Over the years, as a writer and marketer, I’ve learned that it’s essential to have a personal tech stack9 that I trust and that helps me remain productive. While I don’t always have the choice of standard tools for my full-time jobs
Google Workspace
My last two jobs and contributing to Opensource.com made Google Workspace part of my tech stack. The suite has undergone many changes and maturity since I first used it. While I’m not necessarily a fan of Google Meet, even it has become more bearable in recent weeks.
The Google Workspace Marketplace also makes me bullish about Google Workspace. Today’s productivity suite is the heart of collaboration, raising the importance of app integrations for remote and hybrid teams.
Microsoft Word
I feel like I’ve spent so much of my life at the keyboard writing in Microsoft Word. There are far trendier applications, such as Google Docs, but I still count on Microsoft Word, especially for writing articles.
Slack
I’ve used Slack through past jobs and to maintain communications with some freelance clients. It’s a great app. I’m a fan of it, especially the iPhone and iPad apps.
Miro
One of the good things that came out of a short-lived job was a newfound love for Miro, a virtual whiteboard and visual collaboration tool.
Notion
My freelance work runs on information I put in Notion. I put extra time into learning Notion features, such as the wiki, after a layoff in 2022. Moving to Notion also got me to move blog posts and article ideas out of Todoist, thus lowering my frustration with the task list overload I was experiencing.
Snag It
I got my start as a technical writer, so I’ve long used Snag It for shooting screen captures. While I disagree with all the features that TechSmith threw into a few more recent versions, the application remains my screen capture tool of choice.
Basecamp Personal
Despite two inherently frustrating job hunts in the last year, Basecamp Personal has been key to keeping my search organized regardless of pounding headaches from searing frustration. Other collaboration platform vendors can learn from the simplicity of this platform.
Out of play
Some applications have left my tech stack for various reasons.
Readdle Spark
I’ve been through more than my share of email apps since I went all in on the Mac. Readdle Spark outlasted many of its predecessors until Readdle made the update subscription-based. I can’t justify another app subscription right now, but I respect the company for making a tough decision in the current economy.
Automattic P2
It’s not to say that I wouldn’t recommend P2 to others. While I’ve had good luck with Automattic P2 in past years, Notion has taken its place in my tech stack. Automattic has also been slow to add new features since the platform launched in 2020.
Trello
Trello was part of my tech stack for years as a tool for editorial management, but now Todoist and Notion have taken its place. The acquisition of Trello by Atlassian opened me up to moving
OneNote
I have a history with OneNote that goes back to the beginning. If I ever work in a Microsoft Windows and Office environment again, OneNote will earn a place back in my tech stack. My only real complaint about OneNote is that the Mac version is the poor stepchild of the Windows version.
Evernote
I was practically an OG Evernote user and was a champion of it for years. It kept me organized with my notes, research, and archives easily searchable from my Macs, iPads, and iPhone.