22 July 2025
Starting on an Apple Macintosh II and Aldus PageMaker way back in 1987 (actually started racewalking 1987 as well).
I've used a lot of different software applications, hosting services, and Apple computers over the many years (still have many of them) to bring this site to life and keep it running. Actually been through the following DTP programs: Aldus PageMaker, Quark XPress, Adobe InDesign, and now Affinity Publisher.
Since September 2020, I have been exploring using Linux as my Daily Driver
using Pop!_OS from System76 and have a Thelio desktop computer as my Linux Daily Driver.
. This is a fantastic computer built in the USA and did I say it's fast and has more power than the iMac I have and at half the cost.
Update: Been using Pop!_OS on the Thelio since September 2021 for all things except, what is directly related to the book publishing part of Curt Sheller Publications. The DTP suite of software is not as feature rich on Linux than is available for the Desktop Publishing (DTP) part of Curt Sheller Publications — the Books and PDF files, etc…
After 30 plus years of using a Mac (since 1987 and Mac II), ALL development is now on Pop!_OS , a System76 Thelio desktop computer, and the NEW System76 Launch Keyboard . It's faster and was half the cost of the new iMac I bought early 2020.
And, I never hear the fan, even when it comes on the Thelio. On the iMac, it goes on when nothing is going on and throttles the CPU back, so you don't get the performance that you paid for. Linux, Pop!_os, and the Thelio are very liberating.
The only real piece that I still do on a Mac is the Curt Sheller Publications books and lessons content for the PDF files. 2023 Update: M1 Apple Studio Mac for ALL Apple Mac related.
From hand-coding my original GuitarResources.com (1987) and JazzGuitarResources.com (1992) sites with BBEdit v3 , hosting on ItsAMac.com (MacHighway.com) to the current Laravel sites using Sublime Text and Sublime Merge on both my Mac and Thelio computers. I have been hosting the sites on DigitalOcean with admin and deployment using GitHub as well as Laravel Forge to manage the servers. I've come a long way with the “LearningUkulele.com” site — the ever-evolving site.
For figuring out what pages of the site are the most popular and visited (don't know who or collect any personal information), I currently using open-source, Plausible.io — Trying to stay off google.
Here is all the software, hardware, and gear that goes into making the LearningUkulele.com site possible.
Finally, off all Adobe products and their subscriptions. Using Affinity Publisher, Designer, and Photo for all my lessons, books, and the like and moving most other activities to the Linux and Open-source software. Affinity Publisher is the third DTP application that I've used starting in 1987 with Aldus PageMaker, then Quark Express, and now Affinity Publisher.
Here is a list of software and hardware I use and have used over the years.
Affinity
Driven by photographers and designers from the outset, Affinity is the new name in high quality, next-generation creative apps for professionals (Design, Photo, and Publishing). Conceived and developed by a passionate team of artists and programmers, Affinity gives creatives exactly what they need for the highest quality artwork, photos and designs—accurate, high quality tools in fast, innovative, reliable apps with flair.
Apple, Inc.
Released with much fanfare in January of 1984, the Macintosh was the first affordable computer to include a Graphical User Interface. It was built around the new Motorola 68000 chip, which was significantly faster than previous processors, running at 8 MHz. The Mac came in a small beige case with a black and white monitor built in. It came with a keyboard and mouse, and had a floppy drive that took 400k 3.5in disk the first personal computer to do so. It originally sold for $2,495.
Bare Bones Software, Inc.
BBEdit is a text editor originally developed for Macintosh System Software 6 and now for Mac OS X. It is made by Bare Bones Software. BBEdit is not a word processor, meaning it does not have text formatting or page layout features. BBEdit’s audience includes programmers and web designers.
Laravel - The PHP Framework for Artisans
Laravel is a web application framework with expressive, elegant syntax. Laravel attempts to take the pain out of development by easing common tasks used in the majority of web projects, such as authentication, routing, sessions, and caching. Laravel is built on top of several Symfony components, giving your application a great foundation of well-tested and reliable code.
MacHighway
MacHighway is a web hosting service designed by Mac users for Mac users. MacHighway understands that there is a significant number of Mac users who need quality web hosting. Too many web hosting companies believe that the Mac platform is not worthy of support and altogether disregard the Macintosh enthusiast. That’s where MacHighway comes in.
2019/2020 Update: Hover and Namecheap for domain services, FastMail for mail, DigitialOcean for hosting with Laravel Forge for managing deployment. Source code management with git and GitHub.
MuseScore
MuseScore is a scorewriter for Windows, macOS, and Linux, comparable to Finale and Sibelius, supporting a wide variety of file formats and input methods. It is released as free and open-source software under the GNU General Public License. MuseScore is accompanied by a freemium mobile score viewer and playback app, and an online score sharing platform. The makers of MuseScore claim that it is the world's most popular notation software.
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML. If you are new to PHP and want to get some idea of how it works, try the introductory tutorial. After that, check out the online manual, and the example archive sites and some of the other resources available in the links section.
Shure Microphones and Audio Electronics
Shure Incorporated is an American corporation originally founded by Sidney N. Shure in Chicago, Illinois in 1925 as a supplier of radio parts kits. The company became a consumer and professional audio-electronics manufacturer of microphones, wireless microphone systems, phonograph cartridges, discussion systems, mixers, and digital signal processing. The company also produces listening products, including headphones, high-end earbuds and personal monitor systems.
