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I disagree and find this is just another gushing fanboy defending fandom. Chromebooks are fine for the 80% case like normal PCs but that last 20% is impossible
by csmuk 13y ago
I disagree and find this is just another gushing fanboy defending fandom.
Chromebooks are fine for the 80% case like normal PCs but that last 20% is impossible unlike normal PCs. There are certain things that you just cannot do. It is disingenuous to market them as PC alternatives or general purpose computers.
They are merely different and not better
I'm not sure they are ethically acceptable either as they are solely to promote and lock people into google's ecosystem. This is a dangerous line to tread. Vendor lock in has been made socially acceptable now through years of marketing in a typical us vs them fashion. If you're not taking a side, you are an outcast.
And no I don't think installing Ubuntu on them is a good solution either.
I genuinely have nothing positive to say about them. And yes I have owned one.
- warfangle 13y ago> There are certain things that you just cannot do. Until you snag crouton and then all of a sudden you've got a plenty-fast linux laptop on top of a really nice SSD.
- hnriot 13y agoyou must be using the phrase "plenty fast" in a way i'm not familiar! They are as slow as mollases. if you just want to do web browsing fine, but as soon as you put linux on it and do anything else it's like watching snails.
- csmuk 13y agoCrouton is a defeatist crutch, not a solution for every day use. If you're using Crouton, you are denying yourself the flexibility of a proper computer artificially. It's like buying a Prius and sticking a big exhaust and a spoiler on it. Just buy a different car.
- jolan 13y agoWell, there's chrubuntu if you don't like Crouton.
- csmuk 13y agoThere are also other, far superior laptops that run Ubuntu for the same money.
- MrMeker 13y agoFor example? I recently stepped on my ChroutonBook and am looking for a replacement.
- csmuk 13y agoAnything that isn't a ChromeBook that you can install either windows or Linux on be it new or second hand. I'd suggest a second hand ThinkPad T series as that can definitely be stood on.
- jolan 13y agoIf there's something that can beat the Acer C720 in terms of performance/price w/SSD, I'd very much like to see it.
- warfangle 13y agoAnd if all you really need is a decent command prompt and build tools? :)
- warfangle 13y agoWhat $250 price point laptop is far superior?
- jlgreco 13y agoCrouton is a pain in the ass, not least because you are stuck with much of ChromeOS when you go that route. You are better off just slapping Debian on it properly, unless you reeeaaally need to watch Netflix with it.
- pessimizer 13y ago>And no I don't think installing Ubuntu on them is a good solution either. Why?
- csmuk 13y agoBecause you are promoting the product by contributing to sales figures and because far superior computers can be purchased for very little money. A cheap lenovo laptop can be had for the same price as a basic chromebook in the UK with a larger screen, 6Gb of RAM, 500Gb hard disk and DVD writer. You can choose to use windows that comes with it or install Ubuntu.
- hdevalence 13y agoCool, can you point me to a Lenovo that costs $250, weighs 1kg, has >6 hours of battery life, and preferably has no moving parts and runs totally silently?
- csmuk 13y agoNo. I can point you to one that weighs 2.5x that, barely manages 4 hours, has a rotating disk and is fairly quiet for that price. But my printer will work with it so that makes it infinitely more valuable. And I don't have to sign in to a google account nor be connected to the Internet to use it effectively.
- hdevalence 13y agoSo the point is that a Lenovo laptop is far superior for you, but maybe not for everyone. Maybe the people who talk about how great chromebooks are have come to different conclusions, based on different requirements?
- csmuk 13y agoYes they have. Marketing. Which doesn't fairly represent needs.