The Focus Machine, pt 2

I wrote a while back about the idea of dedicating a separate computer for deep work only. It can be achieved by installing SelfControl and blocking everything except coding stuff for a long time.

I am now decided to continue using my Hackintosh as the Focus Machine.

My setup now looks like this:

• 15" MacBook Pro for all kinds of work.
• Hackintosh with 24" Dell monitor for deep work. This has no access to emails, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter.

Hackintosh is limited in many ways. Audio is not working. Updates are annoying. I can’t connect Thunderbolt with all of my photos. I can’t edit video on it. YouTube doesn’t work, because audio is broken… The list goes on.

But I only need it for one thing: Coding. I also play music from it, but only the stuff I have in my local iTunes Library. Spotify has lots of things you can browse — you can waste time on Spotify.

Both my MacBook and Hackintosh have 2012 quad-core Intel hardware: MacBook is 2.3GHz i7, while Hackintosh is 3.0GHz i5. The Hackintosh is a bit faster when compiling. I might spend 500€ to upgrade logic board and the processor to top of the line 4.0GHz i7. With that I can downgrade laptop — go down to 13". (And finally get the touchbar.)

I also have two separate desks. Now I’m sitting at the general desk, writing here on MacBook Pro, because Medium doesn’t work on Focus Machine.

Once I finish writing this article, I will make some coffee, forget all about the internet and move to the focus desk, where I’ll be productive.