Programs and Tools I Use

OS setup

I prefer a Linux system, preferably a Fedora or Arch Linux for the workstation, and RHEL-based or Debian for the server.

Occasionally I do have no choice but to use Windows (e.g. for gaming), and can administer Windows Server (proprietary enterprise tools, or sometimes AD is just the better tool for now).

Workstation programs

These are the programs I elect to use, regardless of what I’m doing/what OS.

• BROWSER: Mozilla Firefox
  • Extensions: uBlock Origin, ViolentMonkey, Stylus, Vimium
• EDITOR: Emacs (Doom), neovim
• DOCS: LaTeX (+ latexmk), Pandoc / LibreOffice (when absolutely needed)
  • (Microsoft Office when absolutely, absolutely required, but typically over RDP)
• PASSWORDS: KeePassXC

Linux

At the moment I’m personally running Fedora, i3 spin. Previously used Arch Linux.

• WM: i3
• MUSIC: mpd (+ ncmpcpp)
• SHELL: zsh
  • *POSIX-compliant shell scripts where possible.
• TERM: Alacritty
• PDF: Zathura (+ mupdf)
• Other key tools:
  • IBus (libpinyin, libhangul)
  • dunst
  • dmenu
  • ranger
• Running my dotfiles
• (Fedora setup notes)

macOS

I’m using macOS for work at the moment.

• SHELL: zsh
• MUSIC: Streaming off my Navidrome server
• TERM: Terminal.app
• PKG: Homebrew
• Other key tools:
  • Amphetamine (keep awake)
  • Hidden Bar (hide icons to a ‘tray’)
  • Alfred (better search)
  • Easy Move+Resize (cmd+ctrl drag)
  • UnnaturalScrollWheels (external mouse ‘correct’ scroll + acceleration profile)
• Running my “lite” dotfiles

On my personal MacBook, I have a bit more control over things like SIP and feel more free to install what I want, so I used these too.

• WM: yabai (+ skhd)
• MUSIC: mpd
• PDF: Skim

Windows

This is just me doing my best.

• MUSIC: MusicBee
• PDF: SumatraPDF
• TERM: Windows Terminal
• SHELL: (Git) bash

Server programs

Services I run include:

• Nginx
• Samba
• Git
• Nextcloud
• Pihole
• Wireguard
• Jellyfin (media server)
• Navidrome (music server)

Some of these are managed via Docker.

Upcoming server

I’m planning/currently experimenting with an overhaul to an even more virtualised setup, with LXC and actual VMs rather than Docker containers. Some details:

• OS: Proxmox VE 6.3
• VMs/LXCs in testing include:
  • trueno: OPNsense VM
  • latte: macOS Catalina VM
  • midnight: Arch Linux LXC with headless display + VNC, for screen capture
  • winter: Windows Server 2019 VM
  • peninsula: ‘bastion’ VM
  • and more…