System76
System76 is an American computer manufacturer based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in the sale of notebooks, desktops, and servers. The company supports free and open-source software, offering either Ubuntu or their own Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, Pop!_OS, as the preinstalled operating system
And a slew of Open Source Software (OSS) and paid software on macOS and Linux – Pop!_os including: Apostrophe , BeachBit, Bitwarden , Boxes , Boxy SVG , Converseen, , DBeaver Community, , Déjà Dup Backups, , DB Browser for SQLite, , Discord, , Document Scanner, , Discord, , Document Scanner, , FileZilla , Final Cut Pro , Firefox , ghostwriter, Gimp , Htop, ImageMagcik , Inkscape , QjackCtl, , Joplin , Jamulus , Kdenlive , Kitra , LibreOffice , Logic , MeiliSearch, Musescore , MySQL , OBS Studio , MarkText, Meld, PDF Arranger, Popsicle, Postman, Psensor , Sequeler , Scribus , Sibelius , Skype, Snappshot, SQLite , Sublime Text , Sublime Merge , Syncthing , Tableplus , Timeshift , Transit , VLC , Yubico Authenticator, Zoom • and man more ... BOLD are used daily.
My progression of computers over the years (since 1987).
Still have an SE 30 at home to run HyperCard and will set it up at Funky Frets Music Store one of these days for fun. Actually, still have the G4 and G5 — but not the Macintosh II above or a LC somewhere around the early 1990s between there somewhere. And, almost forgot a couple of MacBooks floating around — one with Pop!_OS installed. Also, a Compulab fitlet , a fanless mini PC running Pop!_OS (Linux) at home. And for 2020, a System76 Thelio running Pop!_OS next to the iMac at the music store, and in 2022 an iXystems TrueNAS-Mini-E server for syncing files and other goodies I've yet to explore. All basically the Curt Sheller Publications / Funky Frets Music Store, World Headquarters ;-).
Throw in a few Newtons, iTouch, iPads, and iPhones. Been pretty Apple Mac centric from 1987 until 2021. Love me that System76 Thelio and using is 90% or more of the time.
Computer Gear for Sale
Here is some former computer gear the is just not being used and is for sale. Save at least half of what you would have to pay for new.
Mechanical Keyboards For Sale
- * Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (Version 1) * RGB Backlight Aluminum Frame, Cherry Red MX Switches, $49 plus shipping * (NEW $89)
- * Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (Version 2) * RGB Backlight Aluminum Frame, Cherry Red MX Switches, $59 plus shipping * (NEW $89)
* I have the Original boxes for the keyboards. Checkout the Keychron link below for more information and full specs.
These are great keyboards. I'm just not using them anymore, since I got the System76 Launch keyboard(s). They both need good homes. The only difference, externally I can see between the two are the extendable legs in the back to change the degree of incline.
Apple, Inc.
Released with much fanfare in January of 1984, the Macintosh was the first affordable computer to include a Graphical User Interface. It was built around the new Motorola 68000 chip, which was significantly faster than previous processors, running at 8 MHz. The Mac came in a small beige case with a black and white monitor built in. It came with a keyboard and mouse, and had a floppy drive that took 400k 3.5in disk the first personal computer to do so. It originally sold for $2,495.
Released with much fanfare in January of 1984, the Macintosh was the first affordable computer to include a Graphical User Interface. It was built around the new Motorola 68000 chip, which was significantly faster than previous processors, running at 8 MHz. The Mac came in a small beige case with a black and white monitor built in. It came with a keyboard and mouse, and had a floppy drive that took 400k 3.5in disk the first personal computer to do so. It originally sold for $2,495.
Shure Microphones and Audio Electronics
Shure Incorporated is an American corporation originally founded by Sidney N. Shure in Chicago, Illinois in 1925 as a supplier of radio parts kits. The company became a consumer and professional audio-electronics manufacturer of microphones, wireless microphone systems, phonograph cartridges, discussion systems, mixers, and digital signal processing. The company also produces listening products, including headphones, high-end earbuds and personal monitor systems.
Shure Incorporated is an American corporation originally founded by Sidney N. Shure in Chicago, Illinois in 1925 as a supplier of radio parts kits. The company became a consumer and professional audio-electronics manufacturer of microphones, wireless microphone systems, phonograph cartridges, discussion systems, mixers, and digital signal processing. The company also produces listening products, including headphones, high-end earbuds and personal monitor systems.
System76
System76 is an American computer manufacturer based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in the sale of notebooks, desktops, and servers. The company supports free and open-source software, offering either Ubuntu or their own Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, Pop!_OS, as the preinstalled operating system
System76 is an American computer manufacturer based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in the sale of notebooks, desktops, and servers. The company supports free and open-source software, offering either Ubuntu or their own Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, Pop!_OS, as the preinstalled operating system
Keychron
Keychron was formed in 2017 by a group of keyboard enthusiast who has extensive experience in keyboard manufacturing. The group consists of designers, marketers, and production experts. Our core team members, Will Ye has 9 years of experience in keyboard production and related businesses and Sven Zhu has 10 years of experience in industrial design. We’ve dedicate ourselves to creating the most sophisticated mechanical keyboard with a minimalist design. And registered as Middle Bridge Ltd in Endeavour House 3rd Floor, Coopers End Road, Stansted, CM24 1SJ, United Kingdom.
Keychron was formed in 2017 by a group of keyboard enthusiast who has extensive experience in keyboard manufacturing. The group consists of designers, marketers, and production experts. Our core team members, Will Ye has 9 years of experience in keyboard production and related businesses and Sven Zhu has 10 years of experience in industrial design. We’ve dedicate ourselves to creating the most sophisticated mechanical keyboard with a minimalist design. And registered as Middle Bridge Ltd in Endeavour House 3rd Floor, Coopers End Road, Stansted, CM24 1SJ, United Kingdom.
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