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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.
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.
The summary begins with the words 'well respected' but the river of garbage immediately below leads me to believe that they're only respected by Google's sales department, and that's only the kind of fawning service a whale receives rather than respect.
If you want to use a data collection tool as your main computer then be my guest.
Personally almost all I use is Chromebook. Occasionally I need to tweak a graphic or Word document which I can do via tVNC on my old desktop.
For work I use Citrix to get into my desktop. My storage is 95% in Google Docs. When the Linux windows come out I'll be set there.
The only things I really want beyond quality desktop office and graphic apps that don't have a huge monthly cost (I'm looking at you Microsoft and Adobe) is better Android support. There's a few apps and games I really wish ran better on my system. Maybe a better gamepad interface. But that's more on the game producers.
You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
I did it 4 years ago when my macbook air died and I didn't really have the money to buy a new one. So I switched to a chromebook, and an android phone.
If you remember that Apple builds computers/phones/systems to profit from and Google builds computers/phones/systems to run more of their ads to profit from, you won't be too shocked by how rough google tech is.
I lasted 3 years on an android phone before going back to an iphone, I am not sure I want to spend the money on a new macbook, so I will probably get a cheap linux laptop when my chromebook dies and keep everything in the cloud (probably MS with MS office, which is still 10 times better than google apps).
There is nothing that a Chromebook does better than a mac, it is just a lot cheaper.
The PC era (one personal computer) is over and we can all afford multiple devices and cloud services. These questions around, “is device X a real computer” died like all the arguments about whether iPads were or weren’t for real serious work, also died.
Every device is potentially useful and it is just a question of one’s life and work habits. For example, I have no interest in wearables. But I do love my little projects in high-end-ish 3D modelling software (and these days a decent desktop with large screen is fine for my small projects). I also sit on the sofa a lot and the desktop is in another room, so a tablet is essential, but I never take it out of the house as, essentially, I do not commute on trains, but if I did, I would take it out a lot. And all work is on a laptop, again, because various reasons.
IOW, lots of little lifestyle quirks. Every device has potential, and we are way past the day when a computer has to do everything in order to succeed in the market.
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.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
...but after about 2 weeks of dealing with the limitations of vanilla ChromeOS, and then another 2 weeks working around the limitations of ChromeOS + crouton, I wanted a real OS again. So my advice is to pick a Chromebook with the biggest SSD and best hardware support in the mainline kernel you can, that way when living 100% in the cloud doesn't really work you can put a full GNU/Linux distro on it.
0 1 - just my two bits
Chromebooks are great if all you want to do is browse the web. Just don't spend a lot of money on it.
Simply put, stay away from the Pixelbook unless you enjoy lighting money on fire. It's over $1000 and you'll get 5 years tops out of it guaranteed, even with the crazy specs it has. If you're going to spend that much you might as well stick with a Mac. At least you'll get at minimum 7-10 year use out of it. After the Pixel EOL, The only way I would even consider a Pixelbook right now is if Google flat out announces a commitment to a 7-10 year software support strategy for it.
The HP Chromebook X2 or the Samsung Chromebook Pro would be the highest I would pay for one and only if I was going to use it daily. There are also cheaper alternatives out there. Personally, I wouldn't spend more than $200 for one.
Printer wise, you need a cloud print enabled printer. Epson's are cheap, are very easy to setup, and their scanners can scan directly to Google Drive out of the box, but it is an inkjet so if you don't print often it will dry up and then it's toss the printer time, so buy an Epson XP-440 all in one for $50 and only if you really need to print. HP and Canon's also have printers that are cloud print capable, but tend to be harder to setup and can be more expensive.
In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!
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.
.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).
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
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.
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.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
I stopped reading when it talked about having your passwords exposed if someone got to your local copy of 1password. He clearly has no idea what he's talking about.
Having Google manage your passwords is like having a fox guard the henhouse. 1Password encrypts everything at rest, and you have to put in your master password to access your database. By default it auto-locks again after just a few minutes. The only way someone would be able to get into your 1Password vault would be if you set your master password the same as a previously hacked account. And if you did that, then you missed the entire point of having a password manager.
If a Chromebook servers the author's needs, then all the power to him. I just can't wait to see him melt down when his internet connection goes down.
(How the heck do you develop on the web anyway? Unless he works exclusively in Javascript I don't see how that would work)
I don't want them getting spyware
So, you bought them a computer which comes with spyware preinstalled.
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
There is a big difference between those three.
Microsoft and Apple sell a lot of shit, information is not their primary source of income.
Googles primary source of income is your information.
They are not all doing the same thing, not even close. Try requesting the information they have collected about you from those 3, the one from Google will be substantially longer and more detailed than the other 2 combined.