Chromebooks are awful. And here are some examples why.

[JeffDenver]

Your tablet (not a windows tablet) doesn't have a full fledged desktop browser. It can present in desktop mode, but that's not the same.

And you can guarantee that every windows user runs anti virus?

Every laptop I use or set up has one, yeah. I have set up 3 in the last few months, and all came with anti-virus software pre-installed. So I am assuming this is probably the norm nowadays.

Bigger question, why do some people care so much that other people enjoy a platform that they don't?

They probably don't outside of message forums like this. But that is kinda the point of forums like this, don't you think? To discuss technology and products?

 

[ahaxton]

According to the media it is. I have yet to see even one in real life, outside of a Best Buy.

Not trying to take away anyone's choices. Just trying to see what the big deal is about them.

Amazon Best Selling Laptops
Looks like 4 of the top 10 laptops on Amazon are Chromebooks, including numbers 1 and 2. I would say that is the market reacting positively.

 

[JeffDenver]

Amazon Best Selling Laptops
Looks like 4 of the top 10 laptops on Amazon are Chromebooks, including numbers 1 and 2. I would say that is the market reacting positively.

You would think I'd have seen at least one with them flying off the shelves like that.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Every laptop I use or set up has one, yeah. I have set up 3 in the last few months, and all came with anti-virus software pre-installed. So I am assuming this is probably the norm nowadays.


They probably don't outside of message forums like this. But that is kinda the point of forums like this, don't you think? To discuss technology and products?

I've seen just as many laptops with expired "included" anti-virus software. Just because it's included doesn't mean people keep it updated or renew the subscription at the end of the three months.

Yes, the idea is to discuss tech and products. The other idea is to do it with a sort of open mind approach. To come in and discuss a certain product, with an admitted lack of understanding in some cases, is antithesis to this idea IMO. I don't fully understand Linux distros, for example, because I don't use them. But I won't go around and say that another OS or solution is just better because of that. I understand the use cases and that sometimes it's simply a preference. I also understand that other OS's have their strengths, and being able to discuss those and recognize them is important to me. I don't want to "hate" or dislike another platform just because I might not understand or "get it" if that makes sense. And no, this isn't directed at you personally, it's more of an in general type of statement.

 

[ahaxton]

You would think I'd have seen at least one with them flying off the shelves like that.

Sooooooo.... you're suggesting Amazon is somehow faking their data for some reason? Or, assuming the simplest answer is usually the correct one, are you and the people you know aren't the target demographic?

 

[JeffDenver]

I've seen just as many laptops with expired "included" anti-virus software. Just because it's included doesn't mean people keep it updated or renew the subscription at the end of the three months.

I agree, but maintenance has not been an issue in my experience. The AV software seems to run on auto-pilot.

Yes, the idea is to discuss tech and products. The other idea is to do it with a sort of open mind approach.

I think I do have an open mind. Thats why I am asking questions. I'm not throwing petty insults at people. I am asking them to explain what makes this product deserving of the attention it's getting in the media. Thats it.

Expressing an opinion about a piece of technology is not an insult. For the life of me I will never understand why people get so defensive about products on here. If my opinion was positive about Chromebooks I doubt anyone would be complaining.

 

[Aquila]

I have yet to see even one in real life, outside of a Best Buy.

 

[JeffDenver]

Sooooooo.... you're suggesting Amazon is somehow faking their data for some reason?

No. I am suggesting that Amazon sales alone might not be a good measure of popularity.

you and the people you know aren't the target demographic?

The people I know are pretty diverse....including "normal" non-tech people, old and young, and IT professionals. That is what made me suspicious in the first place. I know lots of people who ask me to recommend products and/or set them up for them. No one has even inquired about Chromebooks at all. Just laptops.

Just since last summer I've set up 3 laptops for co-workers and 2 for personal friends. 1 immediate family member bought 2 laptops as well (not through my recommendation...she did it on her own). It seems weird to me that I am seeing so much attention paid to Chromebooks in the media, yet no one in my diverse group of friends and family is even asking about them, nevermind buying them. I have not even seen them in "public" (buses, libraries, whatever). Like I said, I've even seen a few Windows Phones in public before. But no Chromebooks.

 

[Aquila]

No. I am suggesting that Amazon sales alone might not be a good measure of popularity.


The people I know are pretty diverse....including "normal" non-tech people, old and young, and IT professionals. That is what made me suspicious in the first place. I know lots of people who ask me to recommend products and/or set them up for them. No one has even inquired about Chromebooks at all. Just laptops.

