https://olivian.ro/software-work-efficiently/ On February 12th, 2024, I made a presentation on "Windows and macOS software to work more efficiently." Below are slides and videos. https://olivian.ro/software-work-efficiently/

1. Windows and macOS
software to work more
efficiently
Olivian Breda
February 12, 2024

2. Olivian Breda

3. https://amzn.to/3SD5W2h

4. Meeting Agenda
01 02
Two principles Software to use

5. Principle #1:
Think about what you need
01

6. Why do I need a batch fiile at
startup?
01 02
03 04
Immediate launch File moving
File renaming Random filenames

7. Immediate launch
cd "C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficerootOffice16"
start WINWORD.EXE
start EXCEL.EXE
Alternative: StartUp folder in Windows Start Menu
https://www.google.com/search?q=Start-
up+folder+Start+Menu+Windows

8. File moving
cd "D:OneDrive - Universitatea *"
D:
cd "Texte - Articole favorite"
For %%G in (C:202*.docx) do move "%%G" "D:"

9. File renaming
For %%G in (*.*) do REN "%%G"
"%date:~0,4%.%date:~5,2%.%date:~8,2%
%%~nG%%~xG"

10. Random filenames
SET
subkey1=%date:~0,4%.%date:~5,2%.%date:~8,2%
%random%%random%%random%%random%%rando
m%%random%
SET
subkey2=%date:~0,4%.%date:~5,2%.%date:~8,2%
%random%%random%%random%%random%%rando
m%%random%
ren autosave.gm1 "%subkey1%.gm1"
ren autosave.gm2 "%subkey1%.gm2"

11. How to get the Batch file?
https://pastebin.com/Vk9Q2CfQ

12. What was difficult about the
process?
What is a batch file?
How do I immediately launch something in BAT?
File moving in BAT
File renaming in BAT
Random filenames in BAT

13. How to imagine things you can do
with software?
1. Do tutorials – A Photoshop tutorial will give you
ideas of what you can do in the software.
2. Read productivity resources – Lifehacker
https://lifehacker.com/
3. Read some communities la specific Subreddits from
https://www.reddit.com/ (there are Subreddits for Mac,
of the iPhone, for Apple Watch etc. etc.)
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=apple+watch+reddit
4. Constantly think on how you can solve repetitive
tasks (how could I automate some tasks?)

14. Why is it important to have good
Google search skills?
Most tasks can be solved by googling things up.
I’m no expert in BATCH files, I just googled things
specifically for my demands.

15. Principle #2:
Launch it when you need it
01

16. Times to launch things
First thing in the morning: things on the table
Computer startup: StartUp folder in Windows
Computer startup: batch file
Beginning of day: list of URLs
End of day: list of URLs
End of day: batch file
Specific tasks: a dedicated Chrome instance
Specific days of week: Calendar memo + list of URLs
Before an event: Calendar memo + text file
Before an event: text file
After an event: text file
Things to do now: desktop shortcuts
Unimportant things to do: folders/text file
Last thing in the evening: things on the bed

17. How to open group of links? #1
Right click on a folder of links in Windows -> open all
links

18. How to open group of links? #2
snap links/link clump extension
• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-
US/firefox/addon/snaplinksplus/
• https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/linkclum
p/lfpjkncokllnfokkgpkobnkbkmelfefj?pli=1

19. StartUp folder in Windows
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=how+to+open+startup+folder+windows

20. Specific tasks: a dedicated Chrome
instance
How to have multiple Chrome profiles
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824?h
l=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
(you can also use multiple Windows Desktops)

21. Software to use
02

22. What we’ll go through
Windows macOS
Flameshot
RescueTime
LastFM
IrfanView
Locate32
Launchy
Notepad++
WinRAR
Sumatra PDF
Ditto
Link to Windows
Total Commander
Dropbox
f.lux
Additional software
Flameshot
RescueTime
LastFM
Phoenix Slides
Native
Native
TextMate
Native
pdfFiller
CopyQ
Native
Double Commander
Dropbox/iCloud
f.lux

23. How to do PrintScreen?
Windows/macOS: Flameshot Open Source Screenshot
Software
https://flameshot.org/

24. How to get a weekly productivity
report ?
(you might know this already from Smartphone
features)
Windows/macOS: RescueTime
Smartphones
Browser extensions
https://www.rescuetime.com/get_rescuetime

25. How to get a report on the music
you like?
(hard to set up, a pleasure to use)
Windows/macOS (integrations with music apps and
browsers), Android/iOS: LastFM
https://www.last.fm/about/trackmymusic

26. Quick & Fast Image utility
Discussion on why do I need speed for images.
Windows: Very good speed! Amazing speed!
IrfanView
https://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm
macOS: Phoenix Slides
https://blyt.net/phxslides/

27. Instant locator
Discussion on how search functions, generally, in
Windows/macOS.
Windows: Very good speed! Amazing speed!
Locate32 (last update 2012, but works fine)
https://locate32.cogit.net/
F9 – Update Database.
macOS: find files macos finder
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=find+files+macos+finder

28. Instant launcher, much faster than
clicking on icons
Tip: you can also setup shortcuts to files in Windows.
Discussion on how to launch files in Windows.
Windows: Launchy
https://www.launchy.net/download.php
macOS – Native with Spotlight
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=spotlight+macos

29. More powerful text files
Discussion on why I prefer text files and not use,
instead, Docx, Xlsx etc.
Windows: Notepad++. Lots of features (much more
than standard Notepad) https://notepad-plus-
plus.org/downloads/
macOS – TextMate https://macromates.com/

30. More complex archiver
Discussion on why you need more than standard ZIP.
Windows: WinRAR (premium, but cheap to buy)
https://www.win-rar.com/download.html?&L=0
macOS – Native (I didn’t find any software as good as
WinRAR on macOS)

31. PDF Viewer
Discussion on why you need something different than
Adobe and what are the drawbacks.
What do I use Adobe Reader for.
Windows: Sumatra PDF
https://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/download-free-
pdf-viewer
macOS – Native or pdfFiller

32. Clipboard manager
Discussion on why you need a clipboard manager on
some OSes. Security implications.
Windows: Native in more recent Windows versions.
Ditto is better. https://ditto-cp.sourceforge.io/
macOS – CopyQ https://hluk.github.io/CopyQ/

33. Phone-PC/Mac connection
Discussion on what can be transferred (messages,
calls, apps, clipboard).
Windows: Link to Windows
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.micr
osoft.appmanager&hl=en&gl=US
macOS – Native

34. Better Explorer/Finder
Windows: Total Commander
Discussion on what else do you need than Windows
Explorer (batch renaming, better file access, better
copy large amount of data). https://www.ghisler.com/
macOS – Double Commander
https://doublecmd.sourceforge.io/

35. Cloud storage
Discussion on you need to backup files.
Windows: Dropbox
macOS – iCloud/Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/home

36. Automatic monitor light adjust
Discussion on you need to backup files.
Windows/macOS – f.lux
https://justgetflux.com/

37. Additional software
Windows: Remapping CAPS Lock on Windows to
PrintScreen or assigning macros to shortcuts:
https://www.autohotkey.com/ Script command:
CapsLock::PrintScreen
Windows: Macros in Word/Excel for repetitive tasks.
For repetitive tasks:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=repetitive+tasks+windows+software
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=repetitive+tasks+macos+software
https://zapier.com/
https://ifttt.com/

38. Recall of what we
did today
01 02
Two principles Software to use

39. Thank you for your attention!
Questions?

40. Resource
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