Is the $99 Computer a Bad Thing?
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@scottalanmiller said:
@Dashrender said:
But only as long as everything is browser based. I'll admit that I'm biased against them. But I am starting to move my own data to the cloud (OneDrive specifically). The lack of offline mode is what really just kills this device for me.
Chromebooks work fine offline. It's individual apps that might fail to take advantage of that. Chromebooks are completely useful in their own space. Same way that Windows requires a lot of presumptions to be useful.
The things that make Chromebooks not useful for you is not what features it lacks but simply that it isn't Windows. Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and other options probably don't work for you either but don't have the "limitations" of Chromebooks. It is that you have a specific Windows requirement. It's about using software that only works one place, not that Chromebooks lack power or features. The just aren't Windows.
There's a lot of truth there I'll grant you.
I haven't used a Chromebook since the beta days (they sent me one at the end of the beta phase). I hated it as there was no offline options back then... if I wasn't online It was pretty useless. -
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
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@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
It's the same reason that AV is nearly pointless on Android and iPhones - the environment is locked down - unless you root/jailbreak them.
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@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
That's the point I was making. That AV software was gonna be crap and let more "junk" though.
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@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
That's the point I was making. That AV software was gonna be crap and let more "junk" though.
So why buy a more expensive machine with Windows on it when you can get a viable ChromeOS box for the same price and not have to worry about malware? Especially if the only things the user is doing is on a web browser?
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
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@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
That's the point I was making. That AV software was gonna be crap and let more "junk" though.
So why buy a more expensive machine with Windows on it when you can get a viable ChromeOS box for the same price and not have to worry about malware? Especially if the only things the user is doing is on a web browser?
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
It really just depends on what the user wants out of there machine and what they want/capable of paying.
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@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
That's the point I was making. That AV software was gonna be crap and let more "junk" though.
So why buy a more expensive machine with Windows on it when you can get a viable ChromeOS box for the same price and not have to worry about malware? Especially if the only things the user is doing is on a web browser?
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
It really just depends on what the user wants out of there machine and what they want/capable of paying.
Agreed. that was the point I was trying to make.
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@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@coliver said:
@BMarie said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@BMarie said:
Yes most people will do only that, but also what happens when it crashes on you numerous times because of the protection you have on it isn't doing it's job.
Protection?
Virus/Malware
This doesn't make sense for a chromebook... or even a cheapy Windows device. For Windows you are going to want to have AV regardless... will it run like crap on low end hardware? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that you will want it.
For Chromebooks they are locked down in such a way where this isn't a really big issue. Everything is working from the browser.
That's the point I was making. That AV software was gonna be crap and let more "junk" though.
So why buy a more expensive machine with Windows on it when you can get a viable ChromeOS box for the same price and not have to worry about malware? Especially if the only things the user is doing is on a web browser?
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
It really just depends on what the user wants out of there machine and what they want/capable of paying.
Agreed. that was the point I was trying to make.
Agreed
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@coliver said:
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
Sure you can buy 5 or more laptops - and I guess since all data is now stored in the cloud swapping machines is much less painful - so even if you have to swap machines every 2 years - who cares because it's not like the old days of installing 10's of apps, configuring them, etc.. it's all in the cloud.
But cheap devices do seem (from my experience) to have a 2-4 year use life before it ends up broken. Just look at cell phones.
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@Dashrender said:
@coliver said:
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
Sure you can buy 5 or more laptops - and I guess since all data is now stored in the cloud swapping machines is much less painful - so even if you have to swap machines every 2 years - who cares because it's not like the old days of installing 10's of apps, configuring them, etc.. it's all in the cloud.
But cheap devices do seem (from my experience) to have a 2-4 year use life before it ends up broken. Just look at cell phones.
You can pay 500$ for a laptop that will last you 5-7 years... or 100$ for a laptop that will last you 2-4 years. Even if we take the long 7 years and the short 2 years. You are still looking at saving 100$ overall. Again depending on the use case....
