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diff --git a/content/articles/home-office.md b/content/articles/home-office.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4307d03 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/articles/home-office.md @@ -0,0 +1,307 @@ +--- +title: "Home Office" +slug: "home-office" +date: "2024-07-28" +toc: true + +pics: + desk: + css: "image" + tip: "Project desk." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/desk-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/desk-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + cat-desk: + css: "image" + tip: "Kitty Says: Good vantage point." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/cat-desk-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/cat-desk-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + chair: + css: "image" + tip: "Work chair." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/chair-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/chair-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + cat-chair: + css: "image" + tip: "Kitty Says: Don't interrupt my nap." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/cat-chair-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/cat-chair-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + shelves: + css: "image" + tip: "Shelves." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/shelves-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/shelves-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + cat-shelves: + css: "image" + tip: "Kitty Says: Look at all this stuff..." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/cat-shelves-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/cat-shelves-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + before: + css: "image" + tip: "State of office before our improvements." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/before-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/before-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + duron: + css: "image" + tip: "A 20 year-old CPU that was slow 20 years ago." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/duron-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/duron-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 + pumpkin: + css: "image" + tip: "Slick Raspberry Pi 5 case." + sources: + - "/files/articles/home-office/pumpkin-1024.webp" + - src: "/files/articles/home-office/pumpkin-1024.jpg" + width: 1024 + height: 771 +--- +## Introduction + +My home office has been a [pile of boxes and old computers](#coda "pile of crap") +since we moved to this house a few years ago. Over the last month, we +spent nights and weekends unpacking boxes, organizing components, +[recycling][] old equipment, and assembling new furniture. + +The result: I now have an office with comfortable seating and plenty of +space for projects. + +## Desk + +[{{< pe-figure "desk" >}}][desk-full] + +Desk for working on computers and electronics. The goal was to have +enough surface area for a utility computer and the parts for couple of +long-term projects. + +The area around the desk is still a work in progress; we still need to +replace the curtains, buy a better chair, and fix the hole in the +drywall (left by electricians when they fixed the wiring in our house). + +Shown in picture: + +- [Tangkula L-Shaped Computer Desk][desk-amazon]: 24" depth for working + on computers. L-shaped to fit in the corner. +- [Samsung 32" UJ59 Series 4K UHD Computer Monitor][monitor]: + 32" 4K monitor with two [HDMI][] inputs. One of the [HDMI][] inputs + is connected to `pumpkin`, the utility [Pi 5][pi5], and the other + [HDMI][] input is used for whatever system I am working on at that + moment. +- [Arteck Universal Backlit 7-Colors Bluetooth Keyboard][keyboard]: + Full-size backlit [Bluetooth][] keyboard with integrated touchpad. +- [USB][] Keyboard: Used for old computers, with a [PS/2][] adapter if + necessary. Make and model unknown. +- [Raspberry Pi 5 8GB (pumpkin)][pi5]: Connected to the [monitor][] and + [bluetooth keyboard][keyboard]. Low power, small form-factor utility + computer used for reading documentation, flashing [microSD][] cards, + and working with [USB][] peripherals. +- [Logitech G5 USB Mouse][mouse]: Ancient [USB][] mouse. Used for old + computers. +- [Raspberry Pi 5 8GB (lemon)][pi5]: Headless [SBC][sbc] with the green + [LED][] in the tall round plastic food container to the right of the + monitor. Used for [ARM Cortex-A76][a76] software development and + testing. +- [Odroid N2L (pizza)][n2l]: Headless [SBC][sbc] with the red [LED][] in + the short round delivery food container to the right of the monitor. + Used for [ARM Cortex-A73][a73] software development and testing. +- [Monoprice Maker Select 3D Printer V2][3d-printer]: 3D printer. + Hasn't been used for a few years. +- Several old computers. I am clearing and [recycling][] them as time + permits. + +[{{< pe-figure "cat-desk" >}}][cat-desk] + +## Chair + +[{{< pe-figure "chair" >}}][chair-full] + +Rather than a desk and office chair, my preferred computing environment +is a comfortable seat and a coffee table with enough space for a couple +of laptops, some miscellaneous gadgets, and a beverage. + +Shown in picture: + +- [La-Z-Boy Recliner][recliner]: Don't know the exact model. Before + buying this recliner I went through a series of chairs that either + broke or wore out within a couple of years. This recliner has worked + flawlessly for 10 years. +- [Blackout Curtains][]: Bright light gives me a headache, so these + curtains block it. +- Coffee Table: Make and model unknown. I like the wood finish and the + bottom shelf. I think I bought it at a (now closed) [Kmart][]. I'm + told this is a "shaker" style coffee table. +- [Side Tables][]: We bought these for our living room but they didn't + really fit. I like the marble so I commandeered them for my office. +- [Tissue Box Cover][]: Without this cover I can't remove a tissue + from a small tissue box without dragging the entire box off the table. +- [Rug][]: Easier on my feet than the cold hardwood floor. Also protects + the floor from scratches. Not sold in the US any more. +- [Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 9th Gen][x1-carbon]: Personal laptop on + stand to the right of the recliner. +- [Microsoft Surface Book][surface-book]: Work laptop on coffee table. +- [Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II][soundlink-mini]: Great + speaker. +- [Baseus USB C Charger][baseus]: Used to power both laptops, the + [Bluetooth speaker][soundlink-mini], and