Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Fernando, and I’m a physicist turned data scientist currently working at Shopify. I think it’s fair to say I like working on (and sometimes solving) hard problems, especially at the intersection of mathematics and computer science.

What hardware do you use?

I have a 2017 27-inch iMac with a 3.8GHz i5 and 24 GB of RAM for daily usage. When things get serious (or to power my PLEX server), I have my most prized (electronic) possession: a custom-built machine with a 3.3GHz, 6-core i7-5820K, 64 GB of RAM, and two GTX 1080s. This is an SSH only machine; it is running Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS, and no monitors.

When at work I use a 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.6GHz 6-core i7 and 32 GB of RAM docked to a 27” LG display.

For peripherals, I have a Logitech G900 wireless mouse. I’ve contemplated getting an ergonomic mouse multiple times; however, I like switching hands often when operating it, so a symmetrical mouse serves me better.

For sound, I have a pair of Audio Technica ATH-m50 headphones, Audioengine A2+ speakers at home, and a pair of noise-canceling Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones at work.

And, of course, I own two ErgoDox EZ keyboards, Cherry MX Blue and Red switches for home and work usage respectively.

All of that sits on top of a Fully Jarvis standing desk.

And what software?

For everything coding, I use Visual Studio Code, which finally won me over after a couple of years going back and forth between Sublime and Atom.

iTerm2 for most things terminal, although I will default to VS Code’s terminal when going from code to terminal often.

Nowadays, all my personal and most of my work projects are Dockerized. Inside, you will usually find Python, SQL, and Go.

What’s your keyboard setup like? Do you use a custom layout or custom keycaps?

I’m quite proud of my custom layout. I make heavy use of dual-function keys, sacrificing a little bit of raw typing speed in favor of minimizing hand movement. All modifiers, arrow keys, and mouse control are available in the home row, so most keyboard shortcuts and small mouse adjustments can be made without moving my hands or looking away from the screen.

I’ve been experimenting with different keycaps for about a year or so. Currently I’m using blanks SA keycaps from Oh, Keycaps! and I absolutely love them. I also have a frankenstein knock-off Carbon set that I use sometimes.

What would be your dream setup?

I’m not too far from my (attainable) dream setup. I would like to swap my iMac for a 16-inch MacBook Pro for daily usage, and have a 32-inch, curved, 5k monitor where I can dock my personal and/or work MacBook, but also connect it to my home server.

Oh, and I need a better chair too.