Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS

From	RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com>
Newsgroups	comp.misc
Subject	Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS
Date	2014-03-06 15:05 +0000
Organization	solani.org
Message-ID	<lfa2rh$jas$1@solani.org> (permalink)

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From the screw you, Google department:
Title: Buying Chromebooks for their Hardware, not their OS
Author: Jeff Hoogland
Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 04:03:00 -0500
Link: http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2014/03/buying-chromebooks-for-their-hardware.html

I've kind of been on a Chromebook kick lately. Last month I posted a review[1]
of the Acer C720 I picked up recently, to summarize: I really love the
device.

I think computers like Chromebooks are the way of the future, but not because
of their operating system - because of their hardware. Relatively low cost
laptops with SSDs for storage and an insane battery life are everything I
want in a computer.

I liked the hardware specs of the Acer C720 so much, I've decided to replace
not only my old netbook with a Chromebook - but I've replaced my primary work
laptop with one as well. I picked up an HP 14" Chromebook[2] this past
weekend which has identical hardware specs to the Acer C720, while providing
an even longer battery life:

[image 3][3]
Since I started posting about these laptops and my work with Bodhi Linux[4]
on them I've had piles of Linux users ask me why I am buying Chromebooks with
the intent of running something other than ChromeOS on them.

This question is VERY hypocritical.
Some even go so far as to recommend "traditional" laptops that would have
been a better choice. Guess what operating system these traditional laptops
come with? You guessed it: Windows! Buying a Chromebook with the intent of
installing a different Linux distribution on it is no different than
purchasing a Windows laptop with the same intention.

Well, I guess it is a small bit different. You see - when I buy a Chromebook
not only am I not paying a Windows tax for my hardware, but I am getting a
laptop with a sleek form factor that gets an amazing battery life. To get
these things from a Windows PC you generally have to pay a giant premium.

In closing, if you are in the market for some sleek Linux hardware at a low
cost I would highly recommend checking out the Acer C720[5] or the HP 14"[2]
Chromebooks.

Cheers,
~Jeff Hoogland

Links:
[1]: http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2014/02/acer-c720-review-perfect-little-pc.html (link)
[2]: https://www.google.com/intl/en-us/chrome/devices/hp-14-chromebook.html#hp-cb-14 (link)
[3]: https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/assets/common/images/devices/hp-cb-14-chromebook/hero.png (link)
[4]: http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2014/01/howto-bodhi-linux-on-acer-c720.html (link)
[5]: https://www.google.com/intl/en-us/chrome/devices/acer-c720-chromebook.html#ac-c720 (link)

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Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS RS Wood  <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-06 15:05 +0000
  Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Randy Westlund <Vorzakir@invalid.invalid> - 2014-03-06 22:49 +0000
    Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS greymausg <maus@mail.com> - 2014-03-07 09:09 +0000
    Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-07 10:46 +0000
  Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS 2phar <none@example.com> - 2014-03-06 18:12 -0500
  Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Hendrik Boom <hendrik@topoi.pooq.com> - 2014-03-07 07:23 +0000
    Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-03-07 07:49 +0000
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-07 10:21 +0000
        Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-03-07 11:49 +0000
          Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-03-07 12:21 +0000
            Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2014-03-07 19:43 -0400
        Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS "wjwlsn" <ibillwilson@gmail.com> - 2014-03-07 15:02 -0600
    Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS root <NoEMail@home.org> - 2014-03-07 19:24 +0000
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Alister <alister.ware@ntlworld.com> - 2014-03-07 19:48 +0000
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Roger Blake <rogblake@iname.invalid> - 2014-03-07 21:52 +0000
        Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS greymausg <maus@mail.com> - 2014-03-08 11:55 +0000
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Rich <rich@example.com> - 2014-03-07 22:17 +0000
        Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware, not their OS Jerry Peters <jerry@example.invalid> - 2014-03-08 20:52 +0000
  Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS "jonh" <jon@nada-sub.co.uk> - 2014-03-07 01:55 -0600
  Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-03-07 19:06 -0600
    Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-03-17 07:53 +0100
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2014-03-17 14:22 +0000
      Re: Buying Chromebooks for their hardware  not their OS "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-03-18 14:46 -0600

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