Things I use

Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-03-26

This is a list of things that I use. Software, hardware, tools, etc. If it's something that I use on a regular basis, it might or might not make its way here.

Software

The choices here are given without justification. If you want an explanation of my reasoning, you can read my blog post: My software philosophy.

(That post also has a list of software, but it isn't updated since the time of posting.)

(My dotfiles are in the tutils page)

To get more info about how I use all this crap visit the workflow section of the wiki.

Desktop/laptop

Operating system: linux / debian stable

Window manager: i3wm + i3bar, i3lock, and i3status

I mostly use the "tabbed" layout in combination with a tmux scratchpad terminal. Honestly, I don't really use more than 20% of i3's power, since I don't really need it.

I stick with i3 because it's basically "complete" software, does what I need, and even has a 1:1 wayland port called "Sway", just in case I ever need to move to wayland in the next trillion years. All these reasons make me comfortable in using it in the long term.

Terminal Multiplexer: tmux

This is a really nice program once I actually got colors and shit to work on it. I use it mostly because I need something to manage my terminal windows that is X11/window manager agnostic, as a future proofing tactic. tmux fulfills that role pretty well, by my standards.

I usually have a bunch of sessions open at once that delineate different projects I work on. Since I'm kind of spastic in what I actually end up wanting to do when I get a creative impulse, this works out really well. If I get the urge to program something, I can go to XX session, or go to YY session for writing, or ZZ session for that other writing project. And so on. It's a really nice way to work and organize myself, I've found.

Terminal emulator: st v0.8.4 with grubvox

No other patches have been applied. I do scrollback with a pager or tmux, depending on my needs.

The font that I use is "Iosevka Fixed Slab", since it looks mostly better than other fonts that I tried. There's some weird visual glitches in the font, especially with Unicode characters, but it's a small thing. I have it in the "slab" version, since I like serif fonts.

Built from source.

Text editor: neovim (nvim)

I used to use vim, but it was laggy. For some reason while I was typing it would lag spike. I found this too distracting, so I moved to nvi which didn't lag but has a bunch of other problems. Currently I'm using nvim with syntax highlighting turned off and ignoring a lot of the stranger features like embedded terminals and shit. As far as I can tell nvim doesn't lag while I type and it does the vi keybindings just fine. I don't have a lot of requirements for an editor.

And yes, I really don't use syntax highlighting. I find it distracting and not particularly useful. Yes I know this is strange.

Debugger: cgdb

This is the only decent debugger I've found on Linux so far. A (n)curses front end for the horrible gdb that makes it actually usable. Seriously useful for stepping through code and monitoring the state of your program in general.

Interactive shell: bash

/bin/sh: dash

Mostly used for shell scripts. I don't like using bash scripts, so I make them posix instead.

Web browser: Firefox ESR + uBlock Origin

I used to use the "vim vixen" plugin for having vi-like keyboard shortcuts for browsing, but I found it to be too annoying to use due to how limiting the firefox extension api is. vim vixen can't do anything that it really needs to do, so I can't use it without being more annoyed. For now I just use the regular shortcuts like CTRL-L and shit. I hate modern browsers.

Music player: cmus

RSS reader: newsboat

Tip: Set reload-threads 4 (or change 4 to a different number) to load your feeds in a multi threaded way. Way faster to load.

Media player: mpv and vlc

Mostly vlc if I'm watching movies, but using youtube-dl to stream to mpv seems to work better for some reason.

Screen temperature adjustment: sct

Email client: thunderbird

I hate this program more than the usual. I want to change just on principal, but I don't use email enough to really justify learning something like mutt.

Password manager: keepassxc

More important is the kdbx file format. I don't really care what program I use on top of that.

Legal things: qbittorrent

Spaced repetition flash cards: ikna

I used to use "anki", but I hated it so much that I decided to make my own spaced repetition software. It's called "ikna" because it's the anti anki. It's not done yet, so I haven't released it, but expect more about this later.

