OSX for Hackers: Yosemite/El Capitan Edition. This script tries not to be *too* opinionated and any major changes to your system require a prompt. You've been warned. Also, please don't email me about this script, my poor inbox...

osx-for-hackers.sh

#!/bin/sh

# Alot of these configs have been taken from the various places
# on the web, most from here
# https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles/blob/master/.osx

# Set the colours you can use
black='\033[0;30m'
white='\033[0;37m'
red='\033[0;31m'
green='\033[0;32m'
yellow='\033[0;33m'
blue='\033[0;34m'
magenta='\033[0;35m'
cyan='\033[0;36m'

# Resets the style
reset=`tput sgr0`

# Color-echo. Improved. [Thanks @joaocunha]
# arg $1 = message
# arg $2 = Color
cecho() {
  echo "${2}${1}${reset}"
  return
}

# Set continue to false by default
CONTINUE=false

echo ""
cecho "###############################################" $red
cecho "#        DO NOT RUN THIS SCRIPT BLINDLY       #" $red
cecho "#         YOU'LL PROBABLY REGRET IT...        #" $red
cecho "#                                             #" $red
cecho "#              READ IT THOROUGHLY             #" $red
cecho "#         AND EDIT TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS         #" $red
cecho "###############################################" $red
echo ""

# Here we go.. ask for the administrator password upfront and run a
# keep-alive to update existing `sudo` time stamp until script has finished
sudo -v
while true; do sudo -n true; sleep 60; kill -0 "$$" || exit; done 2>/dev/null &

###############################################################################
# General UI/UX
###############################################################################

sudo chmod 600 /System/Library/CoreServices/Search.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Search

echo ""
echo "Expanding the save panel by default"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -bool true
defaults write NSGlobalDomain PMPrintingExpandedStateForPrint -bool true
defaults write NSGlobalDomain PMPrintingExpandedStateForPrint2 -bool true

echo ""
echo "Automatically quit printer app once the print jobs complete"
defaults write com.apple.print.PrintingPrefs "Quit When Finished" -bool true

# Try e.g. `cd /tmp; unidecode "\x{0000}" > cc.txt; open -e cc.txt`
echo ""
echo "Displaying ASCII control characters using caret notation in standard text views"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSTextShowsControlCharacters -bool true

echo ""
echo "Saving to disk, rather than iButt"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSDocumentSaveNewDocumentsToCloud -bool false

echo ""
echo "Reveal IP address, hostname, OS version, etc. when clicking the clock in the login window"
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow AdminHostInfo HostName

echo ""
echo "Check for software updates daily, not just once per week"
defaults write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate ScheduleFrequency -int 1

echo ""
echo "Removing duplicates in the 'Open With' menu"
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

echo ""
echo "Disabling smart quotes and smart dashes"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticQuoteSubstitutionEnabled -bool false
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticDashSubstitutionEnabled -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disable Photos.app from starting everytime a device is plugged in"
defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool true


###############################################################################
# General Power and Performance modifications
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Disabling the sudden motion sensor (it's not useful for SSDs/current MacBooks)"
sudo pmset -a sms 0

echo ""
echo "Disabling system-wide resume"
defaults write com.apple.systempreferences NSQuitAlwaysKeepsWindows -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disabling the menubar transparency?"
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceTransparency -bool true

echo ""
echo "Speeding up wake from sleep to 24 hours from an hour"
# http://www.cultofmac.com/221392/quick-hack-speeds-up-retina-macbooks-wake-from-sleep-os-x-tips/
sudo pmset -a standbydelay 86400


################################################################################
# Trackpad, mouse, keyboard, Bluetooth accessories, and input
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Increasing sound quality for Bluetooth headphones/headsets"
defaults write com.apple.BluetoothAudioAgent "Apple Bitpool Min (editable)" -int 40

echo ""
echo "Enabling full keyboard access for all controls (enable Tab in modal dialogs, menu windows, etc.)"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleKeyboardUIMode -int 3

echo ""
echo "Disabling press-and-hold for special keys in favor of key repeat"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false

echo ""
echo "Setting a blazingly fast keyboard repeat rate"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain KeyRepeat -int 0

echo ""
echo "Disabling auto-correct"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false

echo ""
echo "Setting trackpad & mouse speed to a reasonable number"
defaults write -g com.apple.trackpad.scaling 2
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling 2.5

echo ""
echo "Turn off keyboard illumination when computer is not used for 5 minutes"
defaults write com.apple.BezelServices kDimTime -int 300

echo ""
echo "Disabling display from automatically adjusting brightness"
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.iokit.AmbientLightSensor "Automatic Display Enabled" -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disabling keyboard from automatically adjusting backlight brightness in low light"
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.iokit.AmbientLightSensor "Automatic Keyboard Enabled" -bool false


###############################################################################
# Screen
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Requiring password immediately after sleep or screen saver begins"
defaults write com.apple.screensaver askForPassword -int 1
defaults write com.apple.screensaver askForPasswordDelay -int 0

echo ""
screenshot_location="${HOME}/Desktop"
echo "Setting location to ${screenshot_location}"
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location -string "${screenshot_location}"

echo ""
echo "Setting screenshot format to PNG"
defaults write com.apple.screencapture type -string "png"

echo ""
echo "Enabling subpixel font rendering on non-Apple LCDs"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

echo ""
echo "Enabling HiDPI display modes (requires restart)"
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true


