1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
|
---
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`
- hardware failed: `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"
|
