System Configuration

Destroy another computer?  Got a new one?  No matter.  Here's what you need.


General Desktop

1. Get Dave's Quick Search Deskbar (DQSD).
Don't forget to use a Windows 7 style sheet, localsearch.css, and the updated mwd.xml (or df.xml) from subversion.

2. Get the GMail notifier. Apply the HTTPS registry patch. Google suggests using Chrome's Desktop notifications instead.

3. Get Google Chrome.

4. Setup Passwords for Google Two-Step Verification (You'll have to enter your Google password to continue through that link to the destination.)
You'll want application passwords for both Chrome Sync and the GMail Notifier.

5. Get Pure Text.
Never suffer the unwanted formatted text paste into Outlook again. Windows+V is your new friend.
Put the executable in a permanent location, run it, and right-click on the System Tray icon and select Options... to customize.

6. Windows 7 Configuration


7. FTP with FileZilla, and compress/extract with 7 Zip.

8. Get Paint.NET
Don't forget the plugins you like:

Also consider the other plugins you mentioned.


Porting Documents

1. The Usual Suspects: For every user account, including Public: "My Documents", "Downloads", "Music", "Pictures", "ThrowMeAway"

2. APPDATA: See what needs to be copied from %APPDATA%, for example Minecraft saves.

3. The Registry: PuTTY save files are at [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham]. Speaking of PuTTY, don't forget to copy your public keys. (You know where they are.)

4. The Root: See what needs to be copied from the root, for example:

5. Individual App Setting Exports: IDEs, like UltraEdit and Eclipse may have custom ways to export settings. (In UltraEdit, go to Advanced -> Export Settings... and Backup/Restore User Customizations....)

6. Task Scheduler: Copy the scheduling of the encryption and backup tasks you've set for yourself.

7. The Cloud: Done. Makes you grateful for the cloud, eh?

8. Deauthorize the Old Computer: Steam, iTunes, stuff like that.


Development Environment

1. Get Python and a compatible win32all module and editor.
If that win32all link went stale, try sourceforge.
Consider one of these IDEs, depending on the target.

Some modules you may be interested in:

2. Get Cygwin and PuTTYCyg.

.bashrc (or .bash_profile) 
export PS1="\W\$ "

# If you think this is hard to read,
# change the color of directories in the ls command 
#
# After executing: dircolors -p > .dircolors
# And changing the following line in .dircolors:
# DIR 00;36 # directory
if [ "$TERM" != "dumb" ]; then
	[ -e "$HOME/.dircolors" ] && DIR_COLORS="$HOME/.dircolors"
	[ -e "$DIR_COLORS" ] || DIR_COLORS=""
	eval "`dircolors -b $DIR_COLORS`"
fi

alias findinphpfiles="find . -name \*.php | xargs grep -nI"
.vimrc 
set nocompatible        " Use Vim defaults (much better!)
set bs=2                " allow backspacing over everything in insert mode

" always set autoindenting on
set autoindent
set smartindent
set smarttab

syntax on

" If you think this is hard to read,
" change the color of comments in vim.
"
"let mysyntaxfile = "~/.vim/syntax-colours.vim"
highlight Comment     term=bold ctermfg=Blue ctermbg=0 guifg=SlateBlue guibg=Black
highlight StatusLine  ctermfg=Blue ctermbg=gray guifg=blue

set hlsearch

" set mouse=v

set tags=tags;/

set laststatus=2

" Only do this part when compiled with support for autocommands
if has("autocmd")
  " Python files should use spaces for indentation
  autocmd FileType python  set expandtab
  " Use the vim command %retab before applying the following
  " two with files that have 8-space tabs.
"  autocmd FileType python  set tabstop=4
"  autocmd FileType python  set shiftwidth=4
  " In text files, always limit the width of text to 78 characters
  autocmd BufRead *.txt set tw=78
  " When editing a file, always jump to the last cursor position
  autocmd BufReadPost *
  \ if line("'\"") > 0 && line ("'\"") <= line("$") |
  \   exe "normal! g'\"" |
  \ endif
endif

3. Get WinMerge.

4. Get SVN for home.

5. Get Fiddler2 for a web debugging proxy outside Firefox.

6. To Access SharePoint from FireFox.
Go to your Firefox address bar and type about:config.  Find the key called network.automatic-ntlm-auth.trusted-uris. Set that key's value to a comma separated list of servers for which you want NTLM authentication.


Discretionary

1. Get Mozilla Firefox.
Your favorite themes were Winestripe or StrataStripe, but things are different in Firefox 4.  Get the Add-ons you love:

Consider some of these good ideas. Consider setting the following about:config parameters: 
browser.tabs.tabMinWidth 75
browser.tabs.closeButtons 3
browser.urlbar.hideGoButton true

2. PDF creation: PDF Creator and reading: Foxit.

3. Fraps for recording desktop video.

4. Use Soluto to check boot speed and crash problems.

5. Consider syncing Outlook to Google Calendar.

6. Microsoft Security Essentials.



© 2006-2011, David Blume