Chrome OS Could Be Getting Containers for Running Linux VMs (zdnet.com)

Chromebook users may soon have a simpler way to run their favorite Linux distribution and applications on Google's Chrome OS hardware. From a report: As spotted by Chrome Unboxed, there's a newly merged commit in Chromium Gerrit describing a "new device policy to allow Linux VMs on Chrome OS." A related entry suggests support could come with Chrome OS version 66, which is due out in stable release around April 24, meaning Google might announce it at its annual IO developer conference, which starts on May 8. Developers can already use a tool called Crouton to install and run Linux on Chrome OS, but there is a security trade-off because Chrome OS needs to be switched to developer mode to use it. There's also a Crouton extension called Xiwi to enable using an OS in a browser window on Chrome OS. However, it too requires developer mode to be enabled. A recent commit suggests Chrome developers are working on a project called Crostini that may solve the developer mode problem by allowing Linux VMs to run inside a container.

Comments

Re:I'd rather do the reverse.

[wierd_w]

Just link straight to MrChromebox.tech, since he has the needful to do the firmware portion in the bag right there for nearly all chromebooks in the wild.

https://mrchromebox.tech/#devi...
https://mrchromebox.tech/#fwsc...

All you need to do is remove the write protect screw/jumper, turn on dev mode, then run his script. Booya, bob's your uncle. His firmware has added bonus features, in that it reprograms the chromebook's embedded microcontroller so that the keyboard emulates a PS2 interface, allowing more OSes to run without as much hassle, as well as poking the sound hardware to better approximate an HD Audio Bus device.

Personally, I run GalliumOS as the primary on my Samsung chromebook 3 (celes). I have one of the older ones that only has 2gb of RAM, and I desperately need zram for it to be useful. With how weaksauce it is anyway, nearly any game that 'could' run on it, will also work in WINE, so I dont really need windows.

Re:Hardware gay sex with msmash's jelly dildos

[squiggleslash]

I went several layers deep into TFA and I must admit, I'm still confused as to what exactly is being added to ChromeOS, so I wouldn't blame the editors here who are unlikely to be as knowledgeable about the ins and outs of virtualization, containers, UML, chroot, etc.

Here's the problem: The reports claim Google is using both terms. The commit reads this:

New device policy to allow Linux VMs on Chrome OS.

If the policy is unset or set to true, running Linux VMs on Chrome OS is allowed. The unset is allowed means non-managed devices are allowed.

Clears it up right? Well, kinda, except according to the same website, crosh has recently had commands added for "running programs inside a container".

This could mean one of eleventeen things. They include:

1. Both LXC style container technology and VMWare style VMs are coming to ChromeOS.
2. Google is using the term "container" to describe some kind of lightweight VM type technology that'll appear in ChromeOS.
5. Google has no idea what VMs are and/or has no idea what containers are, and has confused them, and is planning an LXC style sandboxing environment for ChromeOS.
6. Like 5. but Google knows, it just doesn't care. 9. chromeunboxed is actually making shit up.

I have no idea what the truth is. I'm guessing 6 simply because the low spec of most Chromebooks would make 2 less likely.