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https://galliumos.org https://galliumos.org makes chromebooks work with desktop applications.

vetinari 10y ago
The problem with Chromebooks is not that they do not run desktop applications. That's actually an advantage from certain point of view. The problem is that the machine and user provisioning is dependent on Google. I want to be able to load the machine with certificates, VPN profiles, Wi-Fi settings, proxy settings, IdM configuration, directory info, etc independently from Google. Imagine, if Google servers ceased to exists tomorrow: the machines and all the provisioning processes must still work, as if nothing happened. Yes, not paying per device/per month for quasi-monopoly service is also desirable.
- anonbanker 10y ago
  which you could do with just about any stripped-down linux distro. Heck, in gentoo, you could build it all and deploy a pre-built/configured tarball extracted to the root directory on every client machine you controlled. none of which you seek is exclusive to ChromeOS, except the default lack of native desktop apps.
  - vetinari 10y ago
    I can do it with Windows, OSX and random Linux distribution (that's maintained by someone else than me) on PC hardware too. Why should then I waste time with third party distributions for Chromebook, with users getting big scary warning at boot time about firmware signature? Or even worse, being forced to maintain my own distribution, with the same big scary warning? (CentOS/Fedora do pass the Secure Boot check, they are signed). Chromebooks are a very good idea if you a) have mostly web applications (or a occasional RDP/Citrix one) and b) you don't mind being forced into Google services. Currently, even companies that are in a) situation may be better off with the classic Windows+AD+Group policies solution, if they have any reason why not go for b).
    - anonbanker 10y ago
      I just flash the firmware for my users. then there's nothing but a quick bootup, and no "scary warning". take a trip to johnlewis.ie to download the tiny firmware updater. you might surprise yourself on how well you do. If you use linux in an IT environment, you are likely maintaining your own package list and configurations anyway. spending 4 minutes untarring an entire distribution to a chromebook post-firmware-flash is pretty painless. Spending 15 minutes installing GalliumOS is brain-dead simple, should you not have the sysadmin skills. Chromebooks are a very good idea if you want a cheap computer that can run a full desktop stack. They can even run Windows, should you enjoy dark patterns in your operating system choice.

The problem with Chromebooks is not that they do not run desktop applications. That's actually an advantage from certain point of view. The problem is that the machine and user provisioning is dependent on Google. I want to be able to load the machine with certificates, VPN profiles, Wi-Fi settings, proxy settings, IdM configuration, directory info, etc independently from Google. Imagine, if Google servers ceased to exists tomorrow: the machines and all the provisioning processes must still work, as if nothing happened. Yes, not paying per device/per month for quasi-monopoly service is also desirable.

anonbanker 10y ago
which you could do with just about any stripped-down linux distro. Heck, in gentoo, you could build it all and deploy a pre-built/configured tarball extracted to the root directory on every client machine you controlled. none of which you seek is exclusive to ChromeOS, except the default lack of native desktop apps.
- vetinari 10y ago
  I can do it with Windows, OSX and random Linux distribution (that's maintained by someone else than me) on PC hardware too. Why should then I waste time with third party distributions for Chromebook, with users getting big scary warning at boot time about firmware signature? Or even worse, being forced to maintain my own distribution, with the same big scary warning? (CentOS/Fedora do pass the Secure Boot check, they are signed). Chromebooks are a very good idea if you a) have mostly web applications (or a occasional RDP/Citrix one) and b) you don't mind being forced into Google services. Currently, even companies that are in a) situation may be better off with the classic Windows+AD+Group policies solution, if they have any reason why not go for b).
  - anonbanker 10y ago
    I just flash the firmware for my users. then there's nothing but a quick bootup, and no "scary warning". take a trip to johnlewis.ie to download the tiny firmware updater. you might surprise yourself on how well you do. If you use linux in an IT environment, you are likely maintaining your own package list and configurations anyway. spending 4 minutes untarring an entire distribution to a chromebook post-firmware-flash is pretty painless. Spending 15 minutes installing GalliumOS is brain-dead simple, should you not have the sysadmin skills. Chromebooks are a very good idea if you want a cheap computer that can run a full desktop stack. They can even run Windows, should you enjoy dark patterns in your operating system choice.