My Setup
softwareI’m always fiddling with the tools I use, so it’s possible this eventually becomes out of date. But for now, here’s what I use:
The OS
My first computer was a Mac. Then I got a Windows computer. At some point, I installed Linux (Mint) on that machine and used that full-time. Now I use MacOS full time. While it’s far from perfect, seamless integration with my iPhone, Airdrop, native Arc (see The Browser), gives it an edge over the alternatives, especially when coupled with the AeroSpace.
My theatre work often requires QLab, an incredible piece of software that sadly only runs on Mac. When I daily drove Windows and Linux, I owned a supplemental Mac Mini. I no longer need more than one device.
The Editor
My primary editor is Neovim (config). I used VSCode for the longest time until I switched to the JetBrains suite. I really only used vim when SSH-ing into a Linux instance and it always felt a bit clunky. But this past summer at Amplify, I had the pleasure of pairing with Denis Lantsman. There are a couple moments every now and then when you come to the exciting and daunting realization that you’re just barely scratching the surface of what is possible; seeing Denis absolutely zoom through the codebase in neovim was one of those moments. I’ve since converted and can’t beleive I didn’t do it earlier.
Note: Alacritty is my terminal emulator.
Notes
Obsidian is amazing.
My Google account is the hub for all my communications and life organization, so I don’t mind paying for the best possible experience. I pay for a single seat of Google Workspace’s Business plan. I back up all my files to Drive and use email aliases and inbox filters that automatically tag incoming mail based on the alias used: theatre@zachwcohn.com, software@zachwcohn.com, travel@zachwcohn.com, etc. If I suddenly got into glass blowing, I’d create the alias glass@zachwcohn.com and add a filter to tag all mail sent to that address accordingly.
I like to keep my inbox organized. If an email is still in my inbox, it means I need to read or respond to it, or I’ve just sent a message and I’m waiting for things to wrap up (like an open buffer in Neovim). Once I’ve finished with an email or no longer expect a reply, I tag and archive it.
Finally, there’s something to be said about the “it just works” quality of (most) Apple devices. As of now, it’s just not worth my time to struggle to tune a Linux machine to reach my standards and requirements. Maybe someday…
The Browser
I’m a big fan of Arc. I use Spaces to keep my activities separate, which not only helps bundle related sites and login sessions together but also improves my mental model of the browser when working. For example, when switching from schoolwork to development for the university newspaper, toggling between differently styled Spaces with their own organized bookmarks helps me switch mental contexts.
Passwords
For my password manager, I use the free public vaultwarden instance hosted at vaultwarden.net alongside BitWarden’s browser extension and mobile and desktop apps.