Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I get asked a lot about the things I use to build software, stay productive, or buy to fool myself into thinking I’m being productive when I’m really just procrastinating. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 64GB RAM (2021)

    I was using an Intel-based 16” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I've never heard the fans turn on a single time, even under the incredibly heavy loads I put it through with our various launch simulations.

  • Apple Pro Display XDR (Standard Glass)

    The only display on the market if you want something HiDPI and bigger than 27”. When you're working at planetary scale, every pixel you can get counts.

  • IBM Model M SSK Industrial Keyboard

    They don't make keyboards the way they used to. I buy these any time I see them go up for sale and keep them in storage in case I need parts or need to retire my main.

  • Apple Magic Trackpad

    Something about all the gestures makes me feel like a wizard with special powers. I really like feeling like a wizard with special powers.

  • Herman Miller Aeron Chair

    If I'm going to slouch in the worst ergonomic position imaginable all day, I might as well do it in an expensive chair.

Development tools

  • Sublime Text 4

    I don't care if it's missing all of the fancy IDE features everyone else relies on, Sublime Text is still the best text editor ever made.

  • Warp

    I can't believe how it's free.

  • TablePlus

    Great software for working with databases. Has saved me from building about a thousand admin interfaces for my various projects over the years.

Design

  • Figma

    We started using Figma as just a design tool but now it's become our virtual whiteboard for the entire company. Never would have expected the collaboration features to be the real hook.

Productivity

  • Alfred

    Its not the newest kid on the block but it's still the fastest. The Sublime Text of the application launcher world.

  • SavvyCal

    Great tool for scheduling meetings while protecting my calendar and making sure I still have lots of time for deep work during the week.

  • Focus

    Simple tool for blocking distracting websites when I need to just do the work and get some momentum going.

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