2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
|
title: "Uses"
|
2021-08-19 03:52:34 +00:00
|
|
|
description: "Just a big page describing what I use that I think is notable"
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
date: 2021-08-18T22:57:48-04:00
|
2023-04-07 02:58:09 +00:00
|
|
|
draft: false
|
2023-03-31 21:02:41 +00:00
|
|
|
cover: ./cover.png
|
2023-01-27 02:48:37 +00:00
|
|
|
type: generic
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
This is just a simple page detailing some of the important tools I use for those
|
|
|
|
|
that may be interested! See [uses.tech](https://uses.tech/) for similar pages on
|
|
|
|
|
other individuals' websites.
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Desktop
|
2023-01-17 14:58:19 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
I built my PC over the summer of 2019, _before_ all of the component prices shot
|
|
|
|
|
up during the pandemic. If I was attempting to build this now, I would have
|
|
|
|
|
ended up with a significantly less powerful machine.
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- **Webcam:** Logitech Brio
|
|
|
|
|
- **Microphone:** Røde Podcaster
|
|
|
|
|
- **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 7 2700
|
|
|
|
|
- **GPU:** MSI Radeon RX 5700XT OC
|
|
|
|
|
- **RAM:** G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB DDR4-3200
|
|
|
|
|
- **Keyboard:** Ergodox-EZ
|
|
|
|
|
- **Mouse:** Logitech MX Master 3
|
|
|
|
|
- **Monitor:** Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-SA 27"
|
|
|
|
|
- **Operating System:** Arch Linux
|
|
|
|
|
- **Window Manager:** i3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I also have Windows installed for the odd game or two that won't run in
|
|
|
|
|
Proton; it's really nothing more than a gaming console for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Laptop
|
2023-01-17 14:58:19 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
My university scholarship paid for most of my old laptop but a stipulation was
|
|
|
|
|
that the device had to be new. I really wanted an old Thinkpad that would have
|
|
|
|
|
cost maybe $200-$300 after repairs and upgrades, but it would definitely not
|
|
|
|
|
have been new. Instead, I found a [refurbished Thinkpad X200][x200] from
|
|
|
|
|
[Vikings.][vikings] Because they rebrand the device on receipts, I was able to
|
|
|
|
|
make the purchase and get a fully free laptop with no binary blobs whatsoever.
|
|
|
|
|
Because it's running [Libreboot,][libreboot] I was even able to encrypt the boot
|
|
|
|
|
partition so "full-disk encryption" really does apply to _the full disk_. That
|
|
|
|
|
said, I _do not_ recommend Libreboot. It's been two headaches and a half trying
|
|
|
|
|
to get anything other than the [FSF-blessed distros][blesseddistros] installed
|
|
|
|
|
with it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[x200]: https://store.vikings.net/x200-ryf-certfied
|
|
|
|
|
[vikings]: https://store.vikings.net/
|
|
|
|
|
[libreboot]: https://libreboot.org/
|
|
|
|
|
[blesseddistros]: https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My _current_ laptop is the [Framework.][framework] It's hands-down the best
|
|
|
|
|
laptop I've ever owned (not a very high bar though) and one of my favourite
|
|
|
|
|
laptops to work on (much higher bar). Mine has the 11th gen Intel i5 processor
|
|
|
|
|
with 16 GB of RAM and a 500 GB SSD. I actually have _two_ SSDs that I swap
|
|
|
|
|
between when I want to try a new and shiny distro, but I always end up going
|
|
|
|
|
back to my comfy Arch setup.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[framework]: https://frame.work/
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
### Other devices
|
2023-01-17 14:58:19 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
I seem to have a thing for e-ink devices. Until my [Kobo Clara HD][clarahd]
|
|
|
|
|
died, I used it very frequently for all of my regular reading. Now, I use a
|
|
|
|
|
[Kobo Clara 2E][clara2e] instead. I exclusively use [KOReader][koreader] on
|
|
|
|
|
