theta.help

Website

Supposed to be an artificial intelligence assistant, but for now it's just an index of efficiency tools. Hopefully it will come true someday.

Background

Accessibility is a foundation of efficiency — universality across operating systems and devices, unifying the experience on any platform, without paying the high time cost of adapting to complex differences. In this sense, Web 3.0 is really the ubiquity of information services, so clients should use browser-like technologies.

In the PC era, we used local storage to save the time consumed by underdeveloped networks: install software on the device, process almost everything locally, transfer only a little data. Now, with 5G and WiFi 6 approaching the Shannon limit, we can hand all of that to far more powerful cloud servers.

Under this trend, we should actively migrate to the cloud to improve our own efficiency and keep pace with the times.

Prerequisites for Efficiency

Objective conditions

The bottom line of hardware is at least one working device, and a network is essential. Ideally:

1. A laptop — light, mid-range performance, i5-CPU / 8G RAM / 256G SSD / integrated graphics or better.

2. A phone with normal configuration; don't install distracting apps unless that's your hobby.

• Desktop/workstation for heavy software — only for design and development staff; better not to play games on it.

• NAS/server — you'll know when you need one.

Devices don't matter that much; for basic needs, a smooth browser is enough.

• If you do care about devices, consider i7-CPU / 16G RAM / 512G SSD / dedicated graphics or better.

Subjective conditions

As modern people at the center of an information explosion, to be efficient we must first practice self-defense self-discipline:

1. Stay away from ineffective socializing and entertainment.

2. Proficiency in Chinese and English is recommended.

3. Write in Markdown.

4. Learn a programming language — JavaScript / Python.

5. Be good at search engines & theta.help.

These behaviors keep you away from high-entropy places, and lower your own entropy by learning ordered knowledge.

Using the Browser

Just as English is one of the most influential languages in the world, Google services are among the most important infrastructures overseas.

Chrome holds half of the world's browser market share. Lose these, and you lose half the world — though using Google services in China can be a little inconvenient.

Once signed in, passwords, bookmarks and extensions are easy to manage and sync instantly across devices.

Extensions are the core of the browser's expandability; we recommend these browser extensions.

Beyond the Browser

For now, we still have to use desktop software for a while.

Initialization

On Windows, partition disks first. Mac users skip this.
Download with the built-in Safari / Microsoft Edge.

• Partition Assistant (win)

Browsers

The world's most mainstream browser — easy debugging, huge extension library.
Download with the built-in Safari / Microsoft Edge, then use Chrome to download the software below.

• Chrome

A mainstream privacy browser.

• Brave Browser

Input Method

In use since the QQ era, with a large personal vocabulary that shapes your language style.
Typing must feel smooth first.

• Sogou Pinyin

Archiving

The Mac archiving wizard — fast and seamless.
Downloaded software often comes as archives; keep a tool handy.

• MacZip

Old-school Windows archivers — ugly but fast / prettier but slower.

• 7-Zip (win) / Bandizip (win)

Password Management

Open-source password managers — one for all.
With many apps installed, logins are inevitable; be prepared.

• MacPass / KeePass (win)

Cloud Sync

The database and key files of the password manager live in the cloud — sync them.
Highly recommended sync tool, especially for its WebDAV feature. All right, two for all.

• Nutstore

Nutstore's capacity is small — good for syncing work in progress across devices, not for mass storage.
Among pre-Nutstore-era cloud drives, a fairly good product, though speed-limited.

• Baidu Netdisk

Two apps that mount cloud drives as local disks, if the above are not enough.
The only problem: space is fragmented; your own server would be better.

• Mountain Duck / CloudMounter + OneDrive, Dropbox etc.

Office Software

Files synced — time to work.

The most common office suites.

• Microsoft Office + WPS Office

Communication

The best instant messaging tool for work.
Send files to leaders, assign tasks to teammates.

• DingTalk

Formerly common IM tools.

• Tencent QQ + WeChat

A common collaboration tool, popular with agile teams.

• Teambition

Remote transfer and control.

• TeamViewer

Common video conferencing.

• Zoom

Productivity

Time to raise your productivity.

The best Markdown editor + image uploader.

• MWeb Pro + uPic

Amazing bidirectional-link notes + its alternative.

• Roam Research + Obsidian

Minimal handwriting notebook + well... journaling.

• Notability + GoodNotes

Formerly common notes + the more powerful note + notes on Windows.

• Youdao Cloud Note + Evernote + OneNote

Date-centric notes.

• Agenda

Documentation沉淀 (doc knowledge base).

• Yuque

Mind mapping.

• XMind

Project management software that boosts efficiency; also design software.

• Omni Series

File comparison + file deduplication.

• Beyond Compare + Gemini 2 / Duplicate Cleaner (win)

Learning

The best ebook manager.

• Calibre

Thesis reader + literature center + academic reader.

• CAJViewer + Personal Digital Library + Chaoxing Reader

The best dictionary + a formerly common one.

• Eudic + Youdao Dictionary

Language learning for beginners.

• Rosetta Stone

A flashcard app with no ceiling.

• Anki

Media

Relax properly too.

BitTorrent / HTTP / FTP downloader.

• BitComet

Video downloader.

• Downie 4

Windows BitTorrent downloader and video downloader.

• Xunlei + Shuoshu (win)

The best video player on Mac.

• IINA

A mainstream music player.

• NetEase Cloud Music

Screen-casting wizard.

• Lebo Cast

Live-streaming wizard.

• OBS

Pen tablet + painting software.

• Pentablet + SAI Ver.2

Design Software

A series of common design tools.

• Adobe Series

Two common prototyping tools.

• Sketch + Axure

Image converter.

• iSparta

GIF recording.

• GifCam (win)

Photo management.

• Picasa 3

Development

The best code editor + the best font.

• Visual Studio Code + Fira Code

The lightest code editor.

• Sublime Text 3

Three favorite programming languages.

• JavaScript + Python + Golang

A MongoDB client — a bit ugly, but powerful.

• NoSQLBooster for MongoDB

Database management.

• Navicat Premium

Virtual machine + system image — run Windows happily.

• Parallels Desktop + win10-arm64 ISO

A formerly used VM.

• VMware (win)

The most powerful remote management tool on Mac.

• Royal TSX

Remote connection tools on Windows.

• Xshell 6 (win) + Xftp 6 (win)

Version control.

• Sourcetree

A formerly used VCS client.

• GitHub Desktop

Testing and documentation.

• Apifox

Statistics software + phylogenetic tree software.

• IBM SPSS Statistics (win) + MEGA 7 (win)

System Enhancement

Security protection + ad blocking.

• Huorong (win) + AdGuard

Enhancements for Touch Bar / menu bar / windows / desktop.

• Pock + Bartender 4 + BetterTouchTool + uTools

Window / desktop / quick-corner enhancements on Windows.

• WindowTabs + Everything + corner launcher