A minimalistic approach to Mac OS X

Let’s face it, OSs are not perfect. The more applications you install, it is likely that the operating system will be unstable and slow down. I guess if you have a powerful machine it doesn’t matter for the first few years, but the damping effect is significant after a couple of years. (I think this is what the computer industry wants to be happening so that we need to buy new computers in a few years.) Here is a funny video on 60 minutes:

My laptop is four-years-old and every application has a direct impact on its performance. I have tried to cut down my list of softwares, and optimize the productivity of my old computer. Here is the list of softwares I use for my old laptop:

1. X11
I guess most people would not need this, but I do. I need to redirect X Windows from my department to use some key programs like Matlab, Maple and Mathematica. My laptop is simply too slow to run them locally.

2. Xcode
What is a computer without a compiler? Compilers are essential for doing scientific calculations, and building programs from the source code. Especially it is necessary for macports, which I use for package management.

3. MacPorts
Sometimes it is hard to keep the applications installed on the system up-to-date. Mac ports does that automatically, it is a Mac version of BSD port. After installing the software from macports.org, we can add the following programs on command line, and keep them updated by using simple commands.

a. TeXlive
TeXlive is the most up-to-date solution to TeX.
To install: sudo port install texlive

b. git
I use it to keep track of my files and do backups.
To install: sudo port install git-core

c. wget
wget downloads any file on the web, I use it when the browser tries to open a file rather than download it.
To install: sudo port install wget

d. vim
Vim 6 is the default version of vim on Mac. While it is a good program, it does not have a spell-checker built in. I always install Vim 7 for this reason.
To install: sudo port install vim

After installing the softwares, the following commands are handy in keeping them up-to-date.

a. sudo port selfupdate
This updates the macports software itself.

b. sudo port outdated
This command checks whether there is an updated version out in the internet.

c. sudo port upgrade outdated
This downloads and upgrades all the outdated programs.

4. Firefox
Safari 3 is almost the best browser on Mac, one problem is that websites simply don’t work in Safari. In fact, wordpress.com doesn’t work on Safari 3. (Apple didn’t fix the bug when they even released the official Safari 3.) Though Firefox is slower than Safari in average, it has good add-ons and support over the internet. Most of all, works on every site.

5. VLC
Looks like there is no doubt that this is the best free video playback software. It has most of the codecs built-in, so no more messing around with codecs!

6. Skype
To keep in touch with people around the world! Especially after the introduction of Skype phones, my daily life now highly depends on Skype.

~ by hwasungmars on March 18, 2008.