Uses
One of my favorite websites is usesthis.com. I always liked reading about the tools people use to get through their day to day.
This page outlines a few details around my own setup.
I don’t have a carefully arranged photo of my desk, so here’s a snapshot of my messy workspace in the middle of some work:
Hardware
- Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 9
- Custom PC with Ryzen 3600 cpu
- MacBook Air M1
- iPad Pro 11
- Logitech MX Ergo trackball mouse
- Apple Magic Trackpad
- Corne-ish Zen keyboard
- Ferris Sweep keyboard
Note on keyboards
I’m experimenting with keyboards and layouts a lot lately.
I’ve had a bunch of various keyboards over the last couple years, but I prefer the low-profile Choc switches by Kailh (the Purpz version).
My layout config has been slimming down in size since I started experimenting. At the moment I’m using a 34 keys layout and this picture gives an idea of how it works.
Current layout configuration lives here.
Software
I use macOS for work, while Linux is my preferred OS for personal computering needs. Even though I’ve been a macOS user for 15+ years, I like Linux more these days.
My Linux setup is barebones: I don’t use a full-fledged desktop environment. A tiling window manager, a fast terminal and a browser — that’s all I need.
I do all text editing and coding in Kakoune, which is a terminal-based text editor and my favorite piece of software.
Here’s a list of essential pieces:
Linux
- Arch Linux on laptop
- Void Linux on desktop
- Sway (window manager)
- Firefox
- Foot (terminal)
- Syncthing — private, reliable and open-source file sync
macOS
- Firefox — good web browser
- Figma — UI design tool
- iTerm2 — terminal
- Rectangle — simple window management
- Itsycal — tiny menubar calendar with Vim keybindings and Zoom join buttons
- Maccy — lightweight clipboard manager
- Syncthing — private, reliable and open-source file sync (macOS has a simple menu bar app)
- Bumpr — a simple utility to control where links open
- Shottr — small and fast screenshot tool
- Spaceman — view Spaces in the menu bar
- AltTab — Windows-style window switcher
- MonitorControl — makes controlling displays more reliable
- Claquette — good screen recorder
Terminal
- Fish (shell)
- Kakoune (text editor)
Current desktop configuration lives in a GitHub repo.