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Platform Setup

Platform-specific configuration and optimization for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Customize system integration and performance for your operating system.

🐧 Linux Configuration

System Integration

Linux provides the most comprehensive automation capabilities through systemd:

# Check systemd service status
systemctl status neuron-automation.service

# Check timer schedule
systemctl status neuron-automation.timer

# View service logs
journalctl -u neuron-automation.service -f

Linux-Specific Settings

# config.py - Linux optimizations

class LinuxConfig:
    # System service configuration
    SYSTEMD_SERVICE = True
    SERVICE_USER = os.getenv('USER')

    # Performance optimizations
    USE_SYSTEM_CHROME = True
    CHROME_EXECUTABLE = "/usr/bin/google-chrome"

    # File system paths
    CONFIG_BASE = os.path.expanduser("~/.config/neuron-automation")
    LOG_DIRECTORY = os.path.expanduser("~/.config/neuron-automation/logs")

    # Desktop integration
    DESKTOP_NOTIFICATIONS = True
    SHOW_BROWSER_ON_DESKTOP = True

Ubuntu/Debian Optimization

# Install additional performance packages
sudo apt install preload iotop htop

# Configure Chrome for automation
sudo mkdir -p /opt/chrome-automation
sudo chown $USER:$USER /opt/chrome-automation

# Optimize systemd service
sudo systemctl edit neuron-automation.service

Add to the service override:

[Service]
IOSchedulingClass=3
IOSchedulingPriority=7
CPUSchedulingPolicy=2
Nice=10

Arch Linux Configuration

# Use AUR package manager for Chrome
yay -S google-chrome

# Systemd user services
systemctl --user enable neuron-automation.service
systemctl --user start neuron-automation.timer

🍎 macOS Configuration

LaunchAgent Integration

macOS uses LaunchAgents for scheduling automation:

# Check LaunchAgent status
launchctl list | grep neuron

# View LaunchAgent configuration
cat ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.neuron-automation.plist

# Manually load/unload
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.neuron-automation.plist
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.neuron-automation.plist

macOS-Specific Settings

# config.py - macOS optimizations

class MacOSConfig:
    # LaunchAgent configuration
    LAUNCHD_SERVICE = True
    LAUNCH_AGENT_PATH = os.path.expanduser("~/Library/LaunchAgents")

    # macOS paths
    CHROME_EXECUTABLE = "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome"
    CONFIG_BASE = os.path.expanduser("~/Library/Application Support/neuron-automation")

    # macOS integration
    NOTIFICATION_CENTER = True
    DOCK_BADGE_UPDATES = False
    MENU_BAR_ICON = False  # Future feature

    # Power management
    RESPECT_POWER_SETTINGS = True
    PREVENT_SLEEP_DURING_AUTOMATION = True

Homebrew Integration

# Ensure Homebrew is properly configured
brew doctor

# Install Chrome via Homebrew if not present
brew install --cask google-chrome

# Optional: Install monitoring tools
brew install htop glances

macOS Security Configuration

# Add automation to accessibility permissions
# System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility

# Allow Chrome automation
# System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Automation

# Configure Gatekeeper (if needed)
sudo spctl --master-disable  # Only if necessary for testing

🪟 Windows Configuration

Task Scheduler Integration

Windows uses Task Scheduler for automation:

# Check scheduled task status
Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "NeuronAutomation*"

# View task details
Get-ScheduledTaskInfo -TaskName "NeuronAutomationDaily"

# Run task manually
Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "NeuronAutomationDaily"

Windows-Specific Settings

# config.py - Windows optimizations

class WindowsConfig:
    # Task Scheduler configuration
    TASK_SCHEDULER = True
    TASK_USER = os.getenv('USERNAME')

    # Windows paths
    CHROME_EXECUTABLE = r"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    CONFIG_BASE = os.path.expanduser(r"~\.config\neuron-automation")

    # Windows integration
    WINDOWS_NOTIFICATIONS = True
    TASKBAR_PROGRESS = False  # Future feature

    # Performance
    PROCESS_PRIORITY = "below_normal"
    MEMORY_OPTIMIZATION = True

PowerShell Configuration

# Set execution policy (if needed)
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

# Install Chrome (if not present)
winget install Google.Chrome

# Optional: Install monitoring tools
winget install Microsoft.Sysinternals.ProcessMonitor

Windows Defender Configuration

# Add exclusion for automation directory (optional)
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "$env:USERPROFILE\.config\neuron-automation"

# Add exclusion for Python processes (if needed)
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionProcess "python.exe"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionProcess "chrome.exe"

🔧 Cross-Platform Optimization

Network Configuration

# config.py - Network optimizations for all platforms

class NetworkConfig:
    # DNS configuration
    DNS_SERVERS = ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8"]  # Fast DNS servers

    # Connection settings
    CONNECTION_TIMEOUT = 10
    READ_TIMEOUT = 15
    MAX_RETRIES = 3

    # Proxy configuration (if needed)
    HTTP_PROXY = None   # "http://proxy:8080"
    HTTPS_PROXY = None  # "https://proxy:8080"
    NO_PROXY = "localhost,127.0.0.1"

