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Tech Stack and Mac Setup

Essential Applications

Productivity:

  • Browser: Vivaldi (European-developed, customizable, fast)

  • Note taking: Logseq (open source, markdown-based)

  • Editor: VSCode

  • Package management: Homebrew

  • Better launcher: Raycast

  • Window management: Magnet

  • Password manager: 1Password

Communication and Collaboration:

  • Group communication: Zulip

  • Project management: Notion

  • External collaborations: Slack, Discord

  • Feedback/screencasts: Loom, Screen Studio

  • GIFs: Gifox

Research and Writing:

  • References: Zotero (excellent iPad app)

  • Read later: Readwise (stores highlights)

  • Flashcards: Anki

  • Spell checking: LanguageTool

  • LaTeX conversion: Mathpix

  • Paper alerts: Google Scholar alerts, Scholar Inbox daily alerts

Development:

  • Python: Miniconda

  • API testing: Postman

Design and Planning:

  • Figures: Illustrator

  • Brainstorming: Miro

  • Postmortems: Easy Retro

  • File transfer: Cruft

  • AI assistance: napkin.ai

You might find this Brewfile useful (run brew bundle in the directory with this file).

Mac Settings

# Show Library folder
chflags nohidden ~/Library

# Show hidden files
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

# Add path bar to title
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true

# Restart Finder
killall Finder
  • Disable Mission Control hot corners
  • Disable all notifications

Input

  • Trackpad > Tap to click
  • Keyboard > Key Repeat > Fast (all the way to the right)
  • Keyboard > Delay Until Repeat > Short (all the way to the right)
  • Keyboard > Input Sources > Disable "Correct spelling automatically"
  • Dock > Automatically hide and show the Dock

Security

  • Security & Privacy > General: Require password immediately after sleep
  • Security & Privacy > FileVault: Make sure FileVault disk encryption is enabled
  • iCloud: enable Find My Mac

Backup

  • Personal: Backblaze

Browser Setup

Extensions

  • Refined GitHub
  • PaperMemory

VSCode Setup

Extensions

  • Remote SSH
  • Remote Explorer
  • Live Preview
  • Python
  • Python Indent
  • Jupyter
  • Markdown lint
  • Pylance
  • HTML CSS Support
  • CodeSnap
  • Error Lense
  • Ruff
  • Context7

Moving extensions between machines

# get the extensions 
code --list-extensions | sed -e 's/^/code --install-extension /' > my_vscode_extensions.sh
# install
bash my_vscode_extensions.sh

VPN setup

The offical uni page for vpn

Clusters

  • draco
  • Vicuna -> vicuna.iomc.uni-jena.de
  • Alpaca -> alpaca.iomc.uni-jena.de

Git

  • We use conventional commits: https://commitizen-tools.github.io/commitizen/

LLMs

  • Ask to be added to ChatGPT Pro subscription (use university email if not already set up)