Main machines

2023 Apple Macbook Air (M3, 24gb ram)
My main machine - I upgraded from my 2016 MacBook Pro after 8 years…which isn’t bad going for a laptop. I could have stretched it out another year as security updates were still being released (just about), but it was definitely behind on MacOS versions and the battery didn’t last long on a charge. The new M3 is great!

Other computers & tech
Apple iPad Pro
Can’t remember what year/generation. Once I find it, I’m selling it as it’s barely used anymore.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro
I saved up for about 8 months to pick this up. It’s…fine.

Media/ Gaming P.C
I sold my mini-ITX gaming PC a little while back to make some space in the living room for the latest addition to our household. It is been replaced by a Mini PC from MiniForum. The system itself is powerful and super tiny. Bios updates were needed for stability, but all in all it works pretty well. I would have preferred to run linux on it, but Windows just works much easier for a TV interface.

Minisforum UM790 Pro:

• Windows 11 (which I do not like at all)
• AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS
• 64GB DDR5 Ram
• 2x 2tb Samsung 990 SSD

Home Servers

Primary Server
My main server. Built Summer 2021 with the following specs:

• Ubuntu 22.04 Server (Primarily as a docker host)
• i7 10700K
• 32gb ram
• 1tb boot NVME ssd, 80tb (124tb raw) using MergerFS and snapraid.

Proxmox Server
An Intel Nuc running some VMs & some LXC containers

• Proxmox 8 (Debian base)
• i5 7260U
• 32gb ram
• 1tb ssd

Borg Backup Server
This has been retired from main server duties, partly because the case was a bit of a bastard to work in! It was the Primary server for half a decade running Ubuntu 16.04, so not bad going.

• i3 6300
• 16gb ram
• 256gm boot nvme ssd, 30tb (40tb raw) RAID 5 array from 4x 10tb Hitachi Ultrastar disks

Firewall
I’m not sure it counts as a server, but I’m running OPNsense using a Protectli VP2420. It was a bit of a learning curve (although not as much moving from a consumer grade router to my Edgerouter), but it is an awesome little machine.

Software

Self Hosted
I use this so often I don’t think I could go without! All in Docker containers across the hosts listed above:

• Bitwarden (Password Manager)
• Plex (Media Centre)
• Home Assistant (Smart Home software)
• Nextcloud (Personal cloud)
• Joplin (Private notes in markdown with Nextcloud backend)
• Wireguard (VPN)
• Firefly iii (budgeting software)
• Piwigo (Photo management)
• COPS (eBook server)
• Transmission (Torrent client)
• NZBGet (Usenet client)
• FreshRss (RSS Reader)
• MySQL (Database)
• Overseerr (Media requester)
• Jackett/ NZBHydra (Torrent & Usenet search)
• Webmentiond (Webmention server)
• Plausible (Web analytics)
• Tautulli (Plex analytics)

MacOS / iOS

• Firefox
• VSCodium text editor (Since the demise of Atom text editor)
• iTerm2 (MacOS)/ Prompt (iOS) (Awesome terminals)
• Screens4 (VNC/RDP)
• Reeder (RSS Reader)
• Lunasea (Media requesting, Tautulli stats)

Misc

• ZSH (Really nice extension of bash. It’s a bit bloated, but I really like oh_my_zsh too)
• Tmux (The integration with iTerm2 makes this a really cool experience)
• Docker compose (A nice way to orchestrate docker containers)
• Hugo for building this site!

Lastly, I really like Protonmail as my email provider. They just updated their app too and it’s really great to use!