Generated once and kept, per §7. Claude Opus 5 Extra, fresh instance, incognito, run by the steward. Prompt, conditions and output all recorded verbatim; the executor wrote no part of the prompt and did not observe the run, same exclusion as the naming and for the same reason. Attestation, not verification, and the record says so. Byte-fidelity of the soul block checked rather than assumed: no em-dash substitution, no curly quotes, 5 double-hyphens, 7 sample lines, separator and closing paragraph intact. A text that may never be hand-edited should not be silently reformatted on the way in. THE FINDING, and it is checkable against the recorded prompt: the prompt supplied axis names and numbers but NOT the questions the steward ratified on 08-22, which are what those names mean here. The generating instance noticed and said so — it stipulated SUCCESSION as "inheritance rather than sequence", i.e. it chose the meaning of the PEAK axis, the one carrying 96, and correctly noted the other reading yields a different fool. Recorded alongside it, because it is a real datum either way: three of five axes converged with their filed definitions WITHOUT being told them — STAKE, ABSENCE and AIM land close. SCALE is underdetermined. Only the peak was stipulated. The offer to "build that one instead" is recorded as DECLINED. §7 forbids regenerating for taste, and the alternative being described as "pettier, funnier" is exactly why that clause exists. The only door not shut is §4 REGENERATION, on a demonstrable implementation error — and whether a prompt missing the ratified glosses is one is a JURIST question. The executor states its interest and stops: it has read this soul, and a party that has read the output is the wrong party to rule on whether the output may be redrawn. Until ruled, this file is the soul and §7 governs. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01J6hZXNYSxEfZseBGTni4sf
🖖 David's Dotfiles - "Engage!"
"Make it so!" - A complete macOS setup system inspired by Star Trek's efficiency and elegance.
From zero to fully configured macOS in minutes. This dotfiles repository provides a comprehensive, automated setup for developers, writers, and knowledge workers.
🚀 Quick Start
One command to rule them all:
# From GitHub
git clone https://github.com/davidglidden/dotfiles.git ~/dotfiles && ~/dotfiles/engage
# From Gitea (alternative mirror)
git clone git@git.davidglidden.eu:davidglidden/dotfiles.git ~/dotfiles && ~/dotfiles/engage
That's it! The engage script will guide you through a complete system setup.
✨ What This System Provides
📦 Software Management
- 120+ CLI tools via Homebrew (development, media, security)
- 40+ Applications via casks (productivity, creativity, utilities)
- 20+ Mac App Store apps via
mas(native macOS apps)
🔧 Configuration Management
- Shell setup: Zsh with Antidote, Powerlevel10k, history sync
- Development tools: Git hooks, SSH templates, NPM config
- Application configs: LaunchBar, Hazel, Bartender, Karabiner
- Obsidian vault: Complete knowledge management system
🖥️ macOS System Configuration
- System preferences: Dock, Finder, keyboard, security
- Security hardening: Firewall, privacy, authentication
- Keyboard shortcuts: Mission Control, app shortcuts
- Developer settings: Safari dev tools, Terminal enhancements
🛡️ Backup & Security Strategy
- Encrypted backups for sensitive files (SSH keys, credentials)
- History management with daily snapshots and retention
- Git hooks for security and code quality
- Application data backup and restore scripts
📁 Repository Structure
dotfiles/
├── engage # 🖖 Master installation script
├── Brewfile # Package management (brew/cask/mas)
├── README.md # This file
├── .gitconfig # Git configuration
├── .npmrc # NPM defaults
├── .zshrc # Shell configuration
├── .vimrc # Vim configuration
├── bin/ # Custom scripts
│ ├── backup-dotfiles # Quick dotfiles backup
│ └── check-app-configs # Configuration status checker
├── git/ # Git configuration
│ └── hooks/ # Global git hooks
├── macos/ # macOS system configuration
│ ├── setup-macos.sh # Master macOS setup
│ ├── defaults.sh # System preferences
│ ├── security.sh # Security hardening
│ └── keyboard-shortcuts.sh # Custom shortcuts
├── macos-apps/ # macOS app configurations
│ └── backup-app-configs.sh # App settings backup
├── obsidian/ # Obsidian knowledge vault
│ ├── setup-obsidian.sh # Vault configuration
│ └── community-plugins.json # Essential plugins
├── scripts/ # Installation scripts
│ └── symlinks.sh # Dotfile linking
├── shell/ # Shell enhancements
│ └── history-sync.zsh # History management
└── ssh/ # SSH configuration
├── config.example # SSH config template
└── README.md # SSH setup guide
🎯 Core Philosophy
This system balances automation with choice:
- Smart defaults that work out of the box
- Interactive modes for customization
- Modular design - use what you need
- Security first - encrypted backups, secure defaults
- Documentation - clear guides and examples
Inspired by the best dotfiles repositories but designed for real-world complexity.