other [USB][] + devices like my phone and bluetooth headset. Located on the lower + shelf of the coffee table (shown in picture below). + +By the way, all of the [Pis][] and [SBCs][sbc] in our house are named +after pies: + +- shown in picture above: `pumpkin`, `lemon`, and `pizza` +- located elsewhere in house: `pecan`, `keylime`, `peach`, and `fish` + house +- hardware failure: `cherry` and `meat` + +[{{< pe-figure "cat-chair" >}}][cat-chair] + +## Shelves + +[{{< pe-figure "shelves" >}}][shelves-full] + +Storage shelves. The boxes in the closet still need to be unpacked and +sorted through. + +Shown in picture: + +- [Bookcases][]: Bookcases with adjustable height shelves that fit + perfectly in the space available on this wall. +- [12 Quart Clear Storage Bins][bins]: I bought 12 bins total (two 6 + packs) and have 3 bins remaining. + +[{{< pe-figure "cat-shelves" >}}][cat-shelves] + +## Coda + +This section has a couple of pictures which don't fit in the sections +above. + +First, here is what my office looked like before our improvements: + +[{{< pe-figure "before" >}}][before] + +Most of the computers in the back corner were junk and have been +[recycled][recycling]. A particularly egregious example: + +[{{< pe-figure "duron" >}}][duron] + +On a more positive note... + +I am using a [case][vilros-case] with passive and active cooling for +`pumpkin` (the [Pi 5][pi5] on the desk). The entire case serves as a +passive [heat sink][]: internal metal strips and a thermal pad draw heat +from the CPU, and the heat is dissipated by air channels on top of the +case. The case does have a fan, but (at least for my workload) it only +spins up for a few seconds at boot. + +Anyway, I think the case looks pretty slick: + +[{{< pe-figure "pumpkin" >}}][pumpkin] + +[desk-full]: /files/articles/home-office/desk.jpg + "Project desk." +[cat-desk]: /files/articles/home-office/cat-desk.jpg + "Kitty Says: Good vantage point." +[desk-amazon]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SD9PMWY + "Tangkula L-Shaped Computer Desk (amazon.com)" +[monitor]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CS3JGPC + "SAMSUNG 32\" UJ59 Series 4K UHD Computer Monitor (amazon.com)" +[hdmi]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI + "High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)" +[pis]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi + "Raspberry Pi" +[pi5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi#Series_and_generations + "Raspberry Pi 5" +[keyboard]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KLPJQPD + "Arteck Universal Backlit 7-Colors Bluetooth Keyboard (amazon.com)" +[mouse]: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Gaming-Adjustable-Weight-Cartridge/dp/B000ODN7VM + "Logitech G5 USB Mouse (amazon.com)" +[bluetooth]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth + "Short-range wireless technology standard." +[microsd]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SD_card#microSD + "MicroSD form-factor memory cards" +[usb]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB + "Universal Serial Bus (USB)" +[ps/2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_port + "PS/2 port" +[chair-full]: /files/articles/home-office/chair.jpg + "Work chair." +[cat-chair]: /files/articles/home-office/cat-chair.jpg + "Kitty Says: Don't interrupt my nap." +[shelves-full]: /files/articles/home-office/shelves.jpg + "Shelves." +[cat-shelves]: /files/articles/home-office/cat-shelves.jpg + "Kitty Says: Look at all this stuff..." +[3d-printer]: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Printer-Filament-Preloaded-Printable/dp/B018GZBC3Y + "Monoprice Maker Select 3D Printer V2" +[led]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diode + "Light-emitting diode (LED)" +[sbc]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-board_computer + "Single-board computer (SBC)" +[n2l]: https://en.odroid.se/products/odroid-n2l-4gb + "Odroid N2L" +[arm64]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AArch64 + "64-bit extension to the ARM instruction set." +[a73]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_Cortex-A73 + "ARM Cortex-A73 CPU" +[a76]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_Cortex-A76 + "ARM Cortex-A76 CPU" +[recliner]: https://www.la-z-boy.com/b/living-room-recliners/_/N-musa9i + "La-Z-Boy Recliner" +[bookcases]: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/billy-bookcase-black-oak-effect-40477340/ + "Billy bookcase (ikea.com)" +[bins]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFFFP299 + "Clear Storage Latch Box 12 Quart, Plastic Organizing Box/Bin with Lid and Black Handles, 6-Pack (amazon.com)" +[rug]: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/koepenhamn-rug-flatwoven-handmade-dark-grey-50374558/ + "KÖPENHAMN flatwoven rug, dark grey (ikea.com)" +[blackout curtains]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BC8GXQNB + "H.VERSAILTEX 100% Blackout Curtains (amazon.com)" +[kmart]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kmart + "Kmart department store chain." +[side tables]: https://www.westelm.com/products/open-box-hex-side-table-g669/ + "Hex Side Table, White Marble/Raw Steel (westelm.com)" +[x1-carbon]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThinkPad_X1_series#X1_Carbon_Gen_9 + "Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 9th Gen (i7-1185G7)" +[surface-book]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Book_3 + "Microsoft Surface Book 3" +[soundlink-mini]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WK47VEW + "Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II (amazon.com)" +[baseus]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B71GPGQD + "Baseus USB C Charger (amazon.com)" +[tissue box cover]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07VC4N94T + "Monarch Abode 19427 Hand Hammered Tissue Box Square Cover Holder (amazon.com)" +[recycling]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste_recycling + "electronic waste recycling" +[before]: /files/articles/home-office/before.jpg + "State of office before our improvements." +[duron]: /files/articles/home-office/duron.jpg + "A 20 year-old CPU that was slow 20 years ago." +[pumpkin]: /files/articles/home-office/pumpkin.jpg + "Slick Raspberry Pi 5 case." +[heat sink]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_sink + "Passive CPU heat exchanger." +[vilros-case]: https://vilros.com/products/vilros-aluminum-alloy-passive-and-active-cooling-cooling-raspberry-pi-5-case-cnc-crafted + "Vilros Duo Deluxe Raspberry Pi 5 Case" |