ChromeOS on ASUS PC with Ubuntu to avoid buying Chromebook - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 12:12:21 pm
content: Hi folks,I have a problem... the school my kids go to made a requirement this year that kids either use a Chromebook or Windows 10 computer. My kids have been using laptops that I converted a few years ago to Ubuntu and they have been using those at home and school successfully for the past several years. I spoke to the IT person at the school and tried to reason with them why I wish to continue having them use Ubuntu and that they didn't seem to have a problem with it for the past few years, and the response I got was that they wanted a "consistent" environment for all the students in case they needed technical support. Now I don't want to buy new hardware when I have perfectly good Linux machines already. This is ridiculous but they may give me problems if we don't abide by their new policy.If their problem is not using ChromeOS then can I install it for dual-booting or simply create a VM and run it in VirtualBox so when they are in school they are using ChromeOS? Their laptops run absolutely fine on Linux but would probably choke on Win10 unless I updated the hardware. I find the policy ridiculous but I can't see any way around it. Does anyone have a suggestion to dual-boot ChromeOS on a regular ASUS laptop (or any other PC laptop) or am I better off using a VM?Either that or I buy a few cheap Chromebooks and walk away with my tail between my legs and give up the battle with this bureaucratic behemoth.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 12:59:49 pm
content: Why do they do it? Well exactly the reason he told you.When I went to take math classes at the local community college, I was strongly recommended a very expensive TI-89 over my HP48G, which I had just started using, already owned, and liked a bit better. There's no question as to why they told me to buy a 100 dollar calculator that would make even the cheapest of PDAs look like supercomputers, all the books were written for it. It's the same situation here, teachers aren't expected to know every operating environment a kid might have a problem with, instead they just have some small surface knowledge, and a small load of written instructions that for the most part shouldn't be able to go wrong.What did I do?Well I just used my 48G. As it turned out, even though I had to look a few things up, and learn a calculator I wasn't being taught, I got way more out of doing it that way. It encouraged me to substantially learn about the piece of hardware I was using, and as I bought newer calculators (HP50G was next) I got even better at using them, until I, with a 120 dollar HP Prime, was doing more complex calculations way faster than my classmates using Maple CAD, just because I had the need to learn how to use my HP Prime, and they just needed to copy what the teacher told them to do.What should you do?I'd say this relies heavily on how computer literate your children are. To start off with ChromeOS is, as far as I am aware, just Linux with a proprietary windowing system, and Chrome stuck on it. I believe it has more complicated things like Android support on it as well, and you can even operate a chrooted GNU environment now, but it's very likely you could just install Chrome/Chromium onto your kids' laptops, and run all of the same stuff. The thing is, you are also relying on your kids to do what I did, and learn how to deal with a situation that might be different to the one they're being taught, where they might have to look things up, and figure stuff out for themselves to get a unique solution working. If this sounds like something your kids might not be up for, ChromeOS might not be a bad idea.As for installing ChromeOSI'd definitely suggest a dual boot if you can even find a good distro of ChromeOS. I am likely wrong, but I believe it has the same problem as Android (if we are to ignore Android x86), in that ports and native goodies for your platform are available, but not necessarily packaged in a way that is easy for someone to install. The reason why I say don't use VMs is that if ChromeOS is anything like Android, it's going to be doing a lot of weird hardware acceleration nonsense that VMs simply aren't in a good position to handle at the moment. I do, however, have a personal bias against VMs in general, so your mileage may vary.

author: DIPLover
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 02:59:39 pm
content: Buy cheap (used?) chromebooks, pick another fight.You only live once, there's no point fighting the bureaucratic juggernaut.If your children are already proficient with their Ubuntu machines, they will pick this up no problem, and their computer literacy will stay with them. Later on when it counts (college?) they can choose what they like best.

