---
title: "About Me"
date: 2022-12-26T22:54:07-07:00
draft: false
---
![](/bryson-smol.png)

Hey there! My name is Bryson Steck. I live in Utah and I'm currently a senior getting my Bachelors in Computer Science. Some people notably find me funny, easy to work with, and very addicted to dill pickles. 

My interests include everything Linux, system and network administration, privacy and security, and figuring out how the hell I got that thundercloud that one time playing in a Mario Kart Wii Mogi.

## Skills I Have

* C/C++
* Vim and Vim-Plug
* Linux and other UNIX-like OSes
* Perl, Bash, and POSIX shell scripting
* Java and Android development
* Spigot Plugin development
* HTML/CSS/JavaScript
* System administration for Windows/Linux
* Organization

### Skills I Have (But Try to Avoid)

* Python
* TypeScript
* React
* Node.JS

## My Tech Stack

* Acer Swift SF314-42
  * AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
  * 8GB of RAM
  * 512GB NVME SSD
  * Gentoo Linux
  * [dwm](/projects/dwm)
* Dell Optiplex 7020
  * Intel Core i5-4590
  * 16GB of RAM
  * 512GB SATA SSD, 2TB Hard Drive
  * AMD RX 580
  * Arch Linux
  * KDE
* Google Pixel 5a
  * Qualcomm LITO
  * 6GB of RAM
  * 128GB of storage
  * GrapheneOS
  * Whatever launcher comes with GrapheneOS lol

While I'm settling with it for now, I don't recommend you buy an Acer Swift SF314-42. It's an okay price for what you get at around $700, ***BUT*** the RAM is soldered, meaning no-go for any future upgrades, the screen's bevel is bad and falls apart from heat if you use it at a dock like I do, and it's keyboard is lackluster with an odd selection of media keys and no Linux support for it's fingerprint scanner. Obviously the fingerprint scanner doesn't matter much to me nowadays, but for the DE guys it may be a deal-breaker. 

If you want a cheap desktop computer that does amazing under Linux, get a used Dell Optiplex. I got mine for $50, people often sell them for under $200 complete, and they are easily upgradable with about 90% standard parts. The only issues I have with them is the lack of space for storage and a front case fan and their garbage proprietary 8-pin motherboard power cable. Both the issues with the fan and storage can be mitigated if you are clever enough, but the 8-pin seems to make the processor inside run at a fraction of it's actual potential.

My phone is a Google Pixel 5a, and depending on who you ask it's either a downgrade or an upgrade. (100% the latter, by the way.) I was originally an Apple guy through and through until I became more weary about the privacy issues we have in our world's internet. If you are curious, I have a couple blog articles detailing my switch:

* [Why I Ditched My iPhone After 7 Years](/blog/ditched-iphone)
* [Half a Year Later: Why I Switched From iPhone to GrapheneOS]() (Coming soon!)
