I started using Chromebooks back in August, and I've just bought my second one. They're relatively inexpensive, even for one with 4 GB of memory, and I wanted to see how well they work as a replacement for my Windows laptop. The result, contrary to what I was expecting, is that I was able to replace my Windows laptop entirely. Almost anything I need to do on my laptop can be done in ChromeOS. I've been using Google Docs and apps like Writebox for writing, for example.
I did have some issues with image editing. There are image editing apps out there, but I'm comfortable with GIMP and I like the features it has. The solution was easy enough - I have Linux installed running alongside ChromeOS. I can use GIMP, Scrivener, LibreOffice, or other applications available on Linux if I feel like it.
The best part is that you don't have to dual-boot to launch Linux off of ChromeOS. You enter a command from the shell to start your Linux session, and after that it is simply a matter of a keystroke combination to switch back and forth between Chrome and Linux. Also, Linux runs very well on this Chromebook. It's fast.
So now, when I boot, I see:
After boot I type ALT-CTRL-T to get to a command line where I can enter the shell. For my setup, I launch Linux by typing SUDO STARTELEMENTARY. After entering that command, I see:
That's the ElementaryOS desktop environment. To switch back and forth, you hold down ALT-CTRL-SHIFT and press the forward or backward arrow, as appropriate, and the device move effortlessly between the Chrome and Linux environments. Also, both environments share the same storage, so all of my files are available in each.
The experiment has been successful so far, and I'm able to get my writing and work both done on this laptop. You can get a 4 GB Chromebook for less than $300, and trying to run Windows on a comparably-priced device can be a chore.
I did have some issues with image editing. There are image editing apps out there, but I'm comfortable with GIMP and I like the features it has. The solution was easy enough - I have Linux installed running alongside ChromeOS. I can use GIMP, Scrivener, LibreOffice, or other applications available on Linux if I feel like it.
The best part is that you don't have to dual-boot to launch Linux off of ChromeOS. You enter a command from the shell to start your Linux session, and after that it is simply a matter of a keystroke combination to switch back and forth between Chrome and Linux. Also, Linux runs very well on this Chromebook. It's fast.
So now, when I boot, I see:
After boot I type ALT-CTRL-T to get to a command line where I can enter the shell. For my setup, I launch Linux by typing SUDO STARTELEMENTARY. After entering that command, I see:
That's the ElementaryOS desktop environment. To switch back and forth, you hold down ALT-CTRL-SHIFT and press the forward or backward arrow, as appropriate, and the device move effortlessly between the Chrome and Linux environments. Also, both environments share the same storage, so all of my files are available in each.
The experiment has been successful so far, and I'm able to get my writing and work both done on this laptop. You can get a 4 GB Chromebook for less than $300, and trying to run Windows on a comparably-priced device can be a chore.
