My software tools list

• Operating System: Ubuntu
• Window Manager: Qtile
• Editor: Emacs
• Terminal: urxvt + screen
• Version Control System: Git
• "High-high-level" Language: Python
• Web Framework: Django/Flask

• Web Browser: Firefox
• Email: Gmail
• Graphical Diff: KDiff3
• Keyboard: Leopold Tenkeyless (MX Browns)
• Office Chair: Undecided
• Mobile Phone: Motorola Droid 4

Operating System

Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr

My first Ubuntu install was in 2007 (dual-boot) and I got my first Windows-free machine in 2008. I have used Cygwin and coLinux when on Windows. Cygwin integrates better with Windows applications, but coLinux is super fast and allows you to run a full Linux distro on top of Windows. Windows does have some advantages, but overall I prefer Linux.

Update 2008-09: Switching jobs means I can now use Linux at work. I'm now using Linux about 90% of the time. My wife still uses Windows Vista on our laptop.

I don't have enough experience with OSX to draw any authoritative conclusions, though I think Mark Pilgrim has biased me against Apple. Also, I think Linux's free as in beer (and somewhat related free as in speech) characteristics vs. Mac's expensive (and somewhat related proprietary) characteristics resonate with the cheap engineer in me.

Additional Linux vs. Mac commentary:

• JWZ 2000: Unix/linux sucks less, but it still sucks.
• JWZ 2005, 2007: Linux sucks more.
• Paul Graham 2005: Return of the Mac.
• Mark Pilgrim 2006: Bye, Apple
• Cory Doctorow 2006: Me too.
• Tim Bray 2006: Me too, Back to the Mac
• Steve Yegge 2008: Switching to OSX for the fonts
• Of course, Linus Torvalds "prefers" Linux (2008)
• Donald Knuth, author of The Art of Computer Programming, uses Ubuntu Linux for work, and Macs for play (2008).
• Salvatore Sanfilippo (author of Redis) chooses to use a Mac so he can "focus on what <he's> doing without spending hours trying to fix unrelated desktop stuff" but says Linux is "still better for coding" (2009).
• Ted Dziuba: MacOS X is an Unsuitable Platform for Web Development (2011)
• Bozhidar Batsov: The Linux desktop experience is killing Linux on the desktop (2011)

History: 1987: Apple GS/OS, 1994: Windows 3.1, 2000: Windows 98, 2001: Windows XP, 2007: Windows Vista, 2007: Ubuntu

Window Manager

Qtile

The WM written in Python, recommended by Matt Harrison.

Previously, wmii: dynamic, tiling, scriptable window manager that doesn't require a mouse. It sucks less.

I switched from ratpoison at the same time I started using coLinux because running native Linux allowed me to use any Linux window manager as well.

Recently, some have switched from wmii to xmonad, the new Haskell tiling window manager. It has some nice features over wmii, including dual head support, but after a brief excursion, I slightly prefer wmii's way of doing things.

If you're a hard core Lisper, stumpwm is the window manager for you. It has a REPL. This one seems a little too hard core for me, especially since I don't know Lisp.

History: 2007: ratpoison, 2007: wmii, 2012: Qtile

Editor/IDE

GNU Emacs 24.3

Switched from Eclipse in 2007. It was a slow transition, but I think Emacs is worth the investment.

On Emacs vs. Vim: I really like that Vim can be used easily on remote machines. Currently, I use TRAMP for remote file editing. It is very cool, but it is slow, and I sometimes fall back on nano (*gasp*) for a quick config file edit when I am logged into a remote terminal. I also suspect that the dual modes of Vim are more efficient than Emacs-- I'm just not smart enough to get used to it. Maybe someday I will switch to Viper mode. Why Emacs over Vim? I choose Emacs because it is more powerful and closer to an IDE. Emacs Lisp allows you to do whatever you want.

On Emacs vs. Eclipse: I found Eclipse was too slow and heavy, used too much screen real estate, and was too difficult to customize. Scripting Eclipse required writing extensions in Java whereas Emacs can be extended in elegant Lisp. I think Eclipse (and other IDE's) are better for code exploration and they probably have features that I'm not aware of since I don't use them. I figure, though, that with enough Emacs Lisp, Emacs can do anything those IDEs can do. If you really want those features, it's a question of if you want to spend the time achieving perfection in Emacs or getting real work done in another IDE. I choose perfection. ;)

Additional commentary:

