Uses

I often get questions on my videos about my desktop and the software I use. Most of the time, this consists of something like “How do I make my desktop look cool like yours?” This is a page of everything I use on a daily basis.

My motivation for the software and operating system I use is to be as efficient as possible, and essentially use my computer “at the speed of thought”. Using more minimal software helps me to achieve that, but it may not be for everyone.

If you’re looking for something that’s not listed on this page, feel free to contact me and ask.

The Basics

• I use Arch Linux (btw). It’s the only Linux distribution that gets out of my way and just lets me do my work. It’s very minimal and easy-to-use after you get over the initial learning curve, but it’s definitely worth the investment.
• Hyprland is my window manager, or basically “how I make my desktop look like this”. For my workflow, a tiling window manager is essential once you get over the learning curve. Hyprland uses Wayland and also has some nice animations. Previously, I’ve used bspwm in some older videos.
• Waybar is the status bar at the top.
• I currently use kitty for my terminal due to its support for images in Wayland. It’s very customizable but still very fast. For my shell, I use zsh with a few plugins for niceties like syntax highlighting and auto-complete.
• For my web browser, I use Firefox. I’ve tried every other browser and Firefox, despite its flaws, remains the best. However, I use a custom user.js file (based on Narsil’s user.js) to disable trackers and remove annoying features. I also use a custom theme to make it look a bit nicer.
  • For browser extensions, I use uBlock Origin to block ads and trackers, Vimium for vim-like keybindings, Bitwarden for password management, and LibRedirect (so I never have to visit terrible websites like Twitter or Reddit).

Applications

• I use neovim for all of my writing. vim notoriously has a steep learning curve, but as with most things, I think the payoff is worth it.
• VSCodium is my preferred code editor for when I’m working on larger projects. VSCodium is VS Code, just without the Microsoft telemetry.
• I use the terminal file manager lf. It’s very fast and customizable and supports image previews with a custom script.
• For note-taking, I use VimWiki, a vim plug-in to organize any thoughts and ideas.
• For email, I use Thunderbird. I have my annoyances with it, but it gets the job done.
• For an application launcher, I use Rofi. It’s simple and customizable and I also use it as a menu (e.g. as a power menu or wi-fi menu).

Theme

• I use the Catppuccin color scheme for everything (including this website).
• For my terminal font, I use JetBrains Mono. Of course, I use the Nerd Font version.

This Website

• This site is built with Hugo, a static site generator that just outputs HTML and CSS instead of the bloated mess that is most of the modern web.
• This site is hosted by Vultr. I use a cheap Debian VPS to host all my projects. Having your own VPS gives you a lot more freedom in hosting your own website.

Hardware

• I use the HP Spectre x360 laptop for all of my work.
• I use the Roost Laptop Stand to prevent the “laptop hunch”. It’s also foldable and very portable so I can take it with me when I work outside.
• I record all my videos with the Samson Technologies Q2U Microphone. It’s nothing fancy, but the audio quality is good for the price.