I frequently get asked what hardware/software/technology I prefer for certain pursuits. I decided it was easier to list it all in one place and point people to that, rather than keep answering the question in different ways.

To that end, what follows is my “toolbox”. All of the information technology hardware and software that I use for the various things I do. Now the real challenge comes: keeping it up to day!

If you have questions, or suggestions, please add them to comments!

My Toolbox
Last updated: June 3, 2012

Categories (click to jump to each)
Computers
Telephone
Audio Hardware
Audio Software
Video Hardware
Video Software
Graphics Hardware
Graphics Software
Office / Production Software
Internet Software
Utilities

Computers

• Asus G75vw-bbk5 Laptop (Primary)
  • Kubuntu 12.04 with KXStudio (dual boot to WIndows 7 when I need to)
  • 17.3” HD Display (1920×1080)
  • Intel i7 Second Generation quad core 2.3GHz processor
  • nvidia GeForce GTX 660M video w/2GB RAM
  • 8GB RAM
  • 1TB Drive
  • (Considering adding an SSD since there are two drive bays)
• Dell XPS 410
  • Previous main workstation, being transitioned to replace current server
  • Kubuntu 11.10 with KXStudio (dual boot to WinXP when I need to)
  • 2 19” Dell LCD displays
  • Intel Core2 Duo 1.8GHz processor
  • 4GB RAM
  • 1.5 Terabytes storage
• Hand built PC
  • Current Server
  • AMD Sempron 3400+ 2GHz processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • 3 Terabytes storage
• eMachines T3410
  • Podcast recording
  • Kubuntu 9.10 with KXStudio
  • AMD Sempron 3400+ 2GHz processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • 500GB Drive
• CR-48 Chromebook
  • This was the beta device that Google gave out to test the new concept. Still going strong. Not the fastest thing in the world, but for e-mail, web browsing, casual games it still works great. Plus the free 3G from Verizon doesn’t hurt
• Apple Macbook (first generation)
  • OSX 10.4 (tri-boot with WinXP and Ubuntu 9.10)
  • 13.1” Display (1280×800)
  • Intel Core Duo 1.83Hz processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • 120GB drive

Telephone

• Motorola Droid X
  • Android 2.3.4, Gingerbread)
  • Apps
    • SwiftKey X (keyboard)
    • Tweetdeck
    • GroupMe (group messaging, like a private Twitter)
    • EasyTether
    • PocketCasts (podcatcher and playback)
    • AndroNoter (sync text notes)
    • Glympse (controlled sharing of real-time location)
    • Camera Zoom FX
    • Out of Milk (shopping and to-do lists)
    • DroidRecord (audio memos / mobile recording)
    • ConnectBot (ssh client)
    • ShopSavvy
    • Barcode Scanner
    • TeslaLED (use camera flash LEDs as a flashligh)
    • File Expert (file manager)
    • AndFTP (ftp client)
    • Folder Organizer
    • Screebl (display management to auto-shutoff screen in certain circumstances)
    • ZArchiver (tar, gz, archive manager)

Audio Hardware

• Instruments
  • Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV Bass (primary bass)
  • Ibanez SR300 Bass
  • Ibanez AEB10E Electric/Acousic bass
  • Zeta Prism bass
  • Ibanez RG120 Electric Guitar
  • Elixir medium gauge strings
  • I’m on the fence right now for bass strings. The Epiphone and Ibanezes (Ibani?) have “whatever they came with”. The Zeta Prism has GHS Boomers
• Pedal / Effects
  • Boss ME-50B multi-effects
  • TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play
  • Line 6 Pod XT
• Microphones
  • AKG Perception 300 large diaphragm condenser
  • Digital Reference (a line of Audio Technica) DRV100 dynamic
  • Digital Reference (a line of Audio Technica) DRVX1 dynamic
  • Giant Squid Audio Lab Stereo “Podcasting” omnidirectional lavalier
    • This gives two lapel mics with about 10 feet between them that can be plugged into the Zoom H4n for field interviews and video shoots
• Other
  • Alesis MultiMix Firewire 8 mixer
  • Zoom H4n Portable Recorder
  • M-Audio Axiom 25 midi controller
  • Sennheiser PC141 usb headset

Audio Software

• Reaper (primary DAW)
• Ardour (DAW)
• Audacity (noise reduction, and individual file edits)
• Hydrogen (drum sequencer)
• Propellerheads Reason (sequencer)
• JAMMin (mastering suite)
• VideoLan (VLC) (media player)
• FFMPEG encoder/decoder/transcodes
• LAME mp3 encoder
• EasyTag mp3 tagging
• Hundreds of LV2, VST, and LADSPA plugins

Video Hardware

• JVC Everio camcorder

Video Software

• KDEnlive (video editor)
• OpenShot (video editor)

Graphics Hardware

• Bamboo Tablet

Graphics Software

• GIMP (image editing)
• Inkscape (vector graphic creation and editing)
• Blender (3d modeling and animation)

Office / Production Software

• Google Drive (previously Google Docs)
• Libre Office
• KATE text editor
• Vim terminal based text editor
• GIT revision control

Internet Software

• Google Chrome (primary browser)
• Mozilla Firefox
• Tweetdeck
• Filezilla ftp client
• Cyberduck ftp client (Mac)
• Apache web server
• MySQL database
• Shorewall firewall
• Squid proxy server
• “Must Have” browser extensions
• Lastpass password management
• ScriptNo (Chrome)
• NoScript (Firefox)
• Delicious (bookmark management)
• Personal Block List (Chrome)

Utilities

• Google Music for music management and playback on mobile devices
• CrashPlan on-site and off-site backup
• Lastpass password manager
• 7zip archive manager
• Synaptic Linux package manager (I don’t “get” Muon which is KDE’s default)
• apt Linux package management
• Avast anti-virus (Windows)
• Spybot Search and Destroy adware/malware (Windows)