Lately usesthis.com has become incredibly boring so here's mine (Updated to ). Since about fifteen years ago I started building keyboard-only workflows using tiling window managers and tiny 2-in-1 laptops, and I continue to build interesting declarative networked systems that work across multiple hardware form-factors.
What Software Do I Use?
The Operating System
An iconoclastic distribution of Linux called NixOS is used to declare a Desktop/Laptop setup and a Wobserver software hosting platform. You write text to a file and run a command and the computer is now running software specified in that file. All of my devices except a Windows gaming PC are running some form of Linux like this. These Linux systems are assembled from modular code stored in documentation available online .
KDE Plasma is the base for my desktop environment, but I use Dolphin and Okular and not many other KDE applications. Plasma provides the services that make sure my computer locks and suspends when I close its screen (except when it's attached to my monitor), a bar with a wifi widget, volume keys and other shortcuts, and a robust window-manager that works across all of my devices. I've tried many others and this is the one I like.
Lately, I use the Krohnkite DWM-style tiling window manager plugin, which automatically organizes my windows across multiple screens and virtual desktops, and can be 100% keyboard driven. Read How I use KDE Plasma (Primarily) with a Keyboard .
Tailscale stitches all my computers together in to a single network so that software running at home is available to my phone and laptop anywhere in the world, and files on my phone can be transferred back to my server to be published on this very web site.
The Emacs Text Environment
Most of the text I write is written in an old but actively developed software ecosystem called Emacs . I use a text markup format and editor library called org-mode and software like org-roam or org-fc which extend it with new functionality and "build a second brain". I also develop my own extension software like The Arcology Project . This page is an org document. My computers are managed and configured in org documents. My garden projects are planned and scheduled in org documents.
It's a long-running joke that vim and emacs users have long-running beef but these days anyone with understanding of this beef is likely using a wholly vim-compatible Emacs text interface called Evil Mode that picks up the best of both worlds as I do (or a wholly vim-compatible Lua text environment called NeoVim.)
The built-in calc calculator is becoming a more and more critical part of my tool-kit, especially as things like Casual make its advanced functionality more accessible.
I use Gnus less and less lately, especially since I still don't have a good mobile Scoring system outside of tt-rss . I oughta write a tt-rss sync solution again some day.
The Browser
I use Mozilla Firefox on Desktop and Android with (too many) add-ons. Here are some of the most important ones:
uBlock Origin with a personal blocklist.
Wallabagger for saving articles to Wallabag
Sidebery (TreeStyle Tabs + Tab Groups rolled up)
Custom New Tab Page pointing at My Personal Home Page .
Other Software
Calibre is important. I use OpenSCAD and SuperSlicer when I 3D Print. I manage my photography with Digikam, and my music with Beets , MPD , and Cantata. I self host many things on my Wobserver like tt-rss and Akkoma and Nextcloud . My home/personal automation is managed in Home Assistant.
Lately I have been playing Steam games using my Windows computer but streaming it over my local network or Tailscale using Moonlight and Sunshine since I don't really play twitch-sensitive or multiplayer games.
I access communications through a Matrix.org server hosted by etke.cc and running "bridge" services that allow me to access different chat services in a single interface.
Mobile
For constant-connectivity and push services, I use an Android device with most of the applications I use regularly coming from f-droid or a third party compatible open source repository. Nonetheless, I need access to certain applications from the Play Store that prevent me from running Android Open Source Project but I try to not treat my phone as much more than a chat interface and calendar reminder and feed-reader.
I run some of my Emacs in =nix-on-droid.nix= to have access to my org-mode environment on the go, and Orgzly as well even though it chokes on my org-roam directory. I use them only for quick notes capture and the most basic of reference lookups in my knowledge base. cannot really recommend either with a normal screenbrick smartphone.
Here are some highlights:
I replace almost all built-in apps with Fossify apps.
I use Sleep as Android as my alarm clock and sleep tracker app.
CoMaps, Osmand+, SubwayTooter, Wallabag
Koreader and Libby
Lately I use thumb-key as my phone keyboard, much to everyone's dismay
I use Syncthing-Fork to move files to/from my Android devices using Syncthing
Dav5X and Ics5x (free on F-droid, paid on Gorgle) sync my calendars and contacts from Nextcloud
And what Hardware?
My primary machine is an AMD Framework 13. I run it with 3 USB-C modules and one USB-A module, it may soon have an programmable microcontroller built in as well, though that seems increasingly unlikely. I have a custom mechanical keyboard, The Monticello Drive
At any given time, I have a boring Android device and a small keyboard computer like Minimal Phone 01 . I wish I could recommend this hardware manufacturer to you but they still need some work!
I have an Anbernic RG-35XXSP handheld Linux emulator device where I play the ROMs that I personally ripped from all of the games I legally acquired through my childhood and eBay-blessed adulthood. They ship with a whole bunch of other pirate ROMs in the provided SD card but I haven't touched those! :^) This device runs muOS instead of the default software.
I have a Homelab with an old Xeon server build and my Windows desktop racked alongside a Home Assistant setup and old mixed network setup.
I built a desktop a while ago and when I built my homelab I also put the desktop in a rack-mount chassis and run my display and USB out to my Fully sit/stand desk with long USB and display cables, though as I mentioned I am experimenting with treating this as a "virtual" system. It's a i7-7700K and nVidia 4060TI.
When I go out, my gear either goes in a Greenroom135 Bootstrap Messenger Bag or a Chrome Kadet Sling.
What would be your dream setup?
I have often grown disillusioned with Linux mobile devices, but I cannot escape the siren call. With Waydroid it's now possible to run many Android apps on Linux and with Gorgle Voice VOIP calling it's all feeling quite feasible in my life time to only carry a single Linux device that serves all my needs. Unfortunately or not, however, my general purpose computing platform of choice -- the Emacs environment I described above -- basically requires a full-sized keyboard so even on my Minimal Phone 01 it's a stretch.
A custom mechanical keyboard with a Framework mainboard attached to it, creating what is essentially a smaller Commodore 64 looking for a display to be hooked to.
Wirelessly hook it up to my nice widescreen display at home.
Wirelessly hook it up to AR goggles like the xReal Air or whatever else comes along when I'm not.
Wirelessly hook it up to a 10 inch epaper tablet and you have a laptop which works outdoors.
Also works without anything connected to it using bluetooth headphones and something like Emacspeak
Now I always have an Emacs available by putting on some glasses and setting my keyboard in my lap.
I would settle for an Framework 12 with an ARM mainboard and all-day fan-less battery life.
Ideally this would fit in my shoulder bag and run on a low-power ARM processor that can both handle ultra-low-power idle states to take the place of my phone's video feeds in my idle hands and also perform well enough to project the KWin tiling cube 6 feet in front of my eyes while doing it. This machine would communicate with my home server essentially the same way it does right now but ~all state would be stored in plain-text.
I want a multiplayer PvP journal that all my friends use with me, think Twitter circa 2013 with Google+ Circles post-visibility and progressive summarization; one part email and one part wiki. Maybe Bonfire.social. Good handwriting recognition and the ability to intersperse handwriting and keyboard text and drawings in a single canvas. My friends' computers connect to the same server that I manage for us.
Sit/stand desk with a big window and big monitor in front of it. Got that one 👍
Over a decade ago I wrote The International Trip , and some day I may indeed take that trip.