@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ description: "Just a big page describing what I use that I think is notable"
date: 2021-08-18T22:57:48-04:00
---
-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.
+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.
## Hardware
### Desktop
-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.
+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.
- **Webcam:** Logitech Brio
- **Microphone:** Røde Podcaster
@@ -32,72 +32,100 @@ Proton; it's really nothing more than a gaming console for me.
### Laptop
-My university scholarship paid for most of my current 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](https://store.vikings.net/x200-ryf-certfied)
-from [Vikings.](https://store.vikings.net/) 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,
-I'm even able to encrypt the boot partition so "full-disk encryption"
-really does apply to _the full disk_.
+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/
### Other devices
-I seem to have a thing for eink devices. A [Kobo Aura ONE Limited
-Edition](https://us.kobobooks.com/collections/auraone-related/products/kobo-aura-one-limited-edition)
-regularly finds itself in my hands when reading manga or graphic novels.
-A [Kobo Clara
-HD](https://kobobooks.com/collections/certified-refurbished-ereaders/products/certified-refurbished-kobo-clara-hd)
-is usually used for all of my regular reading but becomes my daily
-driver whenever I'm out somewhere or on a trip.
-
-I also have a [Supernote
-A5X](https://supernote.com/#/product?type=SN-A5-X) and have to say that
-this is a _wonderful_ device. Once it's finished, I'll link to my blog
-post about it. 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.
+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
## General software
-As for more general software, I'll only mention things I feel are
-particularly notable.
-
-My personal operating system of choice is [Arch
-Linux](https://archlinux.org/) 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](https://www.debian.org/) 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.
-
-My email setup is a little cursed but I use
-[mbsync](https://isync.sourceforge.io/mbsync.html) for synchronising
-IMAP server with my local Maildir, [NeoMutt](https://neomutt.org/) for
-interacting with those emails, [GNU
-Emacs](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/) for composing mail, and
-[msmtp](https://marlam.de/msmtp/) for relaying those compositions to my
-[Postfix](http://www.postfix.org/) [SMTP server](https://nixnet.email/)
-before sending them on their way to the recipient. Blog post about all
-this coming soon™.
-
-My browser of choice is [Mozilla
-Firefox.](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) 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 :^)
-
-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.
+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/
I also use a lot of the stuff a friend and I run over at
-[NixNet.](https://nixnet.services/) In particular, I probably I use
+[NixNet.][NixNet] In particular, I probably I use
email, XMPP, BigBlueButton, HedgeDoc, Mumble, and wallabag every day.
-*I use every open source messaging service known to man. Please send
-help.*
+[NixNet]: https://nixnet.services/
+
+_I use every open source messaging service known to man. Please send
+help._