Setup · Updated occasionally · Windows since DOS

Uses

Hardware, software, and the small army of tools keeping two careers running. Windows-first, by choice and conviction — the cult I joined as a teenager has never released me, and honestly, I've never asked it to. In the spirit of the indie-web uses page: updated occasionally, strong opinions, weakly held.

Hardware

  • ThinkPad X1 CarbonWindows, obviously. Three external monitors when at the desk. One when not.
  • Mechanical keyboard, brown switchesTactile, not loud. Yes, I am that person.
  • Logitech MX Master 3SThe mouse the rest of you are still pretending you don't need.
  • Wireless earbuds + Sony WH-1000XM5Earbuds for daily. The over-ears come out for long-haul flights only.
  • A second screen on the side I won't justifyYes, I have it. Yes, I use it. No, I won't explain.

Everyday software

  • Microsoft EdgeYes, Edge. Daily driver. People should give it another look every two years and stop being smug about Chrome.
  • PowerToysWindows' best-kept secret. FancyZones alone has saved me hours per week.
  • Microsoft To DoIt's good. It's free. It syncs everywhere I am.
  • OneNote + NotionOneNote for notes that should survive me. Notion for notes that probably won't.
  • 1PasswordThe reason my friend group thinks I have my life together.

Dev tools

  • VS Code (with the Copilot bundle)The single best piece of software Microsoft has shipped in twenty years. I will fight about this.
  • Windows Terminal + PowerShell 7 + WSL2Ubuntu inside Windows. Best of both worlds. The 90s would not have believed this was possible.
  • Git via the command lineGitHub web for the rest. Pull requests still feel like magic.
  • VercelFor deploys. Including this site.
  • Supabase + PostgresBoring 80% on Supabase. Interesting 20% on a custom Postgres.
  • GitHub ActionsWhen the bash script gets too long.

Design

  • FigmaWill never not be Figma. Cross-platform like everything good is now.
  • Tailwind CSSFront-end without it now feels like driving stick after fifteen years of automatic.
  • ExcalidrawWhen I need to think with hands and a whiteboard isn't around.

AI

  • ClaudeFor thinking out loud. Reasoning. Long context. The one I keep open the longest.
  • ChatGPTFor one-shot tasks and image generation.
  • GitHub CopilotAutocomplete. Quietly responsible for at least 30% of my daily output.
  • A local llama (via WSL)For when I want to feel like I'm in control. Mostly performative.

The SAP stack

  • SAP BTP, Build WorkZone, BASThe day-job triumvirate.
  • Fiori Elements where I can, custom UI5 where I mustA philosophical position more than a technical one.
  • SAP Cloud SDKThe grown-up SDK.
  • Loud opinions about Fiori 3 vs 4Available on request.

Why Windows

Bill Gates and his books were my love. Microsoft was the cult of my youth. WSL means I never have to choose between a Linux shell and a Windows desktop. PowerToys means I never feel jealous at someone else's laptop. The grown-up version of me has tried Mac twice. I came home both times.

What's not on this list is on it for a reason. Most of the wins, in my experience, are from doing less, not more.

What I'm reading →Notes from the build →