Just since last summer I've set up 3 laptops for co-workers and 2 for personal friends. 1 immediate family member bought 2 laptops as well (not through my recommendation...she did it on her owm). It seems weird to me that I am seeing so much attention paid to Chromebooks in the media, yet no one in my diverse group of friends and family is even asking about them, nevermind buying them. I have not even seen them in "public" (buses, libraries, whatever). Like I said, I've even seen a few Windows Phones in public before. But no Chromebooks.

I've seen quite a few on campus but I live in a smallish town, so I'm not a good judge of what's popular.

 

[JeffDenver]

I've seen quite a few on campus but I live in a smallish town, so I'm not a good judge of what's popular.

I admit, I don't know any students. At least none who are local.

 

[ultravisitor]

According to the media it is. I have yet to see even one in real life, outside of a Best Buy.

I've actually seen several. Lots of young people--teenagers--with them. Also some adults.

Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

No. I am suggesting that Amazon sales alone might not be a good measure of popularity.


No one has even inquired about Chromebooks at all. Just laptops.

Amazon alone, no, isn't a good judge. But they are a HUGE retailer with a nationwide presence.

Also, I didn't realize that a "laptop" was based on the OS that was loaded on it, and not the form factor. A Chromebook is a laptop by definition of form factor. It's a Chrome laptop, vs a Windows laptop, vs a Linux laptop, vs a Mac laptop. If a tablet has an available keyboard dock, then when docked, it's a laptop form factor.

 

[JeffDenver]

Amazon alone, no, isn't a good judge. But they are a HUGE retailer with a nationwide presence.

I agree.

Also, I didn't realize that a "laptop" was based on the OS that was loaded on it, and not the form factor.

It is for most people IMO. I didn't make the rules.

This sounds a lot like the "iPhone counts as a computer" argument, which I don't agree with either. I think the OS does matter, because it defines what you can do with it. I own an ASUS Transformer and love it...but it is NOT a laptop IMO.

 

[gabbott]

Seems to fit the definition of laptop

http://m.dictionary.com/definition/laptop

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[Kevin OQuinn]

I agree.


It is for most people IMO. I didn't make the rules.

This sounds a lot like the "iPhone counts as a computer" argument, which I don't agree with either. I think the OS does matter, because it defines what you can do with it. I own an ASUS Transformer and love it...but it is NOT a laptop IMO.

I didn't make the rules either. But that Transformer has a "tablet mode" and "laptop mode" if you listen to ASUS, not a "docked" and "undocked" mode. Form factor is as much a factor for what you can do with a product as the OS is. A Windows tablet is imminently less useful to me than a Windows laptop. So I guess I just made the argument that form factor is MORE limiting to usefulness than OS.

 

[Algus]

Chrome OS has the main partition of the internal drive set to "read only" This means the OS can read and use the files stored there but can't modify them in any way. This has the effect of making it super secure because errant programs can't just get on the OS and run rampant throughout the system. Since Unix CLI is buried fairly well and not even really accessible without enabling developer mode first, you can't even really accidentally run a privileged/root command unless you go out of your way to enable those features.

I suppose you could pick up some rogue extensions or browser hijackers or something. Nothing is impervious to virus infestation after all and there are still plenty of bad extensions out there that serve up extra ads. For the most part though, what you give up in flexibility out of the box (vs the ease of privileged access to system files in Windows) you make up for in substantially increased security. Google, for their part, hasn't locked all this stuff away either. You can still get at it if you make an effort and are enough of a tech head to want to do that kind of thing.

I'd probably like Chrome OS a lot less if Google hadn't provided us with ways to do that kind of stuff.

 

[JeffDenver]

I didn't make the rules either. But that Transformer has a "tablet mode" and "laptop mode" if you listen to ASUS

When you say the word "laptop", no one is going to think of an Asus Transformer.

I have been using one for over a year. It's a tablet that has a keyboard. Even with the keyboard, it still feels like tablet. Adding a motor to your pedal-bike does not make it a motorcycle either.

 

[A895]

When you say the word "laptop", no one is going to think of an Asus Transformer.

I have been using one for over a year. It's a tablet that has a keyboard. Even with the keyboard, it still feels like tablet. Adding a motor to your pedal-bike does not make it a motorcycle either.

No one is saying its a laptop. Its laptop like in form factor though. That's chromebooks except they are a little more usable and productive in their laptop form than a tablet with a keyboard.

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[Geodude074]

Amazon Best Selling Laptops
Looks like 4 of the top 10 laptops on Amazon are Chromebooks, including numbers 1 and 2. I would say that is the market reacting positively.

Hey look at that! Number 3 is a Windows 8 laptop for $260, and it comes with a touchscreen and a dual-core Celeron. Not bad, Asus.

 

[Geodude074]

What model is this?

Asus Vivobook Q200. I bought it from NewEgg when it was on sale. It's the i3 model, not the Celeron.