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My favorite device is a Chromebook

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Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#51

Post by fragmede »

type0 wrote: post #40
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #24

My favorite device used to be a Chromebook. I got a maxed out Pixelbook in 2018 and I loved it, especially as Crostini got better and better over the years. It was my primary dev laptop and I loved using it. I think we know where this is going... Like many other things Google over the past decade, it died on the vine - IIRC Google killed their Chromebook devices group a couple years ago. I would have loved a Pixelboo…

If you want powerful hardware there's ChromeOS Flex, combine it with a framework laptop and you should be fine

fwiw, Framework sells a Chromebook

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#52

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

fuzzylightbulb wrote: post #35
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #24

My favorite device used to be a Chromebook. I got a maxed out Pixelbook in 2018 and I loved it, especially as Crostini got better and better over the years. It was my primary dev laptop and I loved using it. I think we know where this is going... Like many other things Google over the past decade, it died on the vine - IIRC Google killed their Chromebook devices group a couple years ago. I would have loved a Pixelboo…

Can I ask what made you move on? I'm still using mine for basic tasks from the couch and as a travel device. It's perfect for taking to a cafe and crushing some email for a few hours. And the screen is a beauty.

I develop and run code in Crostini (e.g. VSCode, primarily for TypeScript and Python development in NodeJS, run Postgres, etc.) Over the years the lack of performance options (i.e. memory and processor updates) has become hugely noticeable, e.g. compilation is much faster on my current MacBook.

The Pixelbook was always a bit slower (obviously running in Crostini takes a bit of a perf hit) but originally the other benefits made up for it, but now the performance gap has become a chasm.

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#54

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

hollerith wrote: post #48
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #24

My favorite device used to be a Chromebook. I got a maxed out Pixelbook in 2018 and I loved it, especially as Crostini got better and better over the years. It was my primary dev laptop and I loved using it. I think we know where this is going... Like many other things Google over the past decade, it died on the vine - IIRC Google killed their Chromebook devices group a couple years ago. I would have loved a Pixelboo…

Framework makes a Chromebook that can be stuffed with RAM and storage.

Thanks for the reminder. I looked into it when it first came out, and I know there was something I thought was a deal breaker but can't now remember what it was. Perhaps I just didn't realize how much memory can be added. I'll take a closer look again!

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#55

Post by eBombzor »

hollerith wrote: post #49
dheera wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just get the normal Framework, install Ubuntu on it and delete all the icons except for Chrome

Much less secure.

How exactly is ChromeOS "secure"? Is it just a word that gets passed around in the marketing materials? Where is the evidence that it's more secure than Linux?

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#56

Post by moondev »

type0 wrote: post #40
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #24

My favorite device used to be a Chromebook. I got a maxed out Pixelbook in 2018 and I loved it, especially as Crostini got better and better over the years. It was my primary dev laptop and I loved using it. I think we know where this is going... Like many other things Google over the past decade, it died on the vine - IIRC Google killed their Chromebook devices group a couple years ago. I would have loved a Pixelboo…

If you want powerful hardware there's ChromeOS Flex, combine it with a framework laptop and you should be fine

ChromeOS flex can't run Android apps like native ChromeOS - so getting the framework chromebook edition will give you all bells and whistles.

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#57

Post by zdragnar »

frithsun wrote: post #15

I'm big on digital minimalism and have relied on Chromebooks for everything for well over a decade now. I have Gimp, Inkscape, and the other flagship Linux apps I need. I have ssh and my tmux/shell/vim development environment I prefer. It would be nice if there were an open source alternative, but all that the open source community wants to deliver is rip-offs of the Windows XP experience. Chromebook is what desktop…

I seem to recall peppermint os started out as the Linux alterative to the windows netbook (circa 2009 maybe?), with the hope of being what chrome os is now, but after awhile of losing to chromebooks it looks like they shifted gears pretty hard.

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#58

Post by vinkelhake »

tinix wrote: post #33
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #24

My favorite device used to be a Chromebook. I got a maxed out Pixelbook in 2018 and I loved it, especially as Crostini got better and better over the years. It was my primary dev laptop and I loved using it. I think we know where this is going... Like many other things Google over the past decade, it died on the vine - IIRC Google killed their Chromebook devices group a couple years ago. I would have loved a Pixelboo…

right there with you! it's an i7 chromebook with 16GB RAM and 500GB ssd. that's still unheard of to this day... runs linux apps natively runs android apps natively runs windows apps through linux/wine/steam layer it's lightweight (2 lbs), very thin and fanless has a high DPI touchscreen 3:2 aspect ratio the battery lasts 10+ hours it can be folded over into tablet mode and supports a wacom stylus it's a chromebook so…

HP Dragonfly Chromebook exist with up to 32GB RAM and has pretty good specs (good screen with touch), but it's very expensive for what you get.

I have one of those at work and it's a nice device, but I don't think it's worth the money.

Besides, I'm a sucker for fanless laptops. I used to have pixelbooks for personal use (first the 2018 and then the Go). A while ago I bought an M2 air and run asahi Linux on it. That HW plus ChromeOS would be nice...

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#59

Post by kogepathic »

rationalfaith wrote: post #17

"And what I think makes ChromeOS really powerful is Crostini, a full Linux VM that you can run inside ChromeOS".... This is akin to the person that uses their left hand to touch their right ear.... Both MacOS and Windows offer that without all constraints and privacy negligent services from Google/Alphabet.

> Both MacOS and Windows offer that without all constraints and privacy negligent services from Google/Alphabet.

As yes, Windows, the famously privacy respecting OS. [1] [2]

Apple has also been hard at work developing new ways to gatekeep users from running their own software. [3] macOS updates are also widely known to be small, quick to install, and never leave the computer unbootable. [4] /s

I, like the author, have had Chromebooks for many years. They are, bar none, the most easy to use and secure by default computer I have ever used.

Chromebooks are cheap and are supported for longer than any Windows/macOS release and the update process is utterly seamless and without issue.

It has all but removed IT support requests from my elderly relatives. The worst thing they can do is install a sketchy Chrome extension, but that's painless to remove compared to malware.

[1] https://www.windowscentral.com/how-remove-advertising-window...

[2] https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-10-telemetry

[3] https://9to5mac.com/2024/08/06/macos-sequoia-makes-it-harder...

[4] https://support.apple.com/en-us/102531

Re: My favorite device is a Chromebook

#60

Post by fragmede »

eBombzor wrote: post #55
hollerith wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Much less secure.

How exactly is ChromeOS "secure"? Is it just a word that gets passed around in the marketing materials? Where is the evidence that it's more secure than Linux?

ChromeOS is Linux, as it's running the Linux kernel. As is Android for that matter. But anyway, Google doesn't let you run random binaries you download on ChromeOS, outside of a limited sandbox, making it more secure than a distro that lets you run curl | sudo sh outside of a VM.

There are some other security shaped things they do as well.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3438631?hl=en

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