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On this page
  • App Favorites
  • Apps to Consider
  • Retired Apps
  • Keyboard shortcuts of note
  • Useful Terminal Commands
  • Backup Exclusions
  • Time Machine
  • Backblaze
  • Homebrew Packages
  • Launchd services
  • Preventing a Mac From Waking Up Randomly
  • References

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  1. Computing

Mac

App Favorites

I've left default Apple apps off this list (like Calendar, and Music), but I use those as well.

  • 1Password - Password vault

  • Acorn - Image editor

  • Arq Backup - Backup archived files to B2 or S3

  • Backblaze - Backup entire computer

  • Beekeeper Studio - Database editor (SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, Postgres, CockroachDB, SQL Server, and Amazon Redshift)

  • BBEdit - Lightweight text editor

  • Be Focused Pro - Pomodoro timer

  • Boop - Text transformers

  • CodeRunner - Playground for different programming languages

  • Creative Cloud - I use this just for Photoshop.

  • DaisyDisk - Helps cleanup old files

  • Dropbox - Sync files

  • Encrypt.me - VPN

  • Forecast - Edit tags for podcast mp3s

  • HandBrake - Convert video files

  • Hazel - automate file cleanup and organization

  • HazeOver - Darken inactive windows

  • Hidden - Hide menu bar apps

  • ImageOptim - Batch compress images

  • Insomnia - HTTP / REST client (free)

  • IntelliJ - IDE for web project

  • iTerm - Terminal alternative with more features

  • Keyboard Maestro - Text snippets, clipboard history, and OS automation

  • Maccy - Lightweight clipboard manager

  • MenuBar Stats - Keep track of runaway apps

  • Moom - Window management

  • Monitor Control - Control 3rd party monitors with system UI

  • Music Converter Pro - Convert audio files

  • Patterns - Regex helper

  • Paw - Debug HTTP requests

  • PGAdmin - Postgres admin GUI

  • Piezo - Record audio

  • Postman - Debug HTTP requests (free)

  • Rectangle - Move and resize windows with keyboard shortcuts

  • Reeder - RSS reader

  • Rest - Make yourself to take screen breaks

  • RH Timers - Until Siri can do timers

  • Scrutiny - Check links for websites

  • Sequel Pro - GUI for MySQL

  • Shortcat - Universal command palette

  • Soulver - A better calculator

  • SourceTree - Free Git GUI

  • SuperDuper! - Full disk backup

  • Superkey - Search and click on things by text, and remap a key to Hyper

  • Textual - IRC client

  • Todoist - Cross platform to do list service

  • ToothFairy - Connect to AirPods from menu bar

  • Transmit - File transfer to remote

  • TripMode - Throttle apps while on cellular data

  • Turbo Boost Switcher Pro - Turn off CPU turbo boost while on battery power

  • Viscosity - OpenVPN client

  • Visual Studio Code - Light code text editor (Use Github for settings sync)

  • Xnip - Annotate screenshots

  • XScope - Measure things on screen

Apps to Consider

Great list of open source Mac apps: https://github.com/serhii-londar/open-source-mac-os-apps

List of Homebrew Casks: https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/

