Moving To a Chromebook (avc.com)

VC Fred Wilson writes: I've been thinking about moving from a Mac to a Chromebook as my primary computing device. I have not used desktop software for probably a decade now. The browser is how I do all of my desktop computing. Paying up for a full blown computer when all I need is a browser seems like a waste. And there are some security things that appeal to me about a Chromebook. I like the ability to do two factor authentication on signing into the device, for example. I am curious what advice those of you who use Chromebooks have for me. In the comments section, Kevin C Tofel, a long time journalist and an ex-Googler writes: I'm all on in Chromebooks, currently using a Pixelbook. Base model is fine for my needs, which sound very similar. I am taking some CompSci classes but even from a programming standpoint, the addition of Linux running in containers -- available in Dev and Beta channels now, coming to Stable v. 69 in the coming weeks -- fills that need easily and securely. I don't do a bunch of video editing but I can do audio edits in Audacity for Linux once audio support arrives for Linux on Chrome OS.

I actually use Google for my password management. It's built in to Chrome / Chrome OS and syncs to all devices. Plus, you can always log in and look up passwords at passwords.google.com. Sure if Google is hacked, someone has my passwords, but same can be said for any cloud-based password manager or (if you run 1Password, etc... locally) if someone gains access to your device. I use Google's 2FA to log in to my Google account and even to log in to my Pixelbook - can be done with an authenticator app, SMS or -- my preferred method -- a Yubikey. I'l be buying a Google Titan Security key to replace my Yubikey once they go on sale.

Comments

Chrome with Debian

[houghi]

I use a Chromebook. It is a HP. I run Debian on it using Crouton
That way I can easily find things I want and know, like terminals and bash and what not.
As an added bonus I can run it on an encrypted file and if somebody asks to look at my PC and I log in, there will be not much for them to see, unless they know to do CTRL-SHIFT-T, then shell (or pgdwn) and then "sudo startxfce4". And there I can use any browser that I desire with anything that I desire.

e.g. I use LastPass for logins, but not on the one on Chromebook. That user is not even the same as my 'normal' user that I use. I use Chromium and not Chrome on Linux.

The device is fast enough for browsing and the price is low enough to make it interesting. More here on various ones

If I would buy one now, I probably would go for the Acer. That said, I use it as a secondary PC and I absolutely need ssh to servers.

Re:Oxymoron?

[StuartHankins]

If you consider an employee making $x output per hour, and compare that to 97% $x because someone wanted to save a few dollars, it doesn't take long before the cost of the laptop is a rounding error.

Take a developer making only $75K per year. Let's say they work 40 hour weeks, 49 weeks per year, that's 1960 work hours at $38.27 per hour ($75000 / 1960).

Say you shave 10 minutes a day by using a Mac. That's .17 hours at $38.27 per hour, or $6.38 per day. Taking that 49 weeks and assuming 5 days per week that's 245 work days... which totals up to $1563 a year saved. That should pretty much pay for the Mac by itself, especially if you consider a 3-5 year replacement cycle ($4689-$7816).

It makes even more sense if your salary is higher. At $100K per year, that is $51.02 per hour and $8.50 per day, or $2083 per year saved by buying the Mac. Over the 3-5 year replacement cycle that's $6248-10413.

Re:Why pay to loose your privacy

[Oswald McWeany]

As he says in the article, there are security aspects that appeal to him. You get tired after a while of hearing about all the Microsoft and Linux vulns.

My kids all got Chromebooks as their first laptop for that very reason; I don't want them getting spyware and viruses, and whereas that is still possible with a chromebook, it is less likely.