###############################################################################
# Finder
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Showing icons for hard drives, servers, and removable media on the desktop"
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop -bool true

echo ""
echo "Showing hidden files in Finder by default"
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

echo ""
echo "Showing dotfiles in Finder by default"
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

echo ""
echo "Showing all filename extensions in Finder by default"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true

echo ""
echo "Showing status bar in Finder by default"
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

echo ""
echo "Displaying full POSIX path as Finder window title"
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true

echo ""
echo "Disabling the warning when changing a file extension"
defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false

echo ""
echo "Using column view in all Finder windows by default"
defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle Clmv

echo ""
echo "Avoiding creation of .DS_Store files on network volumes"
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true

echo ""
echo "Allowing text selection in Quick Look/Preview in Finder by default"
defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true


###############################################################################
# Dock & Mission Control
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Setting the icon size of Dock items to 36 pixels for optimal size/screen-realestate"
defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 36

echo ""
echo "Speeding up Mission Control animations and grouping windows by application"
defaults write com.apple.dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1
defaults write com.apple.dock "expose-group-by-app" -bool true

echo ""
echo "Disable the over-the-top focus ring animation"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSUseAnimatedFocusRing -bool false

echo ""
echo "Setting Dock to auto-hide and remove the auto-hiding delay"
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0


###############################################################################
# Chrome, Safari, & WebKit
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Privacy: Don't send search queries to Apple"
defaults write com.apple.Safari UniversalSearchEnabled -bool false
defaults write com.apple.Safari SuppressSearchSuggestions -bool true

echo ""
echo "Hiding Safari's bookmarks bar by default"
defaults write com.apple.Safari ShowFavoritesBar -bool false

echo ""
echo "Hiding Safari's sidebar in Top Sites"
defaults write com.apple.Safari ShowSidebarInTopSites -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disabling Safari's thumbnail cache for History and Top Sites"
defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugSnapshotsUpdatePolicy -int 2

echo ""
echo "Enabling Safari's debug menu"
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu -bool true

echo ""
echo "Making Safari's search banners default to Contains instead of Starts With"
defaults write com.apple.Safari FindOnPageMatchesWordStartsOnly -bool false

echo ""
echo "Removing useless icons from Safari's bookmarks bar"
defaults write com.apple.Safari ProxiesInBookmarksBar "()"

echo ""
echo "Enabling the Develop menu and the Web Inspector in Safari"
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDevelopMenu -bool true
defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitDeveloperExtrasEnabledPreferenceKey -bool true
defaults write com.apple.Safari "com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2DeveloperExtrasEnabled" -bool true

echo ""
echo "Adding a context menu item for showing the Web Inspector in web views"
defaults write NSGlobalDomain WebKitDeveloperExtras -bool true

echo ""
echo "Disabling the annoying backswipe in Chrome"
defaults write com.google.Chrome AppleEnableSwipeNavigateWithScrolls -bool false
defaults write com.google.Chrome.canary AppleEnableSwipeNavigateWithScrolls -bool false

echo ""
echo "Using the system-native print preview dialog in Chrome"
defaults write com.google.Chrome DisablePrintPreview -bool true
defaults write com.google.Chrome.canary DisablePrintPreview -bool true


###############################################################################
# Mail
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Setting email addresses to copy as 'foo@example.com' instead of 'Foo Bar <foo@example.com>' in Mail.app"
defaults write com.apple.mail AddressesIncludeNameOnPasteboard -bool false


###############################################################################
# Terminal
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Enabling UTF-8 ONLY in Terminal.app and setting the Pro theme by default"
defaults write com.apple.terminal StringEncodings -array 4
defaults write com.apple.Terminal "Default Window Settings" -string "Pro"
defaults write com.apple.Terminal "Startup Window Settings" -string "Pro"


###############################################################################
# Time Machine
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Preventing Time Machine from prompting to use new hard drives as backup volume"
defaults write com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup -bool true

echo ""
echo "Disabling local Time Machine backups (This can take up a ton of SSD space on <128GB SSDs) (y/n)"
hash tmutil &> /dev/null && sudo tmutil disablelocal


###############################################################################
# Messages                                                                    #
###############################################################################

echo ""
echo "Disabling automatic emoji substitution in Messages.app (i.e. use plain text smileys)"
defaults write com.apple.messageshelper.MessageController SOInputLineSettings -dict-add "automaticEmojiSubstitutionEnablediMessage" -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disabling smart quotes in Messages.app (it's annoying for messages that contain code)"
defaults write com.apple.messageshelper.MessageController SOInputLineSettings -dict-add "automaticQuoteSubstitutionEnabled" -bool false

echo ""
echo "Disable continuous spell checking in Messages.app"
defaults write com.apple.messageshelper.MessageController SOInputLineSettings -dict-add "continuousSpellCheckingEnabled" -bool false


###############################################################################
# Kill affected applications
###############################################################################

echo ""
cecho "Done!" $cyan
echo ""
echo ""
cecho "################################################################################" $white
echo ""
echo ""
cecho "Note that some of these changes require a logout/restart to take effect." $red
cecho "Killing some open applications in order to take effect." $red
echo ""

find ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock -name "*.db" -maxdepth 1 -delete
for app in "Activity Monitor" "Address Book" "Calendar" "Contacts" "cfprefsd" \
  "Dock" "Finder" "Mail" "Messages" "Safari" "SystemUIServer" \
  "Terminal" "Transmission"; do
  killall "${app}" > /dev/null 2>&1
done