Mark Skelton

Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I create software 40+ hours per week so having the right tools is important to me. Poor tools can result in lower productivity and increased health risk. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1, 16GB RAM (2021)

    After several years of nursing along an old MacBook, I gave in an bought a new MacBook Pro. This machine is an absolute workhorse and I’ve yet to see the fans kick in. Oh yeah, and if you are considering an upgrade, the 16” is totally worth the extra money.

    apple.com

  • LG 4k Monitor (2x)

    Multiple monitors is the only way to go. Thanks to my work getting rid of some old monitors, I now have the best of both worlds with a large main monitor and a secondary monitor.

    lg.com

  • Kinesis Advantage 360 Pro Keyboard

    Ortholinear split keyboards are the way to go. While $450 looks like a lot on paper, it’s a small price for something that can save your wrist health and improve your productivity. After all, if you are using your keyboard for 8+ hours a day, shouldn’t it be good?

    kinesis-ergo.com

  • Logitech MX Master 3S Mouse

    Not being a gamer, having a fancy mouse seemed like something I wouldn’t do, but I decied to try it to improve ergonimics and efficency, and now there is no turning back. This mouse has by far the greatest scroll wheel I’ve ever used.

    logitech.com

  • Autonomous SmartDesk Core

    I love my standing desk. So much easier to work when I can alternate between sitting and standing, and Autonomous is really high quality for the price.

    autonomous.ai

  • Autonomous ErgoChair Pro

    While certainly as fancy as a Herman Miller chair, this chair get’s the job done and is much better than the kitchen chair I used for three years.

    autonomous.ai

Development tools

  • Cursor

    As much as I love Neovim, I switched back to the VS Code ecosystem to take advantage of Cursor’s AI features. Has made a massive improvement in my productivity.

    cursor.com

  • Claude Code

    Alongside Cursor, I use Claude Code for a lot of my longer AI sessions. Really great for developing scripts, projects, and features when giving a good spec.

    anthropic.com

  • 1Password

    By far the best password manager on the market. Totally worth the small price for the security and functionality it provides.

    1password.com

  • Raycast

    For years the best Spotlight replacement. Apple took a swing at them with a bunch of Spotlight improvements, but Raycast is still unmatched.

    raycast.com

  • Todoist

    My life runs on Todoist, quite literally. Without it, I would forget to clean the house or take out the trash. Let software remember stuff so you don’t have to.

    todoist.com

  • Shottr

    A better macOS screenshot tool. Not much more to be said, it’s just straight up awesome.

    shottr.cc