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I too used to obsess over customizing my OS. Now I just install Debian, a handful of programs I use daily and that's it. I can recreate my setup on another mach

by mad182 3y ago

I too used to obsess over customizing my OS. Now I just install Debian, a handful of programs I use daily and that's it. I can recreate my setup on another machine in 20 minutes.

subtra3t 3y ago
What handful of programs do you use daily, if you don't mind sharing?
- mad182 3y ago
  Nothing interesting. I spend like 99% of my computer time in the web browser, ide and terminal. Chrome, git, ssh, docker, netbeans
  - bitcharmer 3y ago
    Oh wow, I did not expect to see NetBeans here. What do you use it for and why NetBeans?
    - mad182 3y ago
      General web development. PHP, javascript, css. I used to do some java projects as well, but not lately. I know it's not mainstream to use NetBeans these days, but I don't care, I'm just used to it and it gets the job done. Maybe I'm just getting old.
      - bitcharmer 3y ago
        Thanks for answering. I'm not NetBeans fan myself but there's absolutely nothing wrong with using the tools you like that get the job done.
zaknenou 3y ago
[flagged]
- mad182 3y ago
  Not sure if you mean that sarcastically, but it's a really boring and stable OS, the setup is just a few clicks and hitting enter a few times. I think I haven't even bothered to change the wallpaper on my newest laptop. There's nothing really special about Debian as well, it could as well be Ubuntu, Mint or anything else that's plug n play. I'm just used to Debian, and it comes with less junk I don't need installed by default.
  - doubled112 3y ago
    Debian is my set and forget OS as well. After running my home servers on it, one release wasn't too far behind to run as a desktop, and I've been happy here ever since. Xfce desktop, move the panel to the bottom, install applications. Use it for the next days/months/years until I decide to look around again.
- bayindirh 3y ago
  Of course you customize your Debian installation over time. Over time is the key here. A package here, a small config there, and after some time, that installation becomes so unique that it starts reading your mind. Non-breaking updates is the icing on the cake. The biggest point is you install Debian once, or when your processor architecture changes. --Sent from my a 6 year old Debian installation.
calvinmorrison 3y ago
They talk about the shell as an IDE. My entire desktop is a 14 year experiment in tuning productivity. My ~/bin/ folder has around 100 scripts and maybe 20 are little scripts i wrote in conjunction with i3. Pretty cool how it stacks up over time
sergiomattei 3y ago
Same but with macOS. The only cool thing about it is that it’s declarative: nix-darwin everything and a fully working and customized machine is up in 10 minutes with one command
- doublepg23 3y ago
  Do you have some docs or writeups on your setup? I'm planning to move to macOS in a few weeks.

by mad182 3y ago

I too used to obsess over customizing my OS. Now I just install Debian, a handful of programs I use daily and that's it. I can recreate my setup on another machine in 20 minutes.

subtra3t 3y ago

What handful of programs do you use daily, if you don't mind sharing?

mad182 3y ago
Nothing interesting. I spend like 99% of my computer time in the web browser, ide and terminal. Chrome, git, ssh, docker, netbeans
- bitcharmer 3y ago
  Oh wow, I did not expect to see NetBeans here. What do you use it for and why NetBeans?
  - mad182 3y ago
    General web development. PHP, javascript, css. I used to do some java projects as well, but not lately. I know it's not mainstream to use NetBeans these days, but I don't care, I'm just used to it and it gets the job done. Maybe I'm just getting old.
    - bitcharmer 3y ago
      Thanks for answering. I'm not NetBeans fan myself but there's absolutely nothing wrong with using the tools you like that get the job done.

zaknenou 3y ago

[flagged]

mad182 3y ago
Not sure if you mean that sarcastically, but it's a really boring and stable OS, the setup is just a few clicks and hitting enter a few times. I think I haven't even bothered to change the wallpaper on my newest laptop. There's nothing really special about Debian as well, it could as well be Ubuntu, Mint or anything else that's plug n play. I'm just used to Debian, and it comes with less junk I don't need installed by default.
- doubled112 3y ago
  Debian is my set and forget OS as well. After running my home servers on it, one release wasn't too far behind to run as a desktop, and I've been happy here ever since. Xfce desktop, move the panel to the bottom, install applications. Use it for the next days/months/years until I decide to look around again.
bayindirh 3y ago
Of course you customize your Debian installation over time. Over time is the key here. A package here, a small config there, and after some time, that installation becomes so unique that it starts reading your mind. Non-breaking updates is the icing on the cake. The biggest point is you install Debian once, or when your processor architecture changes. --Sent from my a 6 year old Debian installation.

calvinmorrison 3y ago

They talk about the shell as an IDE. My entire desktop is a 14 year experiment in tuning productivity. My ~/bin/ folder has around 100 scripts and maybe 20 are little scripts i wrote in conjunction with i3. Pretty cool how it stacks up over time

sergiomattei 3y ago

Same but with macOS. The only cool thing about it is that it’s declarative: nix-darwin everything and a fully working and customized machine is up in 10 minutes with one command

doublepg23 3y ago
Do you have some docs or writeups on your setup? I'm planning to move to macOS in a few weeks.