• THE vs. Emacs, Ian Bicking (2005)
• Effective Emacs, Steve Yegge (2005)
• Other Editors?, Ian Bicking (2005)
• Structured Python Editor, Glyph Lefkowitz (2008)
• Editor Wars: Revenge of the... oh, whatever., Chalain (2008)
• What You Can Learn From Emacs, Jack Moffitt (2008)
• The Emacs Test, Glyph Lefkowitz (2008)
• emacs extensions i can’t live without (2009)

Screencasts:

• I need a cool European accent
• What You Can Learn From ido.el
• YASnippet demo

Install method: from source sudo apt-get install emacs

Useful packages:

• Tramp: transparent remote file access
• ido: Buffer switching and more
• Org-Mode: note taking, task lists
• yaml-mode: for yaml
• markdown-mode: for markdown
• YASnippet: Textmate-inspired templating. Great for making HTML less tedious.
• smex: IDO for M-x
• multiple-cursors: this is really fun *and* useful.
• web-mode: for HTML/CSS/Javascript

My emacs config on github: http://github.com/saltycrane/emacs

History: 2001: Emacs/NEdit/UltraEdit, 2006: Eclipse, 2007: Emacs

Terminal

urxvt

urxvt supports xft (anti-aliased) fonts, real transparency (not that I actually use transparency with Qtile), and fading (which I do use with Qtile) and it is much faster and lighter than gnome-terminal or konsole. screen allows me to switch terminal sessions without ugly tabs, attach to remote sessions, search through the scrollback buffer, and more. Update: urxvt also has embedded perl.

Install method: from source sudo apt-get install rxvt-unicode

Version Control System

Git

Switched from Subversion to Mercurial in June 2007. The merging in Mercurial is very nice and can be done without thinking. I do miss Subversion/Subclipse's revision history viewer, file compare, and ability to isolate files apart from changesets. Update 2010-04-05: See my comment below.

Update 2011-05: Switched my personal repos to Git. Use Git almost exclusively now.

Additional commentary:

• DVCS: Why I chose Mercurial over Git (2010)
• Why I Switched to Git From Mercurial (2010)

Install method: sudo apt-get install mercurial

History: 2001: SCCS, 2003: Other, 2007: Subversion, 2007: Mercurial, 2010: Mercurial/Git, 2011: Git

"High-level" Language

None

Previously, I used C. Now I use don't use any statically-typed languague. Wouldn't mind learning C++ Go. Although, Linus doesn't like it.

"High-high-level" Language

Python 2.7

My love for Python is strong. I switched from Perl in 2005 and have no regrets. Object-oriented, easy to read (no more TIMTOWTDI), and smart people use it. I also want to learn Javascript 2 becuase it is the "Next Big Language" and Lisp because it is the "most powerful language".

On Python vs. Ruby: from what I've read, I characterize Ruby as the more expressive language more similar to Perl (than Python is) and Python as the more regimented language. Since I like regimented, I like Python.

On Python vs. Lisp: I've concluded that I lack the intelligence to harness enough of Lisp's power to counteract its non-practicality (e.g. lack of libraries).

Additional commentary:

• Paul Graham: Python is getting closer to Lisp (2002)
• Paul Prescod: no it isn't
• Paraphrase of Gerald Jay Sussman (one of the creators of Scheme): Why MIT now uses python instead of scheme for its undergraduate CS program (2009)

Install method: preinstalled on Ubuntu

History: 2001: Perl, 2005: Python

Web Framework

Django / Flask

2014-10:I now use Flask at work. Previously, I used Django. I think I like SQLAlchemy and Jinja2 better than Django. Django has a lot more built in and is put together better. Flask's thread locals are convenient and messy. Probably Pyramid is the best but no one uses it.

Here are some links:

• Ian Bicking: There's so much more than Rails (2005)
• What PHP deployment gets right (2008)
• Django vs. Rails (2009)

Install method: pip install Django / pip install Flask

Web Browser

Firefox

Not to be confused with Konqueror, Conkeror is an emacs-like, keyboard driven, scriptable, Mozilla-based web browser. I've used it almost full time since January 2008. It is still considered alpha stage software so there are a number of bugs. However, it is still pretty sweet. I use Firefox as a backup (and IE Tab for Launchcast and Netflix on Windows).

Unfortunately, one of the annoying things in Firefox 2 is present in Conkeror as well-- memory leaks. Based on this Mozilla article and some brief personal experience, Firefox 3 has made fixes in this area. It would be nice if Conkeror could benefit from the Firefox 3 fixes.

Update 2010-05-04: Conkeror is really awesome, but I had some memory/cpu issues with it a while ago and haven't put in the work to merge my custom keybindings with the latest Conkeror code. Also waiting to see if there will be an Emacs version of Vimium (since, after all vimperator followed conkeror).

