Brett Hoerner's blog

I'm an environmentalist (in the computer sense), meaning I'm a bit OCD about how things on my machines are organized, etc. I decided to write up the main steps I took after doing a fresh reinstall of OS X a few days ago.

This doesn't cover basics such as installing all applications you use, but rather only the stuff that I would tend to forget when doing a reinstall. Most of the .app's I use are listed on iusethis (thanks to Appfresh, which also keeps them up to date) and here is a list of my installed MacPorts packages.

Initial steps

• Complete a full OS X re-install
• Install X11 (it's on the install DVD)
• Do a full System Update, rebooting as needed
• Download and Install Xcode (the version online is newer than the copy on my DVD)
• Remove the need for a password to sudo

$ sudo visudo
# Change the %admin line to %admin ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

System Preferences

• Desktop & Screen Saver
  • Disable translucent menu bar
  • Make bottom right a hot corner to start screensaver
• Dock
  • Shrink size a bit and position on the left
  • Disable animation of opening applications
• Security
  • Enable require password to wake computer
  • Disable automatic login
• Spotlight
  • Disable spotlight keyboard shortcuts
• Bluetooth
  • Disable
  • Don't show Bluetooth status in the menu bar
• CDs and DVDs
  • Set all to Ignore
• Displays
  • Don't automatically adjust brightness
• Energy Saver
  • Disable automatic reduction of display brightness in both Adapter and Battery modes
• Keyboard and Mouse
  • Maximize key repeat rate and minimize delay
  • Use F-keys as standard function keys
  • Disable illumination of keyboard
  • In Keyboard Shortcuts set Tab to move between all controls
• Sound
  • Disable sound effects, feedback, and front row effects
  • Disable showing volume control in menu bar
• QuickTime
  • Disable playing movies automatically
• Sharing
  • Give your machine a better hostname
• Date and Time
  • Set date & time automatically
  • Set Time Zone
  • Uncheck showing day of the week
• Software Update
  • Check for updates daily
• Time Machine
  • Don't show Time Machine status in the menu bar
  • Enable with your disk of choice
  • In Options add /System to ignore list, choose "Ignore all system files" (you will be prompted)
  • Add ~/Documents/Virtual Machines, /opt and any P2P directories to ignore list

Install Quicksilver

• Download and install
• Install iTunes plugin
• Set Hot Key to Command + Space
• Preferences
  • Start at login
  • Warn before quitting
  • Enable advanced features
  • Don't show icon in the dock or menu bar
  • Check for updates daily
• Add /Developer/Applications as a custom Catalog

Clean up the Dock

• Remove all icons in the dock (I use it like a task bar and launch with Quicksilver)

Install audio / video codecs

• Download and install Flip4Mac (WMV Playback in QuickTime)
• Download and install Perian

Install Xquartz

• Download and install the latest Xquartz

Install TerminalColours

• Download and install SIMBL
• Download TerminalColours
  • Unpack the bundle to ~/Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins
• Quit and relaunch Terminal.app
• Make a new (it has to be new!) configuration in Preferences
  • Set the colors to your liking under the "More" button of the Text tab, close the settings and completely quit Terminal to save

Terminal.app preferences

• Shell tab
  • Prompt before closing only if there are processes other than: bash
• Keyboard tab
  • Turn on "Use option as meta key"
  • Bind cursor left + option to \033b (escape + b)
  • Bind cursor right + option to \033f (escape + f)
  • Bind cursor left + control to \001 (control A)
  • Bind cursor right + control to \005 (control E)
• Advanced tab
  • Turn on "Delete sends Ctrl-H"
  • Turn off "Escape non-ASCII characters"
  • Turn off "Audible bell"
  • Turn on "Visual bell"

Install MacPorts

• Download and install the package then launch a new terminal

$ port
# If it says command not found add the following to ~/.bash_profile
export PATH=/opt/local/sbin:/opt/local/bin:$PATH
export MANPATH=/opt/local/share/man:$MANPATH

# Sync and check for any MacPorts updates
$ sudo port -v selfupdate

Install Python

$ sudo port -v install python25 py25-bsddb py25-bz2 py25-curses \
                       py25-gdbm py25-hashlib py25-readline \
                       py25-socket-ssl py25-sqlite3 py25-zlib
$ cd /opt/local/lib/python2.5/site-packages/
$ for x in *.so;
    do sudo ln -s /opt/local/lib/python2.5/site-packages/$x \
                  /opt/local/lib/python2.5/lib-dynload/$x
    done
# The above fixes a MacPorts quirk that breaks virtualenv

Install ack

$ wget http://ack.googlecode.com/svn/tags/latest/ack-standalone
$ sudo mv ack-standalone /opt/local/bin/ack
$ sudo chown root:admin /opt/local/bin/ack
$ sudo chmod +x /opt/local/bin/ack

Add ssh passphrase to Keychain

# This assumes you already have your private key in ~/.ssh
$ /usr/bin/ssh-add -K

Symlink /home to /Users

$ sudo vi /etc/auto_home
# Comment out the +auto_home line

$ sudo vi /etc/auto_master
# Comment out the /home line

$ sudo umount /home
$ sudo rm -rf /home
$ sudo ln -s /Users /home

Install PostgreSQL

$ sudo port -v install postgresql83 postgresql83-server
$ sudo mkdir -p /opt/local/var/db/postgresql83/defaultdb
$ sudo chown postgres:postgres /opt/local/var/db/postgresql83/defaultdb
$ sudo -u postgres /opt/local/lib/postgresql83/bin/postmaster -D \
                   /opt/local/var/db/postgresql83/defaultdb

# Tune sysctl
$ sudo vi /etc/sysctl.conf

# Add the following
kern.sysv.shmmax=536870912
kern.sysv.shmmin=1
kern.sysv.shmmni=32
kern.sysv.shmseg=16
kern.sysv.shmall=65536
kern.maxvnodes=1000000

Disable writing .DS_Store files on network mounts

$ defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores true

Enable developer tools in Safari

$ defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 1
$ defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitScriptDebuggerEnabled -bool true
$ defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitDeveloperExtras -bool true

Only show running apps in the dock

$ defaults write com.apple.dock static-only -bool TRUE

Open Targeted links in tabs, not windows (Safari)

$ defaults write com.apple.Safari TargetedClicksCreateTabs -bool true

Show filesystem paths in Finder

$ defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES

Firefox settings

# In about:config I set the following options
browser.search.openintab = true
network.proxy.socks_remote_dns = true

Snow Leopard font hint fix

$ defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

Fin.