Operating System Checks in Bash

I have been using my Mac and Linux computers a lot more recently. Syncing configurations between the two machines is pretty easy with tools like JungleDisk or Dropbox. Today I just started syncing my .bashrc and .bash_profile between the two systems. There are some configurations that need to be different on a per machine basis however. I wrote this quick little bash script to illustrate an easy way to do this. »

How to create the perfect home office - Part 2 - The equipment and software

After you get your furniture right, the next step is setting up all your equipment. For me, my desk revolves around three computers. My desktop which is really just there in case I get the urge to game. My Mac for pretty much everything non-work related. And my work laptop. The Hardware There are only two things that matter to me with hardware. Number of wires and awesomeness. I am not going to go into too much depth regarding my hardware decisions, just a couple of pointers that helped make my home office sweet. »

Setting up your Mac for .NET development

Last night I spent a few hours getting my Windows virtualization setup so I could use Visual Studio from the Mac. It ended up being way cooler and easier than I thought. All it requires is two simple things, Parallels and mklink. Parallels I was hesitant about paying $79 for virtualization software when other software like VirtualBox is completely free. My advice, try the free trial of Parallels and you will understand why it is worth the price. »

Zero to Synergy+ in 5 minutes

Synergy+ is most easily described as a software KVM. In reality, it is much more than that. It is more like having multiple monitors, except each monitor is actually attached to its own computer. Synergy+ is a fork of the original project, which hasn’t been updated since 2006. Enough with the chit-chat, lets get it up and running on Windows in no time. Install Install - Done. Configure - Server side This is the confusing part. »

My Home Mac Setup

Ok, here is a list of software I have installed. It is a pretty good list for only a few days with the machine. Note this is for home, not for work. Otherwise the list would be way different. Eclipse - Android and Java tinkering Firefox - To test, not to use. Chrome - Best browser out there, I promise! JungleDisk Desktop - Backups and synchronization are a must for any computer. »

Brian Hartsock on #Mac,

I'm a Mac user

I have officially switched my personal computer to a Mac (MacBook Pro to be specific). I’m sure some of you might be wondering, why did I switch to a Mac? Most of my blog is on .NET and Powershell related topics, which aren’t so prevalent on a Mac. Well, here are a few of the main reasons. Promoters - Mac owners are promoters. When I asked the Twitterverse what I should do, all but one response was “Get a Mac!”. »

Brian Hartsock on #Mac,