Image viewer: sxiv

Scripting magic: dmenu, fzf, gnu coreutils, pain

Game development: godot engine

Image editing: gimp

Pdf and epubs: mupdf

Backups: syncthing and duplicity

Screenshots: flameshot

Converting documents: pandoc

Calculator: bc -l

This one isn't a joke.

Version control: git

I don't like git for large files, but I don't have the heart to use a centralized VCS.

Uhhhhh: youtube-dl

Syncing local files to servers: rsync

Other: tutils

Mobile phone

I hate mobile phones and all the apps on them. I hate hate hate them. Everything on this list is shit, and you should feel bad for being recommended them. Everything on the previous list was shit too, but mobile devices seem to produce more shit than a chicken concentration camp.

Let's do this.

Operating system: Android

I've been looking into getting something like LineageOS, but it just sounds like such a huge pain in the ass. I already went through the linux thing, and I don't really want to do the equivalent on my phone.

App launcher: KISS Launcher

Email client: K9 Mail

App "store": F-Droid / Direct APK downloads

If I can't find it on F-Droid, I try to download it directly. Only as a last resort will I use the Play Store.

Youtube client: Newpipe

Reddit client: Slide for Reddit

Web browser: Fenned F-Droid + uBlock Origin

Basically Firefox Mobile, but branded for F-Droid because Mozilla copyright. uBlock Origin is essential here.

Messaging / communication: Signal, Element, Discord

In descending order of preference.

Music player: Musicolet v4.1 build157

Yes I know this is hyper specific. But this is the only good music player on android. It's sadly closed source, but it doesn't have internet permissions.

Spaced repitition flash cards: ikna with termux

Password manager: KeepassDX

Software keyboard: Simple Keyboard

I used to use OpenBoard and AnySoftKeyboard before that. I've decided that autocorrect is too annoying to allow, so now I use Simple Keyboard instead. It works fine.

Fuck AnysoftKeyboard. I tried it for nearly 6 months, and as soon as I tried Openboard, I couldn't make myself use it anymore.

Camera: Open Camera

QR scanner: SecScanQR

Clock: Clock+

Misc apps: Simple Gallery, Simple Contacts, Simple Calendar, Simple File Manager

System automation: Easer

Sync with desktop/laptop: Syncthing

RSS reader: newsboat + termux

Recording from the shitty phone mic: "Audio Recorder" from fdroid.

Has a shitty bug where, when you're listening back to a recording and you turn the screen off, the screen will stay turned off when you unlock it, and you have to blindly naviate to another app blindly to get away from it. Why.

Salvation: Termux

I've been looking into moving nearly my entire setup over to termux. I've already moved from using "Editor" from F-Droid to using vim in termux, for example. Not everything can be replaced, but a lot of it can, and that means consistency with the pc apps that I already use, and since pc apps are more stable in general, that means more long term usability.

Web services

These are things that I use online on a regular basis. Some of them cost money, some of them don't.

Email: posteo.de

About $1.16 a month. Or a euro a month if you're more given to tea than guns.

VPN: Mullvad

About $5 a month. Solid.

News, and general depression: reddit.com

I use reddit because there isn't really any other good alternatives. About 80% of all the subreddits I am subbed to are about cute dogs being cute. Dogs are great! :D

But, yeah. This site is Evil with a capital E, so tread with caution.

My account on there is /u/timtimestim. No I won't tell you what account I lurk on.

Web searching: duckduckgo.com

I use this site for the vast majority of my web searches. I really like the "bangs" feature, where you can directly search websites just by doing something like: "!w south sea bubble" to search wikipedia directly.

Most of the time I can easily find what I'm looking for with this thing, but if there's something really really obtuse or obscure, I'll look for it using google. I only have to do this about once every few months, however.

Web host: www.nearlyfreespeech.net

I like these guy's business model. That is: I like how cheap they are. You prepay for your service depending on how much traffic you think you might get. Otherwise it's about 1 cent a day to host a site with them. Also with DNS services, because why not?

Code host: gitlab.com

I'm thinking of trying to set up my own code host on a VPS or something, but for now I'm fine just using Gitlab. I also use github for some things, but I've been transitioning away from them. My username is "goopy" on Gitlab.

