Tools

Here are some of the software, tools, and services I use. I have a goal of skewing towards open source and open data formats when possible, but user experience is also a consideration.

None of the links below are affiliate linked unless they are specifically called out as such.

Personal Use

As in, not software development

• Desktop OS
  • macOS: I’m a lifelong Mac user
  • Linux: in support of open source and software freedom, and in light of my increasing concerns with Apple, I’m trying to use Linux more, especially Linux Mint
  • Shell: zsh with oh-my-zsh
• Phone: iPhone
• Browser
  • Default browser: Waterfox for personal, low-powered, and Android
  • Work desktop: Zen, for tab management
  • iPhone: Quiche
• Email: Fastmail
• News Reader: NetNewsWire
• Podcast client: Overcast
• File syncing: Resilio Sync
• Notes: Obsidian
• Social Network: Mastodon
  • Instance: OldBytes.space running Glitch Edition
  • iOS client: Ice Cubes
• Personal info management: Riverbed (developed by me)
• Image editing:
  • Raster: Gimp
  • Vector: Inkscape
• Video editing: kdenlive

Software Development

• Version control:
  • Migrating most projects to GitLab to avoid MS dependency/training
  • GitHub for Pages hosting and some older projects
• Single-page apps: React with React Router
• Backend API and full stack web app framework: Ruby on Rails
  • Full stack frontend library: Turbo
• Native iOS apps: UIKit (I’ve been warned off of SwiftUI)
• Cross-platform native mobile apps: Expo
• Database: Postgres
• Static sites
  • Jekyll: general
  • Docusaurus: for tight React integration
• Editor: VS Code
  • I do worry about intrusive AI features and what else Microsoft might put in there
  • Zed is the alternative, but it has a persistent bug where new files created outside of Zed don't show up in the sidebar and can't be opened any other way.
• Hosting
  • Frontend
    • GitHub Pages
    • Vercel for this Obsidian Digital Garden site
  • Backend: Railway