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 03:17:55 pm
content: I got an "OK" Chromebook for $110USD or so last fall. It's far from awesome, but it works just fine and for schoolwork I'm sure would be fine. If I can save myself 4 hours of dicking around and 2 hours of pointless arguing with idiots, that's worth way more than the Chromebook cost.Plus, the battery is brand new and the life on the battery running ChromeOS is pretty spectacular which is less likely to be the case on an old laptop booting Ubuntu and running ChromeOS as a VM.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 03:57:53 pm
content: I would just pick up a Chromebook. GroupOn have had all sorts of sales where they're just over $100.I've had mine for 5 yrs now, still works 1st time every time, it's light, small, has amazing battery life (much better than any intel laptop)And as a full time Linux person, I do appreciate the "It just works" aspect.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 06:28:55 pm
content: I am going to be controversial here but Chromebook ? Really ?In your position I would consider what is best for my children’s development. I am no lover of Microsoft or Windows 10. I am still sticking with Windows XP on dedicated platforms and Win 7 on my daily use computers. Some Win 10 computers are now creeping into my inventory though as I need to keep up to speed with where the OS is going and Win 7 goes EOL in the not too distant future. In my humble opinion it is important for children to learn about different operating systems and, where possible, use them to gain hands on experience. Whether we like it or not, Microsoft and their Windows OS is widely used across the World and many employers expect recruits to be familiar with a Windows OS. Kudos to you for introducing Linux to your children, I use Linux in a professional role so understand why you used it in the children’s laptops. You do need to broaden their OS horizon though. MS Windows will be so common during their education that it cannot, and should not be ignored. Children are bright and have sponge like brains. If you can, make them multi-OS capable so that they have experience of many different OS options to equip them for their lives ahead of them.Just my 2 Cents but I would not disagree with the school on this one. You can maintain your children’s Linux capabilities at home. It could have been worse... They could have required all students to use only Apple Mac kit(i.e. expensive) Buy some cheap Win10 laptops and rest easy knowing your children are broadening their IT experience whilst having the backup of the school tutors on Win 10Fraser

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2019, 06:34:41 pm
content: @Fraser makes a good point. The kids need to know their way around Windows and the Office suite to make much headway these days.The fact that they know Linux is a bonus.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 12:11:35 am
content: Quote from: sokoloff on July 23, 2019, 03:17:55 pmYeah maybe you're right... I don't think I'll win and this will be a waste of time. I'll start looking for sales on Chromebooks and also cheap Win10 laptops or refurbs off leases!Quote from: Fraser on July 23, 2019, 06:28:55 pmI agree, I want them to know several operating systems and be familiar with what is most popular and attractive to prospective employers in the future. At the moment the main issue is budget and my desire to avoid spending too much money on new hardware when I already have good old hardware. Having said that, if I cannot get ChromeOS installed on their existing laptop I may just try to put Win10 on there. Alternatively, if I can find a budget laptop that is in the range of a ChromeBook then I may opt for that instead because I can more easily turn it into a dual-boot Linux machine later.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 12:40:50 am
content: Isn't ChromeOS essentially just a stripped down Linux that only runs the Chrome browser? As long as the platform they use is running the Chrome browser what difference does it make?I'd be inclined to send them in with what they have and only buy something else if they run into barriers.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 03:39:09 am
content: Just look up "ChromeOS VM".

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 12:49:57 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on July 24, 2019, 12:40:50 amThat's true, if your kids are already more competent with Linux than the teaching drones, there should be no support problems.If they aren't, tough luck, you are on the mercy of teaching drones who probably have no clue even about CrOS but have been trained in performing factory reset.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 07:42:48 pm
content: I found a distro of Chromium OS that seems to be installable on PC from a company called CrowdReady. Their website is here:https://www.neverware.comThey make a version of Chrome OS that is meant to turn PC and Macs into "Chromebooks". I may give it a spin to appease the school at the same time. Then I may put another more full-fledged Linux distro as a dual boot when the kids want to get more stuff done.Anyone have any experience with the Cloud Ready version? Looks to be free for personal and student use.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 09:16:59 pm
content: I don't have any experience with this NeverWare, but looking at the discussions (and as you mentioned Virtualbox), it seems to be possible also install it as a VM:https://gist.github.com/gerarldlee/57b5467d25f5e9129abe5c4d1881a745