Ask HN: What do you put on a new computer?

by davidwparker on 12/12/2019, 4:36 PM with 5 comments

I'm getting a new computer for the first time in ~6 years. I've been on MBP/OSX for the last 8 years, and before that was running dual boot Ubuntu/Windows for 7 years.

I'm switching back to a Thinkpad, and I'd like to see what you all do with a new computer? Do you wipe it? Use VMs? What flavor of OS?

If it's any help, my full-time job is doing Ruby on Rails / React / Flutter. I also play around with Aseprite (pixel art) + Krita (using a Wacom) and game dev with Godot. And (very rare) gaming, though I would like to play more...

Thanks for your recommendations.

  • by catacombs on 12/12/2019, 5:38 PM

    > I'm switching back to a Thinkpad, and I'd like to see what you all do with a new computer? Do you wipe it? Use VMs? What flavor of OS?

    I have Arch installed on my ThinkPad (a meme, I know, but I love it.) One of the first things I install is Emacs, with all my configurations. That way I can work on getting everything else set up on my new machine.

  • by codedrome on 12/14/2019, 3:24 PM

    I would certainly install Ubuntu or Mint as a dual boot. It comes with plenty of software such as LibreOffice, Firefox and Gimp which I use all the time.

    I currently use Atom for coding but I'm not sure how good that is with RoR.

  • by croo on 12/15/2019, 2:02 PM

    On windows: java dev tools(git,jdk,intellij/vscode), irfanview, notepad++ and total commander is a must have.

    On Linux: vim and my .vimrc .

  • by runninganyways on 12/13/2019, 12:18 PM

    On windows:

    - firefix (w/ adblock plus)

    - chrome (w/ adblock plus)

    - git

    - vscode

    - visual studio community

    - desk pins (utility to keep window on top)

    - "a ruler for windows" (on screen ruler)

    ...and that's pretty much it. Everything else I just do when I need it.

  • by disposedtrolley on 12/13/2019, 4:43 AM

    On a Mac, Homebrew is the first thing I install. I then pull my dotfiles repo which has some scripts to get most of my dev tools installed.