> \- [Daniel](https://wafer.baby/@d) of [usesthis.com](https://usesthis.com/)
## Who are you, and what do you do?
I'm a professional software engineer and once engineering manager. I work a day job but I'm also working with a good friend and former boss to bring [screen.garden](https://screen.garden), a real-time collaboration tool for PKMs and the web, to life.
In my free time I sing with a local queer TTBB chorus, play table-top RPGs, watch Formula 1, and play video games.
## What hardware do you use?
I work atop a sit-stand desk I bought when I first started working remotely in 2017. It stays in the "sit" position 99% of the time. For work I use whatever machine my employer provides. Right now that's a 14in M3 MacBook Pro. Personally, I have an M1 MacBook Air which I love. A single thunderbolt cable runs from either of those machines to a [CalDigit TS4](https://www.caldigit.com/thunderbolt-station-4/) which connects it to power, ethernet, a USB hub, and my display.
I use just the one display, a [GIGABYTE M32U](https://www.gigabyte.com/Monitor/M32U), which is a 32 inch, 4k, 144Hz monitor. Whenever someone is talking about replacing their monitor I always bring up refresh rate. It's one of those things that sounds like you wouldn't notice but it actually makes looking at a screen for most of your day a lot more pleasant. I've sat a no-name-brand monitor light and a Logitech webcam atop it.
I have a collection of mechanical keyboards ([ErgoDox EZ](https://ergodox-ez.com/), [Keyboardio Atreus](https://shop.keyboard.io/products/keyboardio-atreus), to name a couple) which all live in a drawer while I type away on my [Glorious GMMK Pro](https://www.gloriousgaming.com/products/glorious-gmmk-pro-75-barebone-black) with [Glorious Panda tactile switches](https://www.gloriousgaming.com/products/glorious-panda-mechanical-switches?variant=37691905933487). I think Glorious's branding is a bit "cringe" to say the least but they were the only custom keyboard option I could get same-day at the nearby Micro Center when I needed to replace my [Pok3r](https://drop.com/buy/vortex-poker-iii-compact-keyboard) following a coffee spill incident.
I talk to my coworkers and friends through a [Blue Yeti mic](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/blue-microphones-blue-yeti-professional-multi-pattern-usb-condenser-microphone/9737441.p?skuId=9737441) that I bought when a former employer gave everyone a couple hundred dollars for work-from-home equipment in early 2020 (despite my having already worked from my home my entire tenure there).
At the edges of my desk are piles of scrunchies, a couple hair clips, my AirPods Pros, a pair of Sennheiser HD 600s, my iPhone 14 Pro Max (I always go "Max" or "Plus" for the extra battery life), an [Aquaphor lip balm stick](https://www.aquaphorus.com/products/lip-care/lip-repair-stick), some hand lotion, and a nice candle.
Away from my desk I have a collection of cameras but the one I use the most is my Leica M6 which I usually shoot with a Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4. I digitize my negatives with a beat-up Sony a6000, a cheap macro lens, and a [Valoi easy35](https://www.valoi.co/easy35).
I have a couple Apple TV 4ks to stream content from the cloud and also the Plex Media Server running on a Synology NAS. I have a couple TVs in different rooms but the Xbox Series X stays connected to the 65 inch LG C1 OLED (once again which a high refresh rate).
Finally, currently sitting on my nightstand wrapped in some FiiO IEMs is a 5th iPod Classic (aka an iPod Video) whose hard disk I've [replaced with a 512gb microSD card](https://www.iflash.xyz/). It's really incredible how well it still works.
## And what software?
These days I'm macOS all-the-way. I'm fully integrated into the ecosystem and the ergonomics and reliability of development on the platform is unparalleled in my opinion. Obviously I use a ton of software so I'll limit (mostly) to things I keep pinned to my dock (although most of the time I'm launching things from [Alfred](https://www.alfredapp.com/)):
- [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) to browse the web
- [Fantastical](https://flexibits.com/fantastical) to manage several calendar accounts. I could just use Calendar.app but there are few features (like travel time and automatic event merging) that keep me renewing my subscription.
- Mail.app for emails...
- [Things 3](https://culturedcode.com/things/) makes sure I get things done. I switched from an Android phone to an iPhone many years ago just so I could use Things while I was away from my computer.
- [Kitty](https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/) to run all of my command line apps. I always work within a `tmux` session so my terminal emulator doesn't really matter all that much (because I'm never using tabs or splits or whatever) but Kitty is quick and the [alternative icon](https://github.com/DinkDonk/kitty-icon) I use for it is really cute. I'm a vim user (neovim really) and have been since 2015. My neovim setup could be its own post...
- Music - I switch between two libraries: 1. My local library which I sync with my iPod and 2. My iCloud, Apple Music backed library
- [Dash 6](https://kapeli.com/dash) (usually via Alfred) to quickly reference documentation. Elixir / Hex package docs support is incredible
- [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) for personal, work, and TTRPG notes. I keep my plugins list slip with just Templater, DataView, Tasks, Periodic Notes, and of course screen.garden.
- [Readwise Reader](https://readwise.io/read) as my read-later service
I have to shout-out Lightroom with [Negative Lab Pro](https://www.negativelabpro.com/) for converting scans/photos of film negatives.
## What would be your dream setup?
I've obviously spoiled myself already so I'd keep most things the same but...
I'd love a thunderbolt KVM of some kind that would let me swap _quickly_ between machines at the press of a button. I also feel like I'd benefit from a larger desk.
I think about replacing my webcam with the Sony a6000 and replacing that with a newer, higher resolution mirrorless camera.
I'm really hoping the ARM desktop / server market continues to become more accessible to the consumer market because the Synology NAS is looking a little worse-for-wear these days. I've thought about replacing it with a custom build x64 machine but the additional power consumption and heat keep me from doing it (I'm spoiled by these Apple ARM machines...).
