I love tech, and I love taking time and being choosy about what tech tools I use. So, I’ve come to love the technologies I’ve chosen, learned, and honed over the years.

When I heard about the idea of creating a /uses page, like hundreds of others have implemented, I liked the idea and thought I’d make one for myself too!

So, here’s my tech stack 😎

Laptop 💻

Hardware

I just purchased a new laptop last year after having kept the same Dell Inspiron laptop for almost 10 years.

My laptop is my most important tool for what I do, so I spent a lot of time researching before I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase something new.

I ended up settling on the Framework 13 DIY, with a few custom parts (SSD and RAM).

And, I’m so happy I did! I love this laptop.

I’ve come to think every laptop designer needs to take lessons from Framework.

Here are a few things I love about it, which I’ve now come to wish was default on every laptop:

  • Every single component is user-replaceable! Want a new screen? Want a new battery? Want a new motherboard? Just open the laptop with the included screwdriver, scan the QR code of the component you’re wanting to replace, and you’ll be taking to a page with repair instructions, and an order form for replacement parts. 🤯 Amazing! Meanwhile, the battery for the new MacBook Air is glued in place, and requires a procedure nearly as complicated as brain surgery to replace.
  • Choose your own I/O! Framework laptops let you choose what ports you have, and where they go. Wish your HDMI port was on the left side of your laptop instead of the right? Ok, then just switch it. Want more USB-A ports? You can have them. Want everything to be USB-C? Ok, just slot them in. The level of choice and freedom is amazing!
  • Physical Camera/Mic Kill-Switches. If you haven’t seen Snowden or Citizenfour, they’re worth the watch. If you have seen either of these, you probably were understandably creeped out by how simple it can be to get control of a laptop’s webcam and microphone, and watch/listen to people who have no idea they’re being observed. Very sketchy. I took to covering my webcam with tape when not using it… as did many other people who understood this stuff. However, tape on a screen can supposedly damage some types of laptops. Plus, tape doesn’t stop the microphone from hearing what’s said. Welp, Framework has a simple solution: just… like… disconnect the microphone when you’re not using it? 🤷🏻‍♂️. A webcam can not record when it’s not connected… so, Framework just added a switch that physically disconnects the webcam and mic when you’re not using it. No more spying. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Why doesn’t every laptop have this?!?


All that to say, I’m a fan! 🤓

I’ve since been starting to collect USB-C compatible peripherals to go along with it. I carry a Baseus 65w Powerbank with me, which I can use to charge both my phone, my laptop, my e-book reader, and my earbuds if needed. I also got a USB-C Adaptor, which I have plugged into power, an extra screen, a mouse, a keyboard, and Ethernet at my apartment. Meaning, if I want all those peripherals, I only need to plug in one cable! 😍

I also 3D printed a Expansion Card Holder for the Framework expansion cards I’m not using. I’ve been appreciating it.

Software

So… I have 3 Operating Systems on my laptop right now 🙈.

Yeah, I have a problem…

Specifically, I’m dual-booting between Arch Linux and Windows 10. I also have a MacOS Virtual Machine installed on my Linux partition, so I can test anything I need to test on MacOS without actually having Apple hardware.

There are a two programs that I have installed on any OS I use:

All the rest are fairly specific. Here are some favorite apps on each:

Linux 🐧

Linux is the OS that I use the most. I’m currently using Arch, installed with LARBS. It installs a bunch of programs that I’m a fan of and have come to use daily.

A few of those include:

I also use OSB to do screen recordings tutorials, or any other situation where I need a screen recorder.

Windows 🪟

I basically have Windows installed on my laptop for 3 reasons:

  1. Gaming
  2. Creating tutorials/explanations that are Windows-only
  3. Using a few (rare) programs that I struggle to get working directly on Linux

So, I don’t actually have a ton that I do on Windows.

One tool that I use on every Windows installation, though, is Chris Titus’ Windows Utility. It’s a fast and easy way to take a fairly bloated Windows computer, and clean it up so it’s faster and well-configured.

For Gaming, I mostly use Steam for more “modern” games, and Project64 to emulate old Nintendo 64 games.

I don’t play many games on my own, but prefer to play with others. So, I own 4 USB controllers (3 Logitech F310s, and 1 wireless Logitech F710; each chosen because, like the Framework Laptop, they’re very easy to fix and find replacement parts for if/when they break. Hoping to still have these working 10 years from now! Take that, JoyCons).

But, what games??

A couple weeks ago, my girlfriend asked me what my favorite videogames were. Here’s the list I came up with!

With the exception of Outer Wilds, all of them are primarily enjoyable because they’re something that can be played with friends, either locally or online.

MacOS 🍎

I’ve done some contract work for a few companies this past year that used some MacOS-only software.

I’m not “anti-Mac”, per-say. But I didn’t want to purchase a Mac just for those short contracts. (And, I am a big fan of the system I’ve customized and gotten used to in Arch).

But, I still needed MacOS.

After a bunch of researching, I ended up finding and setting up OSX-KVM on my computer. It gives you a MacOS Virtual Machine, so you can do (basically) everything that you would want to do on MacOS, but inside a Virtual Machine that you can run on Linux.

E-book Reader 📖

Hardware

Besides my laptop, my e-book reader is probably my favorite device.

I own a Boox Nova 3, which is an Android tablet, with an e-ink display. Think a Kindle that can run any app that runs on an Android phone/tablet, so you’re not limited only to books from Amazon.

I love it! As someone who loves reading, and who also regularly travels internationally, having an easy way to carry around the books I want to read is a HUGE win.

I think I have over 300kg worth of print books saved on a device which weighs only 0.3kg.

Which makes the Enneagram 7, the minimalist, and the vagabond in me very happy… as well as taking a big load off my back 😅.

Software

Phone 📱

Hardware

Samsung S9+ QCY Earbuds

Software

Website 🌐

Hugo

PaperMod

Hugo/PaperMod Tutorial

Netlify

Self-Hosted Services 🖥️

NextCloud https://twoseven.xyz/

3D Printing 🏗️

Ender 3 v2

Got during sale. Recommended by my friend Chris

Bullet Journal 📖

MyNote, no lines, A5 expandable inner pocket