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What is the first thing you do when setting up a new computer?

Peter Kim Frank on August 03, 2020

When you get a new computer, what are the first things you do? Whether it's:

Installing programs
Adding shortcuts
Disabling certain options
Setting up new preferences
Etc.

I'm eager to hear what you'd consider the must-do "first steps" for a new machine.

Itachi Uchiha • Aug 3 '20

I install the following in each new installation or computer.

NodeJS
Yarn
.NET Core
PostgreSQL
Redis
VSCode
Insomnia
SQLite Browser
FileZilla

Telegram
Spotify
Notable
Discord App
Liferea (RSS Reader)
Anydesk
Vokoscreen NG (For Screen Recorder)
Flameshot (For Screenshots)

Nguyễn Trọng Vĩnh • Aug 4 '20

I have to uninstall Spotify, use Spotify web instead, it takes nearly 30GB space even I disabled offline

Itachi Uchiha • Aug 4 '20

There is no web thing works well in my Ubuntu. I don't know why. But every 10 minutes, I can't open websites on Ubuntu. For example, I tried to visit instagram.com, it wasn't open the first time. I refreshed the page it was open.

So, browser things aren't for me. :P

Christina Gorton • Aug 3 '20

I go through all the steps to make sure the typical dev environment/tools I use are installed and work.

Git
Node
various CLI's I use
Visual Studio Code, etc.

And then, maybe a weird thing, but I choose which browser I want to use and set up and save all of the typical accounts I use like my email, Notion, Github, CodePen, CodeSandox, etc.

I also create collections and add my most commonly used websites to Toby. Like this:

perpetual . education • Aug 3 '20 • Edited

Install Alfred.

Get rid of the doc and remove the low-hanging UI (while leaving the settings as stock as possible otherwise)

Set the right-click and two-finger tap to control+click

Download Google drive (back-up and sync)

Set Drive to only sync current projects (all files but git in drive)

Get Brew in place + Curl

download GitTower (git)... Sublime (editor)... Skitch (for markup up screenshots)... Affinity designer (to avoid adobe at first)...

In theory - we can toss our gear in a lake... stop by an apple store - and get back to work in under an hour (that's the goal).

We just bought a new computer - and are documenting the entire process from the perspective of students in our course. We don't install anything - until it's necessary for the class / so, the student sees us also start with a blank slate. We'll share the list in 3 months!

You can also totally write a bash script - that will install everything - in one go!

Peter Kim Frank • Aug 4 '20

Alfred was one of my first installs today.

Ben Halpern • Aug 3 '20

Search DEV for ideas and help 😄

My Mac Setup

Nick Taylor (he/him) ・ Jan 12 '18 ・ 9 min read

#productivity #developertools #webdev

Setup your Mac for development, 2020 edition.

Frankie Valentine ・ Jan 1 ・ 15 min read

#webdev #mac #2020 #tutorial

My New Mac Setup

shawn swyx wang 🇸🇬 ・ Oct 31 '18 ・ 4 min read

#mac

Valentin Baca • Aug 3 '20 • Edited

For macOS, I love strap: strap.githubapp.com/

When I had a new mac on the way, I realized that configuring an automated setup with strap would take as long as a manual setup, so it was a no-brainer.

Here's my strap setup scripts:

github.com/valbaca/dotfiles/blob/m...
github.com/valbaca/dotfiles/blob/m... This is probably what you're looking for

For Windows, I use ninite: ninite.com/

For Linux, it depends, but here's my EC2 setup script: github.com/valbaca/dotfiles/blob/m... I'm getting a new mini computer for linux, I'm thinking of putting Alpine, Arch, or Ubuntu on it, so I'll probably have a script for that soon.

Then, mapping Caps Lock to be Escape :)

David • Aug 4 '20

I was hoping someone would mention this in a sea of manual set-ups. I rolled by own and wasn’t familiar with strap. Thanks for sharing. There also MAS for installing non-HB and non-casks applications from the App Store.

Judith • Aug 3 '20

Number one: take screenshot of the applications folder on my old machine

read the system info
change the general theme to my custom contrast theme
all the other stuff as quickly as possible

pkoloveas • Aug 4 '20 • Edited

Install vim
Import zshrc & vimrc
Check python version (upgrade if needed)
Import requirements.txt for pip installs
Install rust
Install latex (Tex Live)
Install Docker
Enable AUR
Install vscode
Import vscode extensions & settings
Install chrome
Possibly configure themes, window managers, etc (depending on what I need the machine for)

Robin Kretzschmar • Aug 4 '20

I spot a fellow arch user and upvote 💪🏾

pkoloveas • Aug 5 '20 • Edited

This specific workflow is for Manjaro, which is currently my main dev distro (that's why there are no steps to install python, zsh or git). I usually go with Arch when I need something minimal to build with a bottom-up approach (no DEs, etc). But even with Manjaro, I'm still in the Arch family 😛.

