Macos

Run Any Extension on Safari

Have you ever considered trying out Safari, but soon discovered that it lacks your preferred Chrome or Firefox extensions? I had this same issue.

Apple has introduced a user-friendly tool called Safari Web Extension Converter. This tool simplifies the process of converting Chrome or Firefox extensions to Safari.

Let’s explore how we can convert a Chrome or Firefox extension to work with Safari!

Downloading the Source Code of the Extension

The first step to convert your extension is to download its source code first.
Paste the link of your extension in this website and Download the source code of the extension.

What is Nix and NixOS?

You may have heard of Nix before. The name can be a bit confusing at first, as Nix is:

A programming language
A package manager
A Linux distribution (Known as NixOS)

This guide will focus on Nix as the package manager, and how it can make your life easier.

The Problem

On macOS, the intended way to download new programs is to open the developer’s website and execute an installer (or disk image) that installs the program. This approach can be time-consuming, as well as generate confusion when a program has to be updated. For this reason, many people use Homebrew as a package manager for macOS.

Local LLMs (ChatGPT-like AI)

Why Run AI Locally?

AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini can be very useful, however, they have a few issues:

Price (Some tiers can be expensive and require a monthly subscription)
Freedom (You may be limited by the moral beliefs of the company behind it)
Internet Access
Privacy (All your requests are sent to the company’s servers and can be seen and used by them for any purpose.)
Ease of access (Sometimes you may encounter shortages or be unable to use AI efficiently with the tools you already have)

Local AI solves most of these issues: Your requests never leave your computer, and so they are private and can be done offline.

Dotfiles: Configuration Files

What Are Dotfiles and why Should I Care?

After using your system for a while, you will likely change settings everywhere: On your desktop environment, different programs, and even create scripts to automate your work. Most of these configurations are saved in your $HOME directory, in the form of .app_name. These files begin with a dot (making them ‘hidden’), hence the name dotfiles.

Some apps (like most browsers) are able to sync settings between different devices, but most programs can’t. Eventually, you may have to replace your device, switch to another system temporarily, or face any other situation where you either lose your files or need your configurations somewhere else.