Videos: www.youtube.com

Yeah I watch youtube videos. Except I usually try to only look at rss feeds from channels that I like, and use external players. This way I don't have to look at recommended videos or comments, which are a huge waste of time and energy.

Evil with a capital E.

Newsletter to RSS: kill-the-newsletter.com

I don't like getting a lot of spammy emails. Using an RSS reader is way nicer and more centralized.

Hardware

Laptop: Acer Aspire E5-575 V1.27

This is some shitty laptop I bought at a discount in like 2017. I never expected to use it so much, but here we are. I don't use a desktop anymore, so this is where the majority of my computing and work is done.

Specs:

Smart phone: Galaxy S8 Active

I hate mobile phones and I hate this one too. Don't buy from Samsung unless you want bloatware up the ass and unreliable updates. Actually, don't buy a phone in general if you don't want those things, since nobody actually does it right as far as I know.

The biggest atrocity is the "bixby button". Apparently Samsung got the bright idea that they should force an easy to accidentally press hardware button on this phone that summons some horrible virtual assistant every time you accidentally touch it. Of course, you can't disable it without rooting the damn device. Seriously, don't get this phone.

Keyboard: WASD V2 104-key Custom Mechanical Keyboard

I bought this thing in July of 2014. It's pretty old, and it's still in perfect condition, except for some of the lettering on some keys wearing down. It's seen some pretty extensive use in that time, and as far as I'm concerned I got my money's worth. It has Cherry MX Blues, if you're curious.

That is to say, I got my money's worth from 2014. I have no idea if WASD Keyboards still produces good things or not. I don't even know if my keyboard is an outlier from them or not. If you want a new keyboard, do your own research. Don't blindly buy a WASD Keyboard because they made a single good one in 2014.

I got custom keycaps. My design sensibilities in 2014 were hilariously bad, and I've been suffering ever sense. It's gotten to the point where I unironically ironically like how horrible my keyboard looks.

If I'm not at my desk you can also find me writing on the built in scissor switch keyboard built into my laptop.

Mouse: Dumb ass Razer thing

Don't use Razer products. I'm pretty sure they are DRM'd now, actually.

The mouse I use is from somewhere around 2017, if memory serves me right. It just won't die on me. If you want to use a mouse, than pick something other than Razer. Please.

Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlet Solo

It's worked pretty much flawlessly for at least 5 years. As far as I'm concerned, that get's my approval. Pretty heavy use, too.

Mic: Audio Technica AT2035

Got at the same time as the Scarlet Solo. Has worked solidly that whole time. Audio equipment seems to be built to last, and that's something I approve of.

The mic stand I use is the one that came with it. I think I got some sort of combination package with it. Don't remember exactly.

Audio monitors: DT 880 Pro

Amazing sound. Worked well for years, but I don't use them nearly as much as I used to.

Earbuds: ZS10 Pro

I wear earbuds nearly 8 hours every day at work, so having something that's higher quality than the random bullshit you get at Walmart was a good investment.

Drawing tablet: Wacom Intuos

Sometimes I need a drawing tablet. This one works well enough. Nothing special.

Other

This is just things that don't fit anywhere else. Not physically; I meant in the list. They don't fit elsewhere in the list.

Water bottle: Klean Kanteen 64 OZ brushed stainless steel classic w/ metal lid

I wanted a water bottle that was single walled (not insulated), large, and able to last for at least 10 years (since I hate replacing things). So I got this one.

I sound like a shill. Don't buy a water bottle just because some insane guy on the internet uses it.

Before this one, I used a Contigo bottle with one of those "smart lock" lids (not sure if that's what it's actually called). That lasted for about 2 or so years before it developed an indomitable funk. Before that I used a yeti mug for a few months, and before that I would refill those plastic Smart Water bottles you got that the gas station. My journey to reuse water bottles started because of those stupid ass Smart Water bottles.

Fountain pen: Pilot Metropolitan M

I write a lot of my stories by hand, and using a fountain pen is a really nice privilege. I usually ink it up with iroshizuku take-sumi.