The Things I Use
This page contains a list of the technology (both hardware and software) that I actively use. I’ve seen similar pages on a number of blogs, and my current implementation was heavily inspired by Kev Quirk (though his uses page is no longer visible).
Last updated: 2024-08-28
Quick links
Hardware Link to heading
Laptop (Primary) Link to heading
My laptop is currently a 2023 14" MacBook Pro with the following specs:
- CPU/GPU: Apple M3 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU, 18‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine
- RAM: 36GB
- Storage: 2TB SSD
- OS: macOS Sonoma
- Display: 14" Retina
Mac Laptop Dock and Peripherals Link to heading
When using my laptop in my home office, I’m almost always using it in a docked setup with the following hardware:
- Dock: CalDigit TS3+
- Display: 27in LG UltraFine 5K
- Keyboard: Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
- Mouse: Apple Magic Trackpad
Laptop (Secondary) Link to heading
I also use an Asus Zenbook 14 for hardware & software development when not near my workstation, with the following specs:
- CPU/GPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (8C/16T) with Radeon Vega 7 Graphics
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
- OS: Arch Linux
- DE: KDE Plasma
Desktop Link to heading
My primary desktop is currently a custom-built Linux PC, with the following specs:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (8C/16T)
- GPU: AMD Radeon 570
- RAM: 32GB
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD (root), 1TB NVMe SSD (home)
- OS: Arch Linux
- DE: Xfce
Desktop Peripherals Link to heading
- Keyboard: Das Keyboard 4 Professional
- Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1+
Software Link to heading
This is a list of software I use, sorted by supported platform(s):
Cross-Platform Link to heading
- 1Password (password manager)
- darktable (raw photo development)
- Element (messaging)
- Firefox, with the following extensions:
- Gramps (genealogy)
- Obsidian (notes/second brain)
- Plexamp (music)
- Slack (work messaging)
- Sublime Text (text editor)
- Sublime Merge (Git GUI)
- Todoist (task management)
iOS Link to heading
- Fanstastical (calendar)
- Fiery Feeds (RSS reader)
- Mercury Weather (weather)
- Overcast (podcasts)
- Prologue (audiobooks)
- RadarScope (weather)
- Safari (primary browser)
- Strongbox (TOTP)
- Trifecta (calorie & macro tracking)
macOS Link to heading
- Alfred 5 (Spotlight replacement)
- Bartender 5 (menu bar enhancement)
- CleanShot X (screenshot tool)
- Clocker (world clock)
- DEVONthink (document management)
- Fanstastical (calendar)
- Front and Center (window management)
- Hand Mirror (webcam control)
- Loopback (virtual audio routing)
- Mercury Weather (weather)
- RadarScope (weather)
- Rectangle (window resizing)
- Rocket (emoji enhancement)
- Scroll Reverser (independent mouse/trackpad scroll control)
- SoundSource (sound control)
Websites and services Link to heading
This is a list of websites and web services that I use on a regular basis:
- Backblaze (offsite backup)
- Cloudflare (domain registrar)
- DigitalOcean (cloud hosting)
- FastMail (personal email)
- GoatCounter (simple web analytics)
- Hugo (website framework)
- Libib (library management)
- Mastodon (Fosstodon) (federated social media)
- Newsblur (RSS aggregator)
- Porkbun (domain registrar)
- Tailscale (VPN)
- Tutanota (secure email)
- WHOOP (fitness and health tracking)
- Zoho Mail (personal email)
Self-hosted Link to heading
- Gramps Web (self-hosted web app for collaborative genealogy)
- Immich (self-hosted photo/video management)
- Matrix (self-hosted, secure, decentralized communication)
- Nextcloud (self-hosted data syncing)
- Plex (self-hosted local media storage/playback)