Browser Optimization

# config.py - Cross-platform browser settings

class BrowserConfig:
    # Memory management
    CHROME_OPTIONS = [
        "--memory-pressure-off",
        "--max_old_space_size=512",
        "--disable-background-timer-throttling",
        "--disable-renderer-backgrounding",
        "--disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows"
    ]

    # Performance flags
    PERFORMANCE_OPTIONS = [
        "--enable-fast-unload",
        "--enable-aggressive-domstorage-flushing",
        "--enable-parallel-downloading",
        "--disable-ipc-flooding-protection"
    ]

📊 Platform-Specific Monitoring

Linux Monitoring

# Resource monitoring
htop -p $(pgrep -f neuron-automation)

# I/O monitoring
sudo iotop -p $(pgrep -f neuron-automation)

# Network monitoring
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep chrome

# Systemd journal monitoring
journalctl -u neuron-automation.service --since "1 hour ago"

macOS Monitoring

# Activity Monitor via command line
top -pid $(pgrep -f neuron-automation)

# Network activity
nettop -p $(pgrep -f chrome)

# Console logs
log show --predicate 'subsystem == "com.neuron.automation"' --info

Windows Monitoring

# Process monitoring
Get-Process -Name "*neuron*" | Select-Object CPU,WorkingSet,PagedMemorySize

# Network monitoring
netstat -an | Select-String "chrome"

# Event log monitoring
Get-WinEvent -LogName Application | Where-Object {$_.ProviderName -like "*neuron*"}

🚀 Performance Tuning by Platform

Linux Performance Tuning

# I/O scheduler optimization (for SSD)
echo mq-deadline | sudo tee /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler

# Swappiness optimization
echo 'vm.swappiness=10' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

# File descriptor limits
echo 'fs.file-max = 65536' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

# Network buffer optimization
echo 'net.core.rmem_max = 16777216' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
echo 'net.core.wmem_max = 16777216' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

macOS Performance Tuning

# Increase file descriptor limits
sudo launchctl limit maxfiles 65536 200000

# Optimize network settings
sudo sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.delayed_ack=0

# Memory pressure monitoring
memory_pressure

Windows Performance Tuning

# Increase virtual memory if needed
$cs = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem
$TotalPhysicalMemory = [Math]::Round($cs.TotalPhysicalMemory / 1GB)
$PageFileSize = $TotalPhysicalMemory * 1.5

# Optimize power settings for performance
powercfg /setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c  # High performance

# Disable Windows Search indexing for automation directory
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Crawlmgr\Extensions\Web" -Name "*.log" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

🔒 Platform Security Considerations

Linux Security

# AppArmor profile (Ubuntu)
sudo nano /etc/apparmor.d/neuron-automation

# SELinux context (RHEL/CentOS)
sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect 1

# Firewall configuration
sudo ufw allow out 443/tcp
sudo ufw allow out 80/tcp

macOS Security

# System Integrity Protection considerations
csrutil status

# Code signing verification
codesign -dv /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app

# Keychain integration (future feature)
security add-generic-password -s "neuron-automation" -a "$USER"

Windows Security

# Windows Defender exclusions
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "$env:USERPROFILE\.config"

# User Account Control settings
# Manual: Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings

# Execution policy
Get-ExecutionPolicy -List

🛠️ Troubleshooting Platform Issues

Common Linux Issues

# Permission issues
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/.config/neuron-automation
chmod -R 755 ~/.config/neuron-automation

# Chrome not found
which google-chrome || which chromium-browser || which chrome

# Display issues (headless servers)
export DISPLAY=:99
Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1024x768x24 &

Common macOS Issues

# LaunchAgent not loading
launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.neuron-automation.plist

# Chrome permissions
tccutil reset SystemPolicyDesktopFolder com.google.Chrome

# Path issues
echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n' | grep -E "(local|opt)"

Common Windows Issues

# Task Scheduler issues
schtasks /query /tn "NeuronAutomation*" /v

# Path issues
$env:PATH -split ';' | Where-Object {$_ -like "*Chrome*"}

# PowerShell execution issues
Get-ExecutionPolicy
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Next Steps

  • Basic Configuration

    Start with essential settings before platform optimization.

    Basic Config

  • Advanced Settings

    Fine-tune performance and behavior for your platform.

    Advanced Settings

  • Troubleshooting

    Platform-specific troubleshooting guides.

    Troubleshooting

Neuron Daily Newsletter Automation

Why This Exists: Reading the Neuron Daily newsletter is a great way to start the day, but manually clicking through all the article links takes time. This automation opens everything at once, so you can spend your morning reading instead of clicking. Built collaboratively with Claude AI to solve a real daily workflow need.

If this saves you time too, give it a ⭐ and let us know how it works for you!

Cross-platform automation system that automatically opens the latest Neuron Daily newsletter with all article links in separate tabs every weekday morning.

Supported Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows