1---
 2title: "Uses"
 3description: "Just a big page describing what I use that I think is notable"
 4date: 2021-08-18T22:57:48-04:00
 5---
 6
 7This is just a simple page detailing some of the important tools I use
 8for those that may be interested! See [uses.tech](https://uses.tech/)
 9for similar pages on other individuals' websites.
10
11## Hardware
12
13### Desktop
14I built my PC over the summer of 2019, *before* all of the component
15prices shot up during the pandemic. If I was attempting to build this
16now, I would have ended up with a significantly less powerful machine.
17
18- **Webcam:** Logitech Brio
19- **Microphone:** Røde Podcaster
20- **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 7 2700
21- **GPU:** MSI Radeon RX 5700XT OC
22- **RAM:** G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB DDR4-3200
23- **Keyboard:** Ergodox-EZ
24- **Mouse:** Logitech MX Master 3
25- **Monitor:** Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-SA 27"
26- **Operating System:** Arch Linux
27- **Window Manager:** i3
28
29I also have Windows installed for the odd game or two that won't run in
30Proton; it's really nothing more than a gaming console for me.
31
32### Laptop
33My university scholarship paid for most of my current laptop but a
34stipulation was that the device had to be new. I really wanted an old
35Thinkpad that would have cost maybe $200-$300 after repairs and upgrades
36but it would definitely not have been new. Instead, I found a
37[refurbished Thinkpad X200](https://store.vikings.net/x200-ryf-certfied)
38from [Vikings.](https://store.vikings.net/) Because they rebrand the
39device on receipts, I was able to make the purchase and get a fully free
40laptop with no binary blobs whatsoever. Because it's running Libreboot,
41I'm even able to encrypt the boot partition so "full-disk encryption"
42really does apply to *the full disk*.
43
44### Other devices
45I seem to have a thing for eink devices. A [Kobo Aura ONE Limited
46Edition](https://us.kobobooks.com/collections/auraone-related/products/kobo-aura-one-limited-edition)
47regularly finds itself in my hands when reading manga or graphic novels.
48A [Kobo Clara
49HD](https://kobobooks.com/collections/certified-refurbished-ereaders/products/certified-refurbished-kobo-clara-hd)
50is usually used for all of my regular reading but becomes my daily
51driver whenever I'm out somewhere or on a trip.
52
53I also have a [Supernote
54A5X](https://supernote.com/#/product?type=SN-A5-X) and have to say that
55this is a *wonderful* device. Once it's finished, I'll link to my blog
56post about it. For now, I'll just say that it sits on the corner of my
57desk any time I'm home and can usually be found in my left hand whenever
58I'm not.
59
60## General software
61As for more general software, I'll only mention things I feel are
62particularly notable.
63
64My personal operating system of choice is [Arch
65Linux](https://archlinux.org/) because it's very easy to work with,
66simple, and incredibly up-to-date. I've used it since somewhere around
672017 or 2018. On servers, I like sticking with
68[Debian](https://www.debian.org/) wherever possible. It's a fantastic
69and very widely supported distribution for pretty much anything. I would
70eventually like to get involved with the project but my free time is
71pretty limited at the moment.
72
73My email setup is a little cursed but I use
74[mbsync](https://isync.sourceforge.io/mbsync.html) for synchronising
75IMAP server with my local Maildir, [NeoMutt](https://neomutt.org/) for
76interacting with those emails, [GNU
77Emacs](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/) for composing mail, and
78[msmtp](https://marlam.de/msmtp/) for relaying those compositions to my
79[Postfix](http://www.postfix.org/) [SMTP server](https://nixnet.email/)
80before sending them on their way to the recipient. Blog post about all
81this coming soon™.
82
83My browser of choice is [Mozilla
84Firefox.](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) I don't like the
85company and the browser is slowly becoming worse and worse for the
86average user but at least it's not Google and it's not contributing to
87their total domination over web rendering :^)
88
89Nextcloud also finds itself a home on my homeserver. As much as it's a
90bloated pile of PHP that does a sub-par job at everything it attempts,
91it does a good enough job to make life convenient. I mainly use its file
92syncing, calendar, contacts, and sometimes music features.
93
94I also use a lot of the stuff a friend and I run over at
95[NixNet.](https://nixnet.services/) In particular, I probably I use
96email, XMPP, BigBlueButton, HedgeDoc, Mumble, and wallabag every day.
97
98*I use every open source messaging service known to man. Please send
99help.*