Jeff • Aug 4 '20

Before:

configure the new box's roles in my repo

During:

install vanilla minimal OS
local nftables blocking access except from install IP6.
1. arp discovery and securing for IP4
run provisioning script via ssh which:
1. generates customised nftables rules and installs them
2. installs security tools
3. installs libraries
4. installs apps
run a quick pen-test from an untrusted IP
run a quick pen-test from a trusted IP
take an asset inventory snap-shop into repo
initialise rkhunter chkroot tripwire aide logcheck and other IDS tools.

After:

beer
watch syslogs for an hour
tune nftables and other security logs

Robin Kretzschmar • Aug 4 '20

Thanks for sharing, logcheck was new to me :)

Necmettin Begiter • Aug 7 '20 • Edited

I wrote an install-on-setup script that installs homebrew, ohmyzsh, ~40 apps, fonts, and my own keyboard layout (that I created for coding in PHP). Also symlinks all my settings back to their latest, puts my SSH keys backs, and sets my Apache vhosts.

Also, two hidden gems for Mac users: Apptivate (lets to assign any key combo to any app, folder, or file) and Shuttle (lets you create a menu for scripts you run often).

Robby Russell 🐘🚂 • Aug 7 '20

are you using a Brewfile?

Necmettin Begiter • Aug 7 '20

No, simple brew install and brew cask install commands.

ab • Aug 4 '20 • Edited

I keep a configuration file of applications I use on every computer and use a package manager to install them automatically every time. For windows this package manager is called Chocolatey, its really useful to make a setup from the ground up for any development environment based on the tools you need:

chocolatey.org/

Mark Wragg • Aug 12 '20

I recently set up Windows on a new laptop and tried to install as much as I could via Chocolatey, so I guess install Chocolatey is now the first thing I do :).

This is my choco install list currently:

choco feature enable -n allowGlobalConfirmation 

choco install googlechrome

choco install vscode
choco install git
choco install powershell-core
choco install az.powershell
choco install service-fabric-sdk
choco install sql-server-management-studio

choco install adobereader
choco install notepadplusplus
choco install winrar
choco install keepassxc

choco install skype
choco install microsoft-teams
choco install slack

shane • Aug 4 '20

I immediately install chrome, turn on dark mode, install flux if I am on windows, and then start the usually long process of installing my dev environment. One thing I always install is a notebook app I love called Quiver.

Alex Antra • Aug 3 '20

Remove the bloat and install VSCode

Hemant Joshi • Aug 4 '20

To setup, Firstly I check for updates
And the first thing I would install is

Chrome
NodeJS
VS Studio Code
Nodemon+ Npm + yarn
Git
SM Video Player
Gnome Extensions
- live speed
- weather
- Dock To Desk

And these would be my minimal installation's to be done...

And many more installations are pending but which depend on requirement

Elsa Gonsiorowski • Aug 6 '20

I download my dotfiles and install them... that repo includes a “setting up a new computer” checklist. It’s surprising how often it gets used (and invaluable every time it does) 😅
Check out my dotfiles repo

Peter Vivo • Aug 4 '20

MacBookPro:

coding: chrome, brew, iterm, nodejs, yarn, git, vscode, pyenv, rustup, firefox
design: sketch, blender, krita
comfort: dual lanuages: us, hu, setup tap bar: language switch, turn off caps lock.

Jason C. McDonald • Aug 3 '20 • Edited

Install and configure Ubuntu MATE atop Pop_OS!, migrate my files, and then install my favorite apps, such as:

Nextcloud
Evolution
Brave
LibreOffice (Fresh)
Spotify
Visual Studio Code
Hexchat

...for starters. I've got plenty more I install.

Vincent Dedo • Aug 4 '20

On a work machine: installing my preferred IDE, setting up my shell the way I want and making sure everything that I need works properly (cloning repos, running hello worlds for things I use, etc.). I'm working on a personal repo that will do all that for me or at least have a markdown file with all the stuff I need, because there's a lot and I don't want to forget then have to install something 2 months later.

