Updated: 10/18/2022
There are times when people ask me how I work and about what software or gear I am using. This page will serve as a living document for people to always know the latest and greatest.
Note: I am monetizing this page by using Amazon affiliate links.
My Desk Setup
- My daily driver is a 2020 MacBook Air with an M1 chip, and 8 GB of ram.
- Monitors:
- To the right, I run a ThinkVision P27h-10 27-inch Wide QHD IPS Type-C Monitor.
- To my left, I run a 27″ Dell U3417W 34-Inch Screen Led-Lit 4K Monitor
- Both monitors are supported by an Ergotron LX Dual Monitor Arm. I like to be able to move my monitors around based on what I am working on and to free up space when I am working on hardware projects.
- If I was going to pick up a monitor today, I’d probably pick up an ultra-wide one.
- In order to use three separate monitors and use all of my accessories, I use the Dell Universal Dock – D6000. I bought it used on eBay for under $100 bucks. As a bonus, this has enabled me to have a SINGLE CABLE DOCKING experience! All power, monitors and USB accessories are connected via a single USB-C cable.
- My current mouse is a stock mouse: Razer DeathAdder Chroma – Multi-Color Ergonomic Gaming Mouse. This one is mechanical and super sturdy – might be good if you are looking for an upgrade.
- I also use the Apple Magic Trackpad 2. I love to have swipe and pinch controls while using my MacBook.
- My mouse pad is the Razer Goliathus Extended Chroma Gaming Mousepad.
- I use a Luna Standing Desk Stool. It’s comfortable, and stable and helps me be active while working at my standing desk or leaning on it if I need a break from standing.
- I use Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphones. They are affordable and comfortable, and they sound great. I upgrade the pads with velvet pads.
- My desk is a custom-built standing desktop an Ikea Desktop on industrial black steel legs.
- I back up all my data with the Synology 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS918.
- Backlighting is Philips – Hue Play White & Color Ambiance Smart LED Bar Light (2-Pack) – Multicolor.
- Here are some more photos of my setup.
Recording
- I have started doing more YouTube videos, live coding, and Zoom calls, so I finally made the plunge and upgraded my webcam to a Sony Alpha A6600 Mirrorless Camera.
- If I need to read a script for a video, I use a Padcaster Parrot Smartphone Teleprompter.
- I recently picked up an Elgato Stream Deck, and it has been so much fun, and it’s so helpful during a live Twitch stream. Let me know if you want me to share my Stream Deck profiles.
- I use Open Broadcast Tool for streaming.
- My mic is a Blue Yeti USB microphone.
- The Yeti Microphone stand is a Knox Gear Professional Microphone Studio Stand.
- I use two separate Elgato Key Lights, professional studio LED panels for my even lighting on my green screen – plus it makes me look great on conference calls.
- My Fancierstudio Collapsible Green/Blue Screen Backdrop consists of a held up by a Fovitec – 7’6″ Clip Stand
- I use an Amazon Basics 10 Port USB Hub to make it all work at once while only having to plug in a single cable.
Keyboard
The top keyboard is a Vortexgear Race 3 with Cherry MX clears.
My bottom keyboard is a custom-built Vortex POK3R with a custom wood case and Cherry Blues. I know that people have REALLY strong opinions about this, but personally, I like clicky switches. I have blues, which are the LOUDEST and clickiest, but clears and browns are clicky and yet not as loud. I would recommend clears as a good starter switch. My keyboard has also been customized with a custom keycap set from WASD keyboards.
Editor
- Visual Studio Code is my code editor of choice. I was a die-hard Sublime Text fan before and even bought a license with my own money. So suffice to say I went kicking and screaming over to Atom, but honestly, I can’t imagine going back.
- Monokai Seti is my font theme of choice.
- Seti UI has been my theme of choice for a few years now. I try to switch to new ones from time to time, but this one has been a staple for me because of how many scenarios it accounts for.
- Wakatime is like a Fitbit for programmers. Get automated time tracking and metrics about your programming.
Terminal
- iTerm2 is my terminal of choice for now, but I have been eyeing hyper for some time as well.
oh myzsh with a custom theme is what I use instead of bash since the overall experience is more enjoyable for me in the terminal and makes everything visually pleasing to look at.- I use the
agnoster zsh theme.
- You can see most of my config files (.eslint, VS Code settings) over at my Dot Files, but please don’t just take these settings’ carte blanche – they work for me but might not be the best
Mac Desktop Apps
- I’m a huge Alfred fan.
- I use Google Drive for most files.
- Window management is something I love. I use Magnet.
For my tech talks and presentations, I use PowerPoint.
Linux Desktop Apps
- My Linux OS of choice is Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS.
- I use the Nimux theme and Icons.
Apps for Linux and Mac
- I use TickTick to manage my tasks.
- Streaming music with Spotify.
- OneNote is my note app for managing all of my notes and thoughts
- Rambox for managing all of my messaging clients.
- I use LastPass as my password manager.
- My VPN of choice is Private Internet Access.
- I use Buffer to queue up my posts on social media. Works great for making a consistent posting schedule with minimal effort.
Other Gear
- After a lengthy search for the perfect backpack for both traveling and schlepping gear around the city, I bought a black Incase Icon Pack. It holds everything, and it looks incredible (and very expensive 😑).
- For travel to conferences, I use a Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack, with 2 small cubes, 1 medium cube, and the Tech Sling. I like this bag, because everything is part of a system, and it fits perfectly!