Office Setup 2024
To keep a record of changes in my office, I wrote the first post about it in January 2022 and carried on with an update in 2023. Let’s continue the tradition for 2024.
If you’re reading this on mobile, you won’t see the picture I keep referring to, so here it is!
This should be a short blog post as there have not been too many changes this year. The biggest change is a switch from Windows to Linux for work use in November 2023, but I’ll have a blog post for that on the one-year anniversary.
Contour Rollermouse Free3
I find this roller bar to work really well when moving the pointer around and reduces the travel distance between the keyboard and mouse, saving a considerable amount of time in switching between they keyboard and a traditional mouse.
For work that requires fine-grained movement, such as working on images or editing video, the roller bar is not as precise as a mouse. Fortunately that isn’t often, and for everything else it works really well.
The bundled software, which maps the additional buttons, doesn’t work on Linux, but the buttons themselves work exactly as they should in Debian 12.
GPU Upgrade - AMD RX 6700 XT
After the upgrade of my desktop in 2022 and my switchover to Linux as my daily desktop operating system, I was having some issues with the NVIDIA TITAN X. NVIDIA support for Linux still leaves a lot to be desired, despite the updates that are being made. This is particularly apparent using Wayland.
AMD GPU’s and drivers don’t suffer the same issues, with both an open-source and proprietary driver available for Linux.
So with a combination of the TITAN X is being a bit long in the tooth and the continuing issues with NVIDIA on Linux, I decided a new GPU is in order. But which to go for? There are so many!
It was a fairly simple choice when it came down to it. The ridiculous price of NVIDIA hardware is not a bandwagon I wanted to jump on so when a great deal on an AMD RX 700 XT came up, I jumped on it. It’s not the fastest, hottest or shiniest GPU in the world, but it is a good mid-level GPU with 12GB of RAM that helps future-proof it for the next few years for my use cases.
While NVIDIA may be at the cutting edge, you pay a premium for that. The average user, or gamer, doesn’t need an NVIDIA GPU. AMD is considerably cheaper and if you are running Linux, is a much better option for compatibility.
Invisible Smart Display Calendar
On my desk, just left of the Mandalorian, you’ll see a nice wooden e-ink display. This is the Invisible Computers Smart Display that I use to keep track of my work calendar. It’s a great little device that uses USB power and refreshes my work Google Calendar every few minutes.
I have it set to show me the current, and the next, work day. But you can configure it to display your work week, full week, etc. I find it gives me an overview of my day with just a quick glance. Check it out at the Invisible Computers website.
Lumie Mini
Moving left again, you’ll see the Lumie Mini. While I call it a “SAD lamp”, Lumie does not, instead describing it as:
A daily dose of bright light therapy helps regulate circadian rhythms, leading to improved mood and reduced symptoms of winter blues and seasonal mood changes. It also boosts alertness and reduces daytime sleepiness, making it easier to stay awake and alert during the day.
I’ve used Lumie products for a long time and would recommend them to anybody who feels a change in their winter energy levels.
Summary
The changes in 2023 can be said to be quality of life - making things a little bit easier and reducing friction. I have a few changes planned in 2024, and I’ll be sure to blog about them in the first post of 2025!
