Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
BTW, doesn't ChromeOS have real Office 365 apps too?
Not really - there are the Android apps, they aren't bad...
I've tried Android in the past as a desktop and it was pretty limiting because Android doesn't have a typical window manager. At least it didn't when I tested.
It runs Android apps, it is not an Android desktop. Two totally different things. There is no Android running here.
Windows can run Android apps too, with the right add on tools. Paul does this all the time.
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@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
BTW, doesn't ChromeOS have real Office 365 apps too?
Not really - there are the Android apps, they aren't bad...
I've tried Android in the past as a desktop and it was pretty limiting because Android doesn't have a typical window manager. At least it didn't when I tested.
Supposedly you can run Android apps on ChromeOS now - no idea how well it works.
Very well, it's a key feature of the platform.
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@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
If you can live only in a browser - then sure.
ChromeOS runs all Android apps, and all Linux apps. It's not limited like it was years ago. Locally installed apps are a standard thing now.
So you can run GIMP on it? as an example?
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@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
If you can live only in a browser - then sure.
ChromeOS runs all Android apps, and all Linux apps. It's not limited like it was years ago. Locally installed apps are a standard thing now.
So you can run GIMP on it? as an example?
Yeah, that should run. You have to test "Linux apps" carefully because they have to run on Linux, not require a specific OS based on Linux. ChromeOS is fully Linux compatible, but that is the shared level that Fedora, Ubuntu, Android, Debian, etc. all share.
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@scottalanmiller There are not that many options for desktop hardware when running Chrome.
Have you tried running Chrome on other hardware, for instance with Neverware's CloudReady?
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
There are not that many options for desktop hardware when running Chrome.
Nope, sadly not many. Acer is the main player.
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Have you tried running Chrome on other hardware, for instance with Neverware's CloudReady?
I have not, but we have a client that does it all the time. They use older Dell laptops mostly and deploy the open source ChromeOS variant on them to great success. They deploy them in the office all of the time.
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@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Have you tried running Chrome on other hardware, for instance with Neverware's CloudReady?
I have not, but we have a client that does it all the time. They use older Dell laptops mostly and deploy the open source ChromeOS variant on them to great success. They deploy them in the office all of the time.
Sounds good. I'll give that a try since that is probably the quickest way to get started.
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Have you tried running Chrome on other hardware, for instance with Neverware's CloudReady?
I have not, but we have a client that does it all the time. They use older Dell laptops mostly and deploy the open source ChromeOS variant on them to great success. They deploy them in the office all of the time.
Sounds good. I'll give that a try since that is probably the quickest way to get started.
Easy to at least test it out. No idea if Android or Linux apps work that way, though. Google banned a lot of older deployments from getting that feature in the past.
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
ChromeOS
I didn't realize you could get the OS without a chromebook. I thought it was like MacOS in that regard.
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@wrx7m said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
ChromeOS
I didn't realize you could get the OS without a chromebook. I thought it was like MacOS in that regard.
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@wrx7m said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
ChromeOS
I didn't realize you could get the OS without a chromebook. I thought it was like MacOS in that regard.
Well - As Scott pointed out - the real fully loaded one by Google you can't, but you can get the open source version of it - and who knows what's missing from that - possible the aforementioned Android app support.
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@Dashrender said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
possible the aforementioned Android app support.
Yeah, very possible since ChromeOS only has that on newer hardware.
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@Pete-S Didn't catch up completely on this thread but for normal home users that only use basic applications and browse the internet chromebooks/chromeboxes are great.
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@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop only computer?
I'm thinking about something like Asus Chromebox but maybe there are other hardware options as well.
Not if you want optimal usefulness.
I'd use one in addition to or to compliment a regular laptop/ultrabook, but I'd never get by with one as a replacement.
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@Obsolesce said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop only computer?
I'm thinking about something like Asus Chromebox but maybe there are other hardware options as well.
Not if you want optimal usefulness.
I'd use one in addition to or to compliment a regular laptop/ultrabook, but I'd never get by with one as a replacement.
Unless you have desktop apps you need to run, I'd argue that it runs actually better.
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@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Obsolesce said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop only computer?
I'm thinking about something like Asus Chromebox but maybe there are other hardware options as well.
Not if you want optimal usefulness.
I'd use one in addition to or to compliment a regular laptop/ultrabook, but I'd never get by with one as a replacement.
Unless you have desktop apps you need to run, I'd argue that it runs actually better.
I bought my fiance two so far and they run great. I also setup a lab for some developmentally disabled clients at a previous job and it was fantastic.
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@scottalanmiller said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Obsolesce said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
@Pete-S said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop only computer?
I'm thinking about something like Asus Chromebox but maybe there are other hardware options as well.
Not if you want optimal usefulness.
I'd use one in addition to or to compliment a regular laptop/ultrabook, but I'd never get by with one as a replacement.
Unless you have desktop apps you need to run, I'd argue that it runs actually better.
Yeah, in the same way you'd argue a one-seater sports car is better unless you have passengers you need to transport.
Right tool for the job. What is best is highly subjective. And so long as the use case doesn't change or cause inconvenience.
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@Obsolesce said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
Yeah, in the same way you'd argue a one-seater sports car is better unless you have passengers you need to transport.
That's a good comparison. If it was a work car where I wasn't tasked with passengers and I needed a fleet of cars for single people to zip around all day, I'd absolutely prefer those. In fact, in real life, this is one of the cars I want most for myself for this exact reason!!
https://www.renault.co.uk/electric-vehicles/twizy.html
Not for everyone. not for most people. But for light office users or single person travelers, it's ideal.
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@wirestyle22 said in Does ChromeOS make sense for a desktop?:
I bought my fiance two so far and they run great. I also setup a lab for some developmentally disabled clients at a previous job and it was fantastic.
I've had two, about to get my third. For me as an IT pro, it's almost always the best tool. It's amazing how well it works for me. The biggest issue for when I move from casual use to heavy use is the amount of RAM available in common models.
