[HN Gopher] Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use wit...
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Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your
computer?
E.g., any special mouse, keyboard, ring, headset, ... that has made
a significant impact on your workflow.
Author : behnamoh
Score : 12 points
Date : 2023-04-03 19:21 UTC (3 hours ago)
| hot_gril wrote:
| I use a laptop with zero accessories, which is unusual in of
| itself for SWE.
| dgunay wrote:
| I use a small USB switcher box to let me control my personal
| machine and my work machine at the same desk. I also use a
| keyboard that lets me flip a switch to change between Mac/Windows
| layouts. It has been very helpful to let me cleanly separate work
| from leisure, without having to give up the ergonomics of my desk
| setup. The friction to switch is low enough that I don't feel
| tempted to keep work related stuff on my personal machine.
|
| I used to have dual monitors, but now I use a super ultrawide
| 32:9 monitor. It required learning to use window managers since
| most OS's don't support multitasking setups like that, but I can
| use layouts now that I couldn't before. I also use PaperWM[1]
| with it and it feels particularly effective on ultrawides.
|
| [1]: https://github.com/paperwm/PaperWM
| kvandy wrote:
| Any advice on the USB switcher? I've had a hard time finding
| one that was of high enough quality to be a daily driver. I
| need USB3 for my webcam as well
| JohnFen wrote:
| I use a trackball rather than a mouse. That improves my
| experience a great deal more than people expect.
|
| I also use a homebrew macro keyboard. It's a 16 key keyboard with
| nice, clicky keys and two analog knobs. It's very convenient.
| ja27 wrote:
| I wouldn't have thought they were lesser-known, but I've been
| surprised how many people don't know about today's cheap portable
| external monitors. They're essentially laptop panels with a
| USB-C+HDMI board. $100-$150-ish and easily found in 15.6" and
| 13-14", 1080p or 2K. All the ones I've tried have 2 USB-C ports,
| mini-HDMI, and speakers. This all depends on what USB-C ports
| your machine actually has and the right USB-C cables, but a
| single cable can do power and display from the laptop. Or plug
| the monitor into USB-C PD source and the same cable will charge
| the laptop and run the monitor. Mine even has a third USB-C "OTG"
| port for USB 2.0 speed devices. Good for a second screen on the
| go or debugging single board computers.
| mncharity wrote:
| I've enjoyed magnetic usb c adapters (20 pin - I've not tried a
| newer 24 pin adapter).
| pabloescobyte wrote:
| What is the contrast/brightness like with these? I've always
| wanted one for working with two screens on the go but the ones
| I've seen in public never seemed to get bright enough.
|
| In a cafe or other bright environment they seem to reflect
| everything around them similar to the way my MacBook screen
| does which makes it hard to see anything.
|
| I'm speaking only from limited time seeing them from afar
| though--I've not actually sat in front of one to use or test
| out in person.
| teetertater wrote:
| Do you have a specific model you can recommend? I searched a
| brighter one out especially (300 nits), read reviews, etc. Paid
| 200EUR. What I got absolutely sucks, definitely not 300 nits,
| glitches half the time I try to use it, doesn't remember my
| settings. When I finally got around to return it, I discovered
| the company no longer exists lol.
| aezart wrote:
| I use a drawing tablet as a third monitor, and I use a USB numpad
| so that I can shove it out of the way when I don't need it (I
| basically only use it for blender).
| Arrath wrote:
| For quite a while I used the Logitech G13 in the way you
| describe using the usb numpad. Just a big block of extra
| hotkeys when I was in different software.
|
| https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G13-Programmable-Gameboard-D...
| shaftway wrote:
| I use my monitors in portrait mode. Some tools aren't great with
| it, but when I'm editing a doc it's amazing to be able to see two
| whole sheets of paper-worth of text.
| shae wrote:
| I use a board with 32 RGB LEDs to show process status:
| https://github.com/shapr/bloohm
|
| If you ever have multiple hour long builds and/or test suites
| running, this is is a big help.
| pabloescobyte wrote:
| Lesser-known keyboards: I use a small 40% (45-key keyboard) or an
| ortholinear keyboard for my daily work.
|
| On both I have layers for a built-in Numpad, mouse keys (for
| controlling the mouse cursor without taking my hand off the
| keyboard), shortcuts for working with text (selecting an entire
| line, copying and pasting, etc) and various other finger- and
| wrist-saving shortcuts that help me ward off the likelihood of
| RSI.
|
| I had a wrist injury in the past and it had a big impact on my
| productivity as a tech worker so using these small compact
| keyboards is a real godsend.
|
| Everything I need is literally just one key away from another--no
| more stretching or contorting my hands and fingers to do
| CTRL+ALT+DELETE or CTRL+SHIFT+F5 for example.
|
| The 40% keyboard can be used as a daily driver but the
| ortholinear keyboard is my go-to since it's perfect for both work
| and play.
| rolph wrote:
| multi monitors, two mice/trackball.
| HackeNewsFan234 wrote:
| Two mice at the same time? Do you use one with your feet? Do
| have one for each hand? Tell us more!
| rolph wrote:
| one for each hand, it takes getting used to and i have hunch
| it changes you, neurologically
| capableweb wrote:
| Guessing you have two cursors as well?
|
| I moved the opposite way and got rid of my mouse for my
| desktop computer, so everything (except 3D work that is
| done with a drawing tablet) is done with the keyboard. Web
| browsing was the hardest to start doing without a mouse...
| prashp wrote:
| Maybe one is a decoy for the cat
| cmpalmer52 wrote:
| I use a 60% keyboard that doesn't even have dedicated arrow keys.
| My caps-lock is configured as the Fn key and, when it's held
| down, the JKLI letters are the arrow keys. This (and other
| macros) are actually really convenient when you get used to them.
| Unfortunately, it's hard for me to type on "normal" keyboards
| because when I end up tiYping thinks like that. My keyboard is a
| Mistel MD600 split.
|
| My favorite unusual accessory is a little 9 key mechanical
| auxiliary keyboard. I programmed it to be my debug keyboard with
| all of key combos for my IDEs debugger - run, stop, pause, next,
| step over/into, set breakpoints, etc. it saves a lot of time (or
| seems like it does).
| coder4life wrote:
| Lighted USB volume knob - they're inexpensive, the large aluminum
| knob is on a sturdy base, can be pressed down for mute.
|
| ReMarkable2 e-ink tablet -- okay, it's a standalone device, but
| interfaces to the computer in cool ways (like screen sharing),
| and it's changed my life as far as note-taking goes
| matthew28845 wrote:
| The ReMarkable is so tempting but so expensive. It's just hard
| to stomach spending $500 at a minumum for the tablet + folio +
| stylus when I could have an iPad (a gimped base model one, but
| still) for the same price
| itake wrote:
| Just wondering, do you have good handwriting? I love the idea
| of hand written notes, but while my writing is legible, it's
| unpleasant on the eye.
| gfd wrote:
| Monitor arms freed up a ton of desk space.
|
| Wireless noise cancelling headphones helped with concentration.
|
| UPS saved me a couple times from losing work during power
| outages.
| zwayhowder wrote:
| Left handed trackball (Elecom). Sits to the left of my Moonlander
| while my vertical mouse sits to the right. Not only is it
| convenient, as an old school Diablo player I get to tell people I
| duel wield.
|
| I also have a cheap X-Pen graphics tablet that I use for 'white
| boarding' on zoom calls.
|
| Almost forgot I also have a usb wireless numpad that I pair with
| a usb hid remapped on a pi zero to make hot keys for frequent
| actions.
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(page generated 2023-04-03 23:02 UTC)