both.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[auraone]: https://us.kobobooks.com/collections/auraone-related/products/kobo-aura-one-limited-edition
|
|
|
|
|
[clarahd]: https://kobobooks.com/collections/certified-refurbished-ereaders/products/certified-refurbished-kobo-clara-hd
|
|
|
|
|
[clara2e]: https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-2e
|
|
|
|
|
[koreader]: https://koreader.rocks/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I also have a [Supernote A5X][supernote] and have to say that this is a
|
|
|
|
|
_wonderful_ device. I'm in the process of writing a blog post about it, and once
|
|
|
|
|
it's finished, I'll link it here. For now, I'll just say that it sits on the
|
|
|
|
|
corner of my desk any time I'm home and can usually be found in my left hand
|
|
|
|
|
whenever I'm not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[supernote]: https://supernote.com/#/product?type=SN-A5-X
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## General software
|
2023-01-17 14:58:19 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
As for more general software, I'll only mention things I feel are particularly
|
|
|
|
|
notable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My personal operating system of choice is [Arch Linux][arch] because it's very
|
|
|
|
|
easy to work with, simple, and incredibly up-to-date. I've used it since
|
|
|
|
|
somewhere around 2017 or 2018. On servers, I like sticking with [Debian][debian]
|
|
|
|
|
wherever possible. It's a fantastic and very widely supported distribution for
|
|
|
|
|
pretty much anything. I would eventually like to get involved with the project
|
|
|
|
|
but my free time is pretty limited at the moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[arch]: https://archlinux.org/
|
|
|
|
|
[debian]: https://www.debian.org/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My email setup is a little cursed but I use [mbsync][mbsync] for synchronising
|
|
|
|
|
[my IMAP server][imap] with my local Maildir, [mu4e][mu4e] in [GNU Emacs][emacs] for
|
|
|
|
|
interacting with and composing emails, and [msmtp][msmtp] for relaying those
|
|
|
|
|
compositions to my [Postfix][postfix] [SMTP server][smtp] before sending
|
|
|
|
|
them on their way to the recipient. Blog post about all this coming soon™.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[mbsync]: https://isync.sourceforge.io/mbsync.html
|
|
|
|
|
[imap]: https://nixnet.email/
|
|
|
|
|
[mu4e]: https://www.djcbsoftware.nl/code/mu/mu4e/
|
|
|
|
|
[emacs]: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/
|
|
|
|
|
[msmtp]: https://marlam.de/msmtp/
|
|
|
|
|
[postfix]: http://www.postfix.org/
|
|
|
|
|
[smtp]: https://nixnet.email/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My browser of choice is [Mozilla Firefox.][Firefox] I don't like the company and
|
|
|
|
|
the browser is slowly becoming worse and worse for the average user but at least
|
|
|
|
|
it's not Google and it's not contributing to their total domination over web
|
|
|
|
|
rendering :^)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Firefox]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Nextcloud][nextcloud] also finds itself a home on my homeserver. As much as
|
|
|
|
|
it's a bloated pile of PHP that does a sub-par job at everything it attempts, it
|
|
|
|
|
does a good enough job to make life convenient. I mainly use its file syncing,
|
|
|
|
|
calendar, contacts, and sometimes music features.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[nextcloud]: https://nextcloud.com/
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-03-16 22:20:15 +00:00
|
|
|
I also use a lot of the stuff a friend and I run over at [NixNet.][NixNet] In
|
|
|
|
|
particular, I probably use email, XMPP, BigBlueButton, HedgeDoc, Mumble, and
|
|
|
|
|
wallabag every day.
|
2021-08-19 03:44:50 +00:00
|
|
|
|
2023-01-17 15:17:39 +00:00
|
|
|
[NixNet]: https://nixnet.services/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_I use every open source messaging service known to man. Please send
|
|
|
|
|
help._
|