For a personal machine: I've not done this in a while, but browsing preferences and bookmarks, then disabling all the stuff that wants to run at start up and a hefty amount of gaming related programs.

⠀ • Aug 5 '20 • Edited

Install programs
Setup by development environment using dot files I created
- those include neovim, vscode, alacritty (terminal I use on both Linux and Mac), tmux, zsh
- on Linux machine, I also spent few hours to setup my i3wm

Eric Ahnell • Aug 4 '20

It depends on the OS, since I have computers running more than one (macOS, Linux, Windows). My setup tasks are: restore backups, reinstall/redownload programs, and set preferences, in that order; the method by which that is done is OS-dependent.

Rob OLeary • Aug 4 '20 • Edited

I have a folder of portable app that has most of the apps/programs/utilities I need, I copy this and I can be productive without needing to install too much myself. I will build a chocolatey (or similar) config to handle the rest next time I need to setup a new box

Piotr Romanowski • Aug 4 '20

Figure out why it's not booting. Or what kernel flags need to be set to make it boot.

Ridhwana Khan • Aug 4 '20

I use a BrewFile (github.com/joelparkerhenderson/bre...) and I re-install the programs I need. It has truly turned the process of re-installing a laptop from pure torture to fun 😊

Periklis Gkolias • Aug 3 '20

If it is windows, I install chrome and remove Internet explorer/edge.

John Peters • Aug 4 '20

Visual Studio both versions.
Node and npm
.net
SnagIt
Camtasia
The rest is cloud stuff like GitHub, vsts, OneDrive, etc.

Vesa Piittinen • Aug 4 '20

I install Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7.04 (released 2001).

Jonathan Apodaca • Aug 4 '20

1) Clone my dotfiles, and 2) Install Fish, NeoVim, and Tmux

Daniel Ziltener • Aug 4 '20

I install OpenSUSE Tumbleweed with KDE on it, then I install Syncthing, Emacs, OpenJDK and KeePass XC as the first programs. The rest comes as needed.

Gabriel Guzman • Aug 4 '20

Wipe the hard drive and install OpenBSD.

Zen • Aug 4 '20

Install Linux Lite
Install apps like WPS, Sublime Text Editor, LAMP, Guake, and Plank
Setting shortcut like F4 for open Guake in recent directory
Change wallpaper 😅

Basti Ortiz • Aug 4 '20

Tweaking privacy settings. There are always some options that the "default experience" hides from you.

Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Aug 4 '20 • Edited

It is complex enough that I have to write my blog for it, so that I don't forget too many things...

polv.cc/post/2019/11/clean-install...

Dan Keefe • Aug 5 '20

Remove all the bloatware.

katy lavallee • Aug 5 '20

Change keyboard, trackpad, and display preferences.

I keep a list here so I don’t forget stuff: github.com/katylava/dotkyl/blob/ma...

Sam Norris-Rogers • Aug 4 '20

I install Homebrew and install packages & apps that way

Raphael Habereder • Aug 4 '20

Restore the last snapshot image of my previous computer.
Makes it instantly feel homey and I have no hassle with installing stuff :)

A good backup mechanism saves a lot of time

Patrick Tingen • Aug 4 '20 • Edited

Disable all sound notifications
Install TotalCommander
Install Dropbox, which will bring most of my favourite tools and programs as portable version

Kristina Gocheva • Aug 4 '20

Installing a Windows computer - definitely first thing is downloading 7zip :D :D

Matt Curcio • Aug 4 '20

One thing that I have to do is replace my .bashrc on Linux Mint. I have so many aliases I have grown accustomed to 'my' .bashrc.

Bruce Axtens • Aug 4 '20

It used to be use ninite to build a bulk installer of everything I use. Nowadays, I'd be more likely to start with scoop

Jesse Phillips • Aug 4 '20

Keyboard layout dvorak.

Mike Bybee • Aug 20 '20 • Edited

Linux. Or occasionally another Unix-based OS I'm not supposed to put on it 😉 (but usually that just goes in KVM).

Stephen Rodriguez • Aug 3 '20

Install some package installer (i.e. Brew)
Install Chrome and any apps I need
Bring in my dotfiles
And get to work!

Mike Bybee • Aug 3 '20

Hopefully soon, creating my own Linux distro with everything I want installed, so all I have to do after install is copy over my separate /home partition.

Alexander Sack • Aug 3 '20

Before doing anything else, I usually copy over the data i want on my new system and amongst my data the very first things would be crypto credentials like gpg keys I guess etc.