I'm currently using a combination of Google Chrome and Firefox. Chrome is faster, especially for Javascript-intensive sites, but I really hate the Google Chrome Omnibar. If you have a solution or workaround, please post an answer. Firefox also has some Add-ons that Chrome doesn't.

Email

Gmail

Update 2010-05-04: Gmail. It's slow but it has a lot of features and it's in my web browser and it's easy and it works and I don't really like using email that much anyways. Oh, and, big plus, syncing works almost perfect with my Android phone. (Actual full switch to Gmail was around December 2008.)

Graphical diff/merge

KDiff3

I started using KDiff a while ago on Windows and have always liked it. I'm thinking, though, since I'm an Emacs person, I ought to use Ediff.

Install method: sudo apt-get install kdiff3

Keyboard

Unicomp Endurapro / Leopold Tenkeyless w/ Cherry MX Browns

I realize a keyboard is hardware and not software, but it is hardware that can evoke strong opinions, so I made an exception.

One problem with hardware is I can't try out all the different types and choose the one I like the best as I can with software. So my selection is based on reviews not on actual experience. And, after buying the Endurapro, I found I actually did not like the integrated mouse stick, so I should have bought a Customizer 104/105 and saved $30.

Update 2011-05: Got the Leopold tenkeyless for work. Tenkeyless is a must for quicker mouse access. And I actually like the lighter touch of the Cherry MX Browns versus the Unicomp's buckling springs. I like it so much I want to replace my Unicomp at home with another Leopold.

Update: Got a second Leopold for home to replace my Unicomp.

Additional commentary:

• my wrists and welcome to them., JWZ (1999)
• Deck keyboard, Dan (2005)
• Surviving Emacs - Part 4, Bill Clementson (2006)
• Keyboard Fight, Glyph Lefkowitz (2006)
• Bye, Apple, Mark Pilgrim (2006)
• A Meandering Review of the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard, Glyph Lefkowitz (2009)

History: 2009: Unicomp Endurapro, 2011: Leopold Tenkeyless (MX Browns)

Office Chair

Undecided

Herman Miller Aeron or Steelcase Leap

Mobile Phone

Motorola Droid 4

After almost 10 years (and 3 generations) of the Palm Treo, I got the Motorola Droid.

The Droid is pretty awesome, but I don't like switching to landscape mode to use the keyboard-- especially when toolbars and headers take up half the screen. I think Palm and Blackberry got this form factor Right. Just as I prefer the keyboard over the mouse on my PC, I want to use the keyboard and D-pad over the touchscreen on my phone. Update 2010-05-04: The keyboard is mediocre and use of the D-pad center button sucks. My Palm Treo 650 D-pad worked much better.

My reasons for choosing an Android phone are: I need a physical keyboard. I want to hack on my phone. I think Android has more potential than Palm's webOS or Maemo.

Useful apps:

• Connectbot Secure shell (SSH) client for the Android platform. Use this all the time. Awesome.
• Listen Listen from Google Labs brings podcast search, subscribe, download and stream to your Android-powered device.
• My Tracks Record GPS tracks. Monitor your performance. Share your outdoor activities with friends. Really enjoy this one. Love tracking my romping.

2010-05-04 Updates:

• Google Voice: Free text messages and better voicemail. Another useful app. Makes voicemail suck a lot less.
• FoxyRing: automatically control the ringer volume based on ambient noise level. I was doubtful about this one, but it actually works well for me.
• Flixter (Movies): Useful for checking movie showtimes.
• Bible (YouVersion): This version is pretty good. I miss my Plucker created Bible on my Palm though. I wish there was something like Plucker for Android.
• DroidLight: use the LED camera flash as a flashlight. Simple and useful. Works much better than using the screen as a flashlight.
• Google Navigation: I don't need my Garmin anymore. (Each has advantages and disadvantages, but I have found it to be a capable replacement.)
• Just want to mention that the Calendar sucks. It is great that I can sync with my Google calendar, but I really hate the Android Calendar UI.

Additional Commentary/Links:

• Thoughts on the Palm Pre, G2, and iPhone 3G Leonard Lin (2009 June)
• JWZ gets a Palm Pre (2009 June)
• Emacs on Android (2009 June)
• The Android Opportunity, John Gruber (2009 August)
• Dear Palm, it's just not working out, JWZ (2009 October)

History: 2002: Handspring Treo 180, 2003: Handspring Treo 600, 2005: Palm Treo 650, 2009: Motorola Droid 2011: Motorola Droid 4