-
People sometimes ask what equipment I use. So here’s a list:
Computer Software
-
OpenBSD operating system (most of my computers)
-
One macOS system for the few tasks that can’t be done on OpenBSD (mostly graphics and multimedia stuff)
-
One MS-Windows desktop for presenting and webinars (some Conferencing software that my clients insist on only runs there)
-
Development Environments:
-
The
vi
editor -
Android Studio (IntelliJ with Android plugins)
-
PyCharm (IntelliJ with Python plugins)
-
-
Presentation Software: LibreOffice, my own PDFShow. Previously: PowerPoint, Keynote (My review of Keynote, on archive.org).
Computer Hardware
-
Laptop: Framework Laptop. The Framework is expected to live "forever" by upgrading components. (My Review) And they recently issued an upgraded CPU board, keeping their promise of upgradeability.
-
Previous Laptop: Dell Studio 1558 (My Review)
-
Chromebook: an old Asus Chromebook running Debian Linux I no longer buy Chromebooks due to their featuring a built-in expiry date, producing tons of eTrash.
-
Desktop: an ancient generic PC running OpenBSD, that lives forever by upgrading components.
-
Server: Virtual, via Vultr hosting (previously: colo with Clarity). Also with Atlantic.net.
-
Router: PC Engines APU2 running OpenBSD
-
Printer: a 25-year-old HP6MP "boat anchor" that just keeps going and going
Computer Troubleshooting
-
ISOStick USB device: stores arbitrary number of bootable ISOs, lets one be nominated to be the "USB Boot CD/DVD" image. Doubles as a regular USB memory stick.
-
MediCat for when I need to boot into MS Windows.
-
I prefer wired Ethernet over WiFi because of ionizing radiation concerns (probably groundless but "an abundance of caution") and speed (WiFi 6 finally caught up to gigabit ether around 2020). So I use this Paladin Tools cable tracer (out of manufacture; still findable online a few places) for cabling issues.
-
Generic Asian multimeter
-
Generic PCI bus card for PC hardware issues.
Audio Hardware
-
Studio work: Maonocaster AU-AM-100 studio kit portable podcast studio mixer (My Review)
-
Less-demanding work: Plantronics Audio 478 USB headset
-
Earphones: the above Plantronics, and Pixel Earbuds that came with my 6A.
Internet
-
Current ISP: Bell Wireless (LTE) 50/10, the most I can get out here.
-
Local ISP (which I won’t promote by naming) given megabucks to run fiber, annoyingly and irrationally stopped 500M short of my house. So:
-
Planned ISP: Starlink.com, or fiber from any other provider, whichever gets here first.
Cell Phone
-
Current: Google Pixel 6a with Android 12 or 13.
-
Previous: Pixel 2 from 2017 - still in great condition but Google dropped support for it :-( so it runs LineageOS, the community build of Android 12.
-
Alternate: Teracube 2e modular, repairable smartphone (My Review) Stuck on Android 10, alas; dev team seems to have stalled out on updates?
-
Test devices for mobile app development - the above, plus a few older phones & tablets
Photography
-
Camera: Trusty old Nikon DSLR
-
Lenses: Nikon, Tamron
-
Bags: Tenba "Shootout" (as in, "shooting outside"; discontinued, replaced by their Axis line, a rare waterproof bag on the market)
-
Drone: DJI Mini 2 (obsoleted by the Mini 3 soon after I bought it).
-
Drone carry case: Nanuk 910.
-
Photo Software: DigiKam cataloging, Gimp, DarkTable, LightZone. Occasionally Photoshop, Lightroom.
-
Video Software: Shotcut, occasionally an out-of-support copy of Camtasia.