4 ms·

Framework and chromeos feel like a very strange combination to me.

freedomben 3y ago
Hard disagree from me. I've had a lot of Chromebooks and 3 frameworks, and it's a terrific match IMHO. I do wish you could switch back and forth between Linux and Chromebook without replacing the main board, but even that is a great fit. As needs change, you have options. Chromebook is great for many users especially now that it runs Linux apps, and can even be a very capable dev machine.
- cbsmith 3y ago
  You need to swap out the mainboard to install Linux?
  - danans 3y ago
    It's the other way around. If you want ChromeOS (in particular with its Verified Boot system for the OS image [1]), you need special hardware that comes with Chromebooks, including the Framework Chromebook. That has nothing to do with the ability to run Linux, though. If you don't care about Verified Boot, you can install ChromeOS-Flex on a Framework Linux device (https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/um0mk6/chromeos_flex_framework_amazing_combo/ https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/um0mk6/chromeos_...) On the other hand, installing Linux on Chromebook hardware is straightforward. The options are: 1. Use the Debian Linux VM (Crostini) that is already present on Chromebooks: https://chromeos.dev/en/linux https://chromeos.dev/en/linux All you do is click on a few buttons in the settings. This approach preserves Verified Boot. If you want to replace ChromeOS on a Chromebook with a Linux distro, you can use Crouton: https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton This approach removes verified boot. 1. https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/security-overview/#verified-boot https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/...
    - cbsmith 3y ago
      Okay, that's what i thought.
    - MikusR 3y ago
      IIRC Flex does not have Android support
- seanw444 3y ago
  > I do wish you could switch back and forth between Linux and Chromebook without replacing the main board Crouton? It won't have full capabilities being in a chroot, but I remember it being more than adequate for almost everything I needed it for. 5 years ago.
  - freedomben 3y ago
    Sorry I was pretty unclear. By "Linux" here I meant, "a traditional Linux distro" not just Linux inside the Chromebook. Crouton is amazing but pretty outdated at this point not being kept up to date, but crostini is, and neither of those require a main board swap
    - seanw444 3y ago
      Gotcha. Yeah see I had no clue Crouton was unmaintained. Shows how long its been since I've used a Chromebook I guess. I'm not even familiar with Crostini. Only heard the name.
tapoxi 3y ago
Imagine all the schools with Chromebooks deployed, suddenly there's an option for their own IT staff to easily replace broken parts instead of buying new Chromebooks or sending them elsewhere to repair. Decent market for that.
- danans 3y ago
  This has existed for a while: https://edu.google.com/chromebooks/chromebook-repairability https://edu.google.com/chromebooks/chromebook-repairability Some school districts have summer internship programs for students interested in learning how to do the repairs. https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-encourages-kids-to-repair-chromebooks-at-school https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-encourages-kids-to-repair-...
eloisant 3y ago
You can upgrade and repair your laptop! But after a few years you can no longer update your web browser.

Hard disagree from me. I've had a lot of Chromebooks and 3 frameworks, and it's a terrific match IMHO. I do wish you could switch back and forth between Linux and Chromebook without replacing the main board, but even that is a great fit. As needs change, you have options. Chromebook is great for many users especially now that it runs Linux apps, and can even be a very capable dev machine.

cbsmith 3y ago
You need to swap out the mainboard to install Linux?
- danans 3y ago
  It's the other way around. If you want ChromeOS (in particular with its Verified Boot system for the OS image [1]), you need special hardware that comes with Chromebooks, including the Framework Chromebook. That has nothing to do with the ability to run Linux, though. If you don't care about Verified Boot, you can install ChromeOS-Flex on a Framework Linux device (https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/um0mk6/chromeos_flex_framework_amazing_combo/ https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/um0mk6/chromeos_...) On the other hand, installing Linux on Chromebook hardware is straightforward. The options are: 1. Use the Debian Linux VM (Crostini) that is already present on Chromebooks: https://chromeos.dev/en/linux https://chromeos.dev/en/linux All you do is click on a few buttons in the settings. This approach preserves Verified Boot. If you want to replace ChromeOS on a Chromebook with a Linux distro, you can use Crouton: https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton This approach removes verified boot. 1. https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/security-overview/#verified-boot https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromiumos-design-docs/...
  - cbsmith 3y ago
    Okay, that's what i thought.
  - MikusR 3y ago
    IIRC Flex does not have Android support
seanw444 3y ago
> I do wish you could switch back and forth between Linux and Chromebook without replacing the main board Crouton? It won't have full capabilities being in a chroot, but I remember it being more than adequate for almost everything I needed it for. 5 years ago.
- freedomben 3y ago
  Sorry I was pretty unclear. By "Linux" here I meant, "a traditional Linux distro" not just Linux inside the Chromebook. Crouton is amazing but pretty outdated at this point not being kept up to date, but crostini is, and neither of those require a main board swap
  - seanw444 3y ago
    Gotcha. Yeah see I had no clue Crouton was unmaintained. Shows how long its been since I've used a Chromebook I guess. I'm not even familiar with Crostini. Only heard the name.

tapoxi 3y ago

Imagine all the schools with Chromebooks deployed, suddenly there's an option for their own IT staff to easily replace broken parts instead of buying new Chromebooks or sending them elsewhere to repair. Decent market for that.

danans 3y ago
This has existed for a while: https://edu.google.com/chromebooks/chromebook-repairability https://edu.google.com/chromebooks/chromebook-repairability Some school districts have summer internship programs for students interested in learning how to do the repairs. https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-encourages-kids-to-repair-chromebooks-at-school https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-encourages-kids-to-repair-...

eloisant 3y ago

You can upgrade and repair your laptop! But after a few years you can no longer update your web browser.