126 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
126 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: page
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title: Using
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permalink: /using
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---
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Here is a list of notable equipment and tools I use. The purpose of this list is to remind myself to be intentional about the things that I surround myself with and utilize on a daily basis.
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Last reviewed: 2024-09-20
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## Hardware
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### Devices
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- **Computer**: Custom-built desktop machine (*Built in 2024*)
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- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7900X3D 4.2GHz 8-Core
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- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB
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- RAM: 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6000
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- **Phone**: iPhone 11 (*Purchased in 2019*)
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- **E-reader**: Kobo Clara (*Purchased in 2023*)
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### Workspace
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- **Desk**: Custom-built sit-stand desk (*Built in 2022*)
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- Tabletop: Custom walnut tabletop (54" length x 30" width x 1-1/2" thick with rounded corners) from [Atelier East-End Mtl](https://eastendmtl.com/)
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- Legs: Apex Pro from [Deskhaus](https://desk.haus/)
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- **Chair**: Herman Miller Aeron (*Purchased in 2023*)
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- Add-on: Headrest for Aeron Chair from [Atlas Headrest](https://atlasheadrest.com/)
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- If the Aeron did not exist, I would have purchased the Embody.
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### Peripherals
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- **Monitors**: Using a stacked dual-screen setup
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- 34" 21:9 IPS 180Hz (*Purchased in 2022*)
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- 24" 16:9 IPS 60Hz (*Purchased in 2020*)
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- **Keyboard**: Custom mechanical keyboard *(Built in 2024*)
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- PCB: [Wooting 60HE](https://wooting.io/wooting-60he) (*Purchased in 2023*)
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- Case: Tofu60 Redux
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- Switches: Geon Raw HE (50g, factory lubed)
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- Keycaps: PBTfans X-Ray set designed by [Mod Musings](https://www.modmusings.com/)
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- **Mice**:
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- Logitech G PRO X Superlight 2 (*Gifted in 2023*)
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- Logitech G604 (Purchased in 2020) — Used exclusively for playing FFXIV because that game has way too many short cooldowns to be mapping only on the keyboard.
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- Logitech MX Master 2S (*Purchased in 2021*) — Used exclusively for work purposes.
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- **Microphone setup**:
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- Audio interface: Elgato Wave XLR (*Purchased in 2022*)
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- Microphone: Audio Technica AT2035 (*Purchased in 2018*)
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- Boom arm: RODE PSA1 (*Purchased in 2017*)
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- **Headphone setup**:
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- Headphone DAC/Amplifer: FiiO K5 Pro (*Purchased in 2024*)
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- Headphones:
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- Recently, I purchased a bunch of IEMs that were on sale at [Linsoul](https://www.linsoul.com/) and am currently using whatever I open first. Turns out I prefer using IEMs over headphones.
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- Previously, I used the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X headphones (from 2014–2024) until it died.
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- Speakers: Kanto YU2 (*Purchased in 2023*)
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## Software
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### General
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- **Operating system**: [Fedora](https://fedoraproject.org/) KDE
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- In 2024, I switched over from Windows 11 to using Linux on my personal computer. Surprisingly, the transition has been smooth sailing with some minor audio/video issues that were easy to fix.
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- Alternatives I've tried: Arch Linux, Solus, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Windows 11/10/8/XP/1998, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, etc.
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- **Browser**: [Mozilla Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/firefox)
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- Hardened for my daily usage.
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- Sometimes I use [Brave](https://brave.com/) if I need to use a Chromium-based browser.
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- **Password Manager**: [Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com/)
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- **RSS feed reader**: [CommaFeed](https://www.commafeed.com/)
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### Communications
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- **Email**: [ProtonMail](https://proton.me/mail)
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- Alternatives I've tried: Fastmail, Gmail, Hotmail
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- **Chat**: [Discord](https://discord.com/)
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- I don't like how reliant gamers have become on Discord for communications.
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- However, I also don't miss the days of having to install Ventrilo, Mumble, TeamSpeak, Skype, RaidCall, Curse Voice, etc. on your computer because different teams and friend groups used different voice programs.
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### Productivity
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- **Calendar**: [ProtonCalendar](https://proton.me/calendar)
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- **Notes**: [Capacities](https://capacities.io/)
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- I've tried and used an unbelievable number of note-taking applications over the years.
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- Capacities has been the only app that has made sense to me in terms of linking relevant notes together. It also checks the boxes for features that I am looking for in a note-taking application.
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- Alternatives I've tried: Obsidian, Logseq, Standard Notes, BookStack, Joblin, Notion, Simple Note, TiddlyWiki, GitBook, Notational Velocity, Evernote, OneNote, etc.
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- **Kanban**: Trello
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- Currently considering: [WeKan](https://wekan.github.io/), [Planka](https://planka.app/)
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- **Budgeting**: You Need A Budget
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- I like budgeting using the envelope system.
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### Development
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- **Font**: Hack Nerd Font
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- **Theme**: [Ayu](https://github.com/ayu-theme) Dark
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- **Tabs**: 2 spaces
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- **Terminal emulator**: Konsole
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- It comes with the KDE desktop environment.
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- I don't use the terminal enough to develop a personal preference.
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- **Editor**: Visual Studio Code
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- It works and does what I need it to do out-of-the-box.
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- Alternatives I've tried: Neovim, Sublime Text, Atom, Brackets, Notepad++, Notepad, etc.
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- **Repository**: [Gitea](https://about.gitea.com/)
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- Currently, I am using a self-hosted Gitea to store my project repositories.
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- Also using GitHub to mirror my project repositories.
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## Paid Subscriptions and Services
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Here are online subscriptions and services that I pay for:
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| Subscriptions and Services | Annual USD | Monthly USD | Monthly CAD |
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| --------------------------------------- | ---------: | ----------: | ----------: |
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| Bitwarden | $10.00 | $0.83 | $1.13 |
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| Hover (for domain names) | $54.97 | $4.58 | $6.23 |
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| Proton (Mail Plus) | $47.88 | $3.99 | $5.43 |
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| Discord (Nitro Basic) | $35.88 | $2.99 | $4.07 |
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| PikaPods (for hosting web apps) | $84.00 | $7.00 | $9.42 |
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| Ghost(Pro) (for managing this website!) | $108.00 | $9.00 | $12.24 |
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| You Need A Budget | $109.00 | $9.08 | $12.35 |
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| Video streaming (various) | $180.00 | $15.00 | $20.40 |
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| Totals | $629.73 | $52.48 | $71.27 |
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For PikaPods, I have a couple web apps deployed using their managed services:
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- [Gitea](https://gitea.com/) for my personal project repositories.
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- [CommaFeed](https://github.com/Athou/commafeed/) for reading RSS feeds.
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- [Navidrome](https://www.navidrome.org/) as my personal music streaming service.
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- [Umami](https://umami.is/) for collecting and analyzing visitor metrics.
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For video streaming, I rotate through a number of services and only subscribe for a month at a time to watch what I want. In some months, I don't have an active subscription running, so this number is a little inflated.
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For 2025:
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- I intend to stop using YNAB because its subscription cost has significantly increased over the years and no longer feels worth it to me. Currently, considering using [Actual](https://actualbudget.com/) which would only slightly increase my PikaPod costs for an additional managed web app.
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- Consider whether Ghost(Pro) is worth it.
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Otherwise, I am quite happy with how much I am spending on my online subscriptions. It could be better, but I am satisfied that it is below $100 CAD per month.
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