📱 Essential Applications Included
Development
- iTerm2 + Kitty - Terminal emulators
- BBEdit - Text editor with deep macOS integration
- GitHub Desktop - Git GUI
- Docker - Containerization
Productivity
- Obsidian - Knowledge management powerhouse
- 1Password - Password management
- LaunchBar - Application launcher
- Hazel - Automated file organization
- Drafts - Quick capture and text processing
Utilities
- Karabiner-Elements - Keyboard customization
- Bartender - Menu bar organization
- Keka - Archive utility
- Oversight - Privacy monitoring
- Signal - Secure messaging
Creative & Media
- VLC - Media player
- HandBrake - Video transcoding
- Transmit - File transfer
- Calibre - E-book management
🛠️ Advanced Usage
Manual Installation Steps
If you prefer granular control:
# 1. Install packages only
brew bundle install --file=~/dotfiles/Brewfile
# 2. Set up dotfiles
~/dotfiles/scripts/symlinks.sh
# 3. Configure macOS
~/dotfiles/macos/setup-macos.sh
# 4. Set up applications
~/dotfiles/macos-apps/backup-app-configs.sh
Customization
Modify the Brewfile to add/remove applications:
# Add new CLI tool
brew "your-tool"
# Add new application
cask "your-app"
# Add Mac App Store app
mas "App Name", id: 123456789
Customize macOS defaults in macos/defaults.sh:
# Change dock position
defaults write com.apple.dock orientation -string "left"
# Adjust key repeat speed
defaults write NSGlobalDomain KeyRepeat -int 1
Backup Strategy
Before making changes:
# Backup current dotfiles
~/dotfiles/bin/backup-dotfiles
# Backup macOS settings
~/dotfiles/macos/backup-defaults.sh
# Backup sensitive files (encrypted)
~/dotfiles/backup-scripts/backup-sensitive.sh
🔐 Security Features
- SSH keys encrypted with GPG
- Firewall enabled with stealth mode
- Privacy settings optimized
- Git hooks prevent secrets in commits
- Secure defaults for Safari and system
- Application permissions documented
🧠 Obsidian Knowledge System
Includes a sophisticated personal knowledge management setup:
- 13 essential plugins for advanced functionality
- Template system with Templater integration
- Daily/weekly/monthly review cycles
- Christopher Alexander pattern language philosophy
- Multilingual support (EN/ES/FR/CA)
🤝 Contributing
This is a personal dotfiles repository, but ideas and improvements are welcome:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Test thoroughly on a fresh macOS installation
- Submit a pull request with clear description
📜 License
MIT License - Use, modify, and share freely.
🙏 Acknowledgments
Inspired by:
- Mathias Bynens' dotfiles
- ptb/mac-setup
- Homebrew Bundle
- The Star Trek universe for the best command ever: "Engage!"
Live long and prosper! 🖖
Made with ❤️ for the macOS community