  • iStat Menus - Keep track of runaway apps

  • BlockBlock - Get alerts when apps try to install background processes

  • LuLu - Open Source LittleSnitch alternative, blocks outgoing apps

  • Timer - Open Source timer app

  • SwiftBar - Put the results of scripts in your menu bar

  • CleanShot X - Screenshot tool

  • Suspicious Package - Inspect MacOS installers

  • Mouseless - Keyboard shortcut trainer

  • VimMotion - Vim like keyboard nav for Mac

  • Blurred - Open Source alternative to HazeOver

  • Parallels -Virtual Machines

  • Time Out - Take breaks

  • LaunchControl - Manage and debug system services

  • Homerow.app - Search and click things by text

  • Wooshy - Search and click things by text

  • Red Lines Tools - Add guides to the screen

  • AltTab.app - Windows like Alt Tabbing interface

  • Multitouch.app - Customize trackpad and mouse gestures

  • Raycast - Extensible launcher, like Quicksilver or Spotlight

  • Rewind.ai - Search engine for everything you do on the Mac

  • Github CLI - Commands to help w/ Github

  • Scoot - Another element based Vim like keyboard for Mac

  • Pomy - Pomodoro & eye strain timer

  • Intermission - Break timer

  • Breaktimer.app - Break timer

  • TripMode App Store Version - Control which apps have access to the internet

  • Little Snitch Mini - See what apps are doing what on the internet

  • Exporter - export Apples notes files

  • Horo - free timer app

  • RecurseChat - Run Mistral model and chat with it locally

  • Snippet - Generate beautiful code screenshots

Retired Apps

  • Bartender - Organize Mac menu bar

  • Virtual Box - X86 virtual machines

Keyboard shortcuts of note

  • Dictation - Ctrl twice (needs to be set in System prefs) / Meh + D

  • Siri - Hold Opt Space / Meh + S

  • Keyboard Maestro Macro - Meh + T

  • Lock Screen / Put Display to Sleep - Ctrl Shift Q

  • Clipboard History (KM) - Ctrl Opt Cmd V

  • 1Password Autofill - Cmd

  • 1Password Global - Cmd Shit \

  • Shortcat (Superkey) - Right Cmd F

(KM): Custom Keyboard Maestro shortcut

(Superkey): Right Cmd mapped to Hyper key using Superkey or Karabiner

Useful Terminal Commands

Check disk stats like lifetime read and writes: $ smartctl --all /dev/disk0

2017 MacBook Pro (about ~3 years of usage): Data Units Read: 746,318,540 [382 TB] Data Units Written: 100,074,549 [51.2 TB] Power On Hours: 1,349

Check system uptime: $ uptime

Check system sleep / wake cycles: $ pmset -g log|grep -e " Sleep " -e " Wake "

Backup Exclusions

Time Machine

  • ~/.dropbox

  • ~/Dropbox/.dropbox

  • ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache

  • ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker

  • docker.driver.amd64-linux/Docker.raw

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/Xcode/watchOS DeviceSupport

Backblaze

  • ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker

  • ~/Library/Application Support/NVIDIA

  • docker.driver.amd64-linux/Docker.raw

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/coresimulator

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/Xcode/watchOS DeviceSupport

Homebrew Packages

Get list of top level packages with $ brew leaves

  • apr-util

  • aspell

  • autoconf

  • awscli

  • carthage

  • cmake

  • composer

  • cputhrottle

  • freetds

  • glib

  • gmp

  • heroku/brew/heroku

  • imagemagick

  • libpq

  • libsass

  • libxslt

  • libzip

  • lynx

  • mcrypt

  • pkg-config

  • python@3.9

  • smartmontools

  • unixodbc

  • webp

  • yajl

  • yarn

Launchd services

List non-Apple services: $ launchctl list | grep -v com.apple (-v inverts the grep match)

Remove service: $ launchctl remove NameHere

More info about launchd from the maker of LaunchControl.

Preventing a Mac From Waking Up Randomly

In Settings / Notifications / Do Not Disturb: Check the box to turn on Do Not Disturb when the Display is Sleeping (I also have it set to turn on DND from 10pm to 7am, when the screen is locked, and when mirroring)

Unconfirmed ideas:

In Settings / Battery / Power Adapter disable Wake for Network Access

In Settings / Bluetooth / Advanced disable Allow Bluetooth Devices to Wake This Computer

In Settings / Battery / Power Adapter turn off Sleep When Display is Off

References

  • https://github.com/nikitavoloboev/my-mac-os

  • https://github.com/serhii-londar/open-source-mac-os-apps

  • https://github.com/learn-anything/macos-apps

  • https://github.com/jaywcjlove/awesome-mac

  • https://getenet.notion.site/Eighty-Shades-of-Option-Key-3c6e58feb5c848ee9d4c027f0b9d52e0

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Last updated 1 year ago

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