A simple thing I’ve overlooked with NixOS is that I can create very different environments with a simple nixos-rebuild switch - effectively making my machine distraction free when I want it to be, or permitting some play in the off hours.
I wrote a piece a couple years back about blocking internet distractions - and while I stand by it for the “legacy distros” (debian/arch/fedora), Nix makes this all the more simple.
The major improvement over my previous setup is that nixOS permits me to rebuild my system without entire applications I find distracting (mostly group chat stuff). When I want to work, I simply go to the file for setting up my blocklist, comment out the distractions and rebuild my machine.
I now can physically not access these distracting applications and sites.
When I go back on break or hit end of the day, all I have to do is rebuild my system with the blocklist disabled and apps re-installed. One could create a “work” and “play” profile trivially and swap between them, the rebuild time being the friction needed to stop impulsive doom scrolling or rabbit holing.
The danger of the general use computer is that it can be used generally - to create or to consume. So, just make that general computer a little less general with profiles that encourage you to do what you set out to do. While some would say “just don’t look!” I would say the friction has helped me immensely, even the simple act of disabling /etc/hosts in the past is enough to keep me on task for hours at end.
NixOS is truly the best of both worlds - a machine offering deep focus, and a machine that could play AAA gaming titles, all without the temptation to do so when you actually want to be working.
As always, God bless, and until next time.
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