Uses This

Who are you, and what do you do?

I'm Loren Brichter. Right now I do my own thing at atebits - mostly answering email, but sometimes I write software. I'm originally from New York, used to live in the Bay Area (worked for Apple), and now I'm currently looking for a place to live in Philadelphia.

What hardware do you use?

I gave up my Mac Pro a few months ago. Now I do everything on a beautiful glossy screen 17" MacBook Pro. 4 GB RAM, 2x2.93, 320 HD. Apple was kind enough to give me some nice stuff with the ADA, including a 30" Cinema Display - which I use when I'm at my (makeshift-until-I-find-a-real-place-to-live) desk. Reading the other posts here has convinced me that I need an mStand, so I'm getting one of those.

I have a wired Apple aluminum keyboard (DVORAK BABY!), and a wired Mighty Mouse. I go through a Mighty Mouse every few months (gunked up scroll ball problem). Yes, I tried cleaning it. Yes, I completely disassemble it. Maybe I just have really dirty fingers. But anyway, I have yet to find a better mouse. I threw plenty money at Logitech but the scrolling on those things is all wrong.

I have an iPhone 3GS. No case. And a pile of iPod touches. Nikon D700, I keep a 50mm f/1.4 on it all the time. I have a Wii, and you can bet that the Mario Kart disc is always in it. Recently picked up a PS3, only use it to watch Blu-Ray and play DiRT. Though I haven't had time to do any of that recently. Everything else is in storage until I find a house.

And what software?

Tweetie is OK I guess. I hear Tweetie 2 is a lot better. I'm madly in love with Dropbox. I keep my entire Lightroom library on it. I use Gmail, and Gmail-for-your-domain for my @atebits.com mail, but Mail sucks because it has no "Archive" button. I use Fluid for a lot of different things. NetNewsWire on my Mac, but Byline on my iPhone. Things on both. Instapaper on the iPhone. BusyCal has replaced iCal for me. TextMate and Xcode are always running. Photoshop CS4 super-extreme-expensive-edition. Safari is my browser of choice (duh if you dont like it ur wrong). I used QuickSilver forever, but now LaunchBar.

What would be your dream setup?

I'd like a permanent place to live at some point. Maybe then I can set up all the cool stuff I have on an real desk. Whatever rumors are going around about a touch-sensitive no-moving-parts Mighty Mouse... Yeah, I want 10 of those. (Update: WOO IT'S REALLY REAL!). I want a 3GS with the original aluminum enclosure. Plastic gets slimy. And a pony.