There are a bunch of things I do when I re-install macOS on a computer, or when I begin working on a new computer. I don't do this often, so it's easy to forget the steps. So I documented everything in a gist.

I used to keep these steps in Notes.app but figured they should be public anyway (open source by default, right?) so here we are.

Apps to install from macOS App Store:

  • Pastebot
  • GIF Brewery
  • Slack
  • Keynote/Pages/Numbers
  • 1Password
  • OmniFocus 3
  • Airmail 3
  • iA Writer

Apps installed directly from the internet:

Other Customizations

  • Custom Safari Stylesheet in Sync
  • Fairfloss Xcode/VSCode colour scheme http://sailorhg.github.io/fairyfloss/
  • Turn on zoom in Accessibility settings
  • git config --global push.default simple
  • git config --global user.name "Ash Furrow"
  • git config --global user.email ash@ashfurrow.com
  • git config --global alias.pushf "push --force-with-lease"
  • brew install trash + alias https://twitter.com/kattrali/status/662052949326098432
  • defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool YES
  • defaults write -g NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture YES
  • Always expand save file dialogue box defaults write -g NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -boolean true
  • Import GPG key from 1Password
  • Dark mode on menu bar
  • Dock on right, auto-hide on
  • Hide Desktop icons: defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop false
  • Proxy icon animation hack: https://brettterpstra.com/2020/12/02/remove-the-proxy-icon-hover-delay-in-big-sur/

One thing I've added recently, that's super-important to me, is to untrust a certain certificate. Blue Coat is a company that creates internet surveillance and censorship software and Semantic gave them an intermediate CA certificate. That means they can sign arbitrary certificates that you're computer will trust (because your computer trusts Semantic, and Semantic trusts Blue Coat).

I'm not really into the idea of my computer trusting a company like Blue Coat, so I follow the instructions to untrust this certificate. I highly recommend you do, too.

And I recommend you document everything you do to make your computer awesome!