New Mac -- clean install -- what apps make the transition?

Software
21

I seem to be having difficulty explaining it.

KeyCute (and I’m pretty sure Cheatsheet) will show you keyboard shortcuts for the focused app and for the system, but it will not show system-wide shortcuts for background apps.

So let’s say I’m running Drafts in the background on my Mac, which I always do, unless it is in the foreground. Drafts lets you type Ctrl-Cmd-1 to start a new note from ANY app, or from the desktop.

That command does not appear in KeyCue unless I add it manually. Likewise for the Ctrl-Space shortcut for adding a new to-do in Things, even when Things is in the background.

1 Like
22

Ah, got it now! That makes sense. After all these years of using Keycue I didn’t even realize you could manually add commands!

1 Like
23

KeyCue has a “learning” mode too but I don’t find it very reliable. Maybe I’m using it wrong?

1 Like
24

The ability to manually add custom commands seems to be a recent addition.

@jec0047 I have not tried the learning mode.

1 Like
25

I installed PopClip today. Thought I might get by without it but it turns out I really like the web-to-markdown clipper.

26

Nor me! I might reintroduce it then.

27

I am using the heck out of the custom commands in KeyCue. It may even make me a keyboard-shortcut person after years of being unable to use more than a half-dozen or dozen.

1 Like
28

For me, Carbon Copy Cloner is the first app I install. Then clone to an attached SSD, and no worries.

1 Like
29

Stupid question: How is the SSD attached? Just a consumer USB drive, or something fancy?

Now that I’m living the two-Mac lifestyle, I need to up my backup and storage game. I’m starting ot wonder if a Synology or some other SAN device is overkill?

30

Oh It’s overkill, alright – welcome aboard.

2 Likes
31

Please excuse my poor word choice. I should have written external SSD. It’s a 1 TB Crucial MX500 in an Oyen MiniPro Dura enclosure (attached via USB C).

2 Likes
32

Which approach did you followed?

33

I’ve started a new Google Sheet to track my Keyboard Maestro shortcuts. I find that I generally don’t need to track global shortcuts like Quit (⌘Q), I think I’ll remember them. I’ve even been considering removing BetterTouch Tool because I only use a keyboard and mouse.

1 Like
34

Clean install of High Sierra on my 2011 MacBook Air.

  1. f.lux
  2. Pi-hole on the network
  3. Mullvad client
  4. 1Password

List might be different/longer if it were my main machine.

I love personal “Top X” lists. It’s fun to hone in on what adds the most value in one’s setup.

35

It’s been a month since I set up the new Macbook Pro and there are three apps that STILL haven’t made the transition.

  • Alfred
  • Keyboard Maestro
  • TextExpander

All three are apps I previously used daily and would have SWORN were essential to my workflow. Apparently not.

I do have an idea for a thing I want to do with Keyboard Maestro – set up a series of palettes to remind me of keyboard shortcuts. But I’m in no rush on that.

36

What happened to the new 12.9 iPad Pro?

37

Got that too.

I bought the iPad Pro when I was freelancing, both for enjoyment and to use as a backup computer.

Then I got a job and a new MacBook Pro with it. The new employers have a generous policy on using your own software, so I get to configure the MBP the way I like it.

1 Like
38

Oh, you’ve got both now? I never saw you discuss it, that’s why I was curious.

1 Like