at all):

Display

Software

Homebrew

Install Xcode command line tools:

xcode-select --install

Then install Homebrew using the instructions from the homepage.

Themes

Current preferences are:

I’ll add theme links where appropriate.

Browsers

Always:

brew install --cask google-chrome

For personal:

brew install --cask brave-browser microsoft-edge firefox

Chrome

Extensions
Further Configuration

Microsoft Edge

Extensions
Further Configuration

Brave Browser

Extensions
  • Skip uBlock Origin Lite because Brave Shields are comparable
  • For themes - again use Chrome Extensions
Further Configuration
  • Get started > On startup > Continue where you left off
  • Appearance > Toolbar
    • Show bookmarks button > Off
    • Show Brave News button > Off
    • Show Brave Rewards button > Off
    • Show Brave Wallet button > Off
    • Show Sidebar button > Off
    • Show VPN button > Off
  • Open New Tab > Customize
    • Background Image > Show Sponsored Image > Off
    • Clock > Show Clock > On
    • Cards > Cards > Off

Firefox

Extensions
Further Configuration
  • General > Startup
    • Open previous windows and tabs > On
    • Always check if Firefox is your default browser > Off
  • Home> Firefox Home Content
    • Shortcuts > Sponsored shortcuts > Off
    • Shortcuts > Off
    • Recommended Stories > Sponsored stories > Off
    • Recommended Stories > > Off
    • Recent activity > On

Terminal and Shell

I just use the default Terminal application in MacOS.

Themes

Use this tool if you want to convert an existing iTerm2 theme.

ZSH

Install font for Powerlevel10k prompt

brew install --cask font-meslo-for-powerlevel10k

After installing the font, modify the current Terminal theme to use it. Adjust font size as needed.

Then install Antidote for zsh plugin management.

brew install antidote

The output will provide instructions on how to load antidote in your .zshrc.

Create ~/.zsh_plugins.txt

mattmc3/ez-compinit
zsh-users/zsh-completions path:src kind:fpath

belak/zsh-utils path:editor
belak/zsh-utils path:history
belak/zsh-utils path:utility

romkatv/powerlevel10k

zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting
zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search

Then open a new terminal tab load antidote and start the p10k configuration wizard.

Text Editors

Always:

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

For work:

brew install --cask cursor

Set up everything in Visual Studio then allow Cursor to import the settings.

Extensions

The only extension I install out of the box is the one for the theme I use.

Settings

git

git itself should be installed by the Xcode Command Line tools.

Install SourceTree to help with visual staging of diffs

brew install --cask sourcetree

Open it once to let it modify ~/.gitconfig

Add the following to ~/.gitconfig

[alias]
	st = status
	ci = commit
	br = branch
	co = checkout
	df = diff
	ls = ls-files
	lol = log --graph --decorate --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit
	lola = log --graph --decorate --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit --all --date=local
	lg = log --color --graph --pretty=format:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset' --abbrev-commit
	yolo = git commit -am \"DEAL WITH IT\" && git push -f origin master
[push]
	autoSetupRemote = true
[pull]
	rebase = true
[fetch]
	prune = true
[diff]
	colorMoved = zebra
[safe]
	bareRepository = explicit

SSH Keys

Make sure to put in the applicable email address and set a passphrase.

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "youremail@goes.here"

Provide the passphrase when asked.

ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Add the following to ~/.ssh/config

Host *
    UseKeychain yes
    AddKeysToAgent yes
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Add to Github if needed.

Obsidian

brew install --cask obsidian

Open with Vault from iCloud Drive.

Themes

I don’t theme Obsidian anymore because the themes also sync between devices.

Communication

brew install --cask discord zoom

Dev Environment

Mise

brew install mise
echo 'eval "$(mise activate zsh)"' >> "${ZDOTDIR-$HOME}/.zshrc"

Other

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