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@coliver said:
You can pay 500$ for a laptop that will last you 5-7 years... or 100$ for a laptop that will last you 2-4 years. Even if we take the long 7 years and the short 2 years. You are still looking at saving 100$ overall. Again depending on the use case....
You keep stuff way way longer than I do lol
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@MattSpeller said:
@coliver said:
You can pay 500$ for a laptop that will last you 5-7 years... or 100$ for a laptop that will last you 2-4 years. Even if we take the long 7 years and the short 2 years. You are still looking at saving 100$ overall. Again depending on the use case....
You keep stuff way way longer than I do lol
I've got a laptop that I bought my freshman year of college... it is now well into its 8th year, I've done some minor upgrades on it, new SSD and doubled the RAM. That thing is now running Linux Mint and my Fiance uses it for day-to-day stuff.
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@coliver said:
I've got a laptop that I bought my freshman year of college... it is now well into its 8th year, I've done some minor upgrades on it, new SSD and doubled the RAM. That thing is now running Linux Mint and my Fiance uses it for day-to-day stuff.
I don't even own a laptop, but my desktop gets constant parts churn every year. I set aside $1000 and that's extravagant, granted, but it is also what I spend the most time using (more than my car or my couch).
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@MattSpeller said:
@coliver said:
I've got a laptop that I bought my freshman year of college... it is now well into its 8th year, I've done some minor upgrades on it, new SSD and doubled the RAM. That thing is now running Linux Mint and my Fiance uses it for day-to-day stuff.
I don't even own a laptop, but my desktop gets constant parts churn every year. I set aside $1000 and that's extravagant, granted, but it is also what I spend the most time using (more than my car or my couch).
I really would like to start doing that. I want to do 500$ a year for my desktop/technology in the house just haven't had the budget for it yet.
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@Dashrender said:
@coliver said:
Like I said you can buy 5 or more of the Chromebooks for the price of a Windows laptop, so if the use case is web browsing then you really don't need the extras that Windows can "provide".
Sure you can buy 5 or more laptops - and I guess since all data is now stored in the cloud swapping machines is much less painful - so even if you have to swap machines every 2 years - who cares because it's not like the old days of installing 10's of apps, configuring them, etc.. it's all in the cloud.
But cheap devices do seem (from my experience) to have a 2-4 year use life before it ends up broken. Just look at cell phones.
2-4 years at $100 - $150 is a HUGE benefit. And moving between Chromebooks is transparent. Keep them in stock, just hand them out. They "just work" for new users. So not only do you save a fortune in hardware, you save a fortune in migrating users to their new machines.
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@MattSpeller said:
@coliver said:
I've got a laptop that I bought my freshman year of college... it is now well into its 8th year, I've done some minor upgrades on it, new SSD and doubled the RAM. That thing is now running Linux Mint and my Fiance uses it for day-to-day stuff.
I don't even own a laptop, but my desktop gets constant parts churn every year. I set aside $1000 and that's extravagant, granted, but it is also what I spend the most time using (more than my car or my couch).
My desktop budget is under $50/year!
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@scottalanmiller said:
@MattSpeller said:
@coliver said:
I've got a laptop that I bought my freshman year of college... it is now well into its 8th year, I've done some minor upgrades on it, new SSD and doubled the RAM. That thing is now running Linux Mint and my Fiance uses it for day-to-day stuff.
I don't even own a laptop, but my desktop gets constant parts churn every year. I set aside $1000 and that's extravagant, granted, but it is also what I spend the most time using (more than my car or my couch).
My desktop budget is under $50/year!
I take it you don't game on your desktop then? or do much that wants processing power?
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@Dashrender said:
I take it you don't game on your desktop then? or do much that wants processing power?
Don't "game" on my work machines and as I work in IT, I can't imagine what would take power on my desktop. Even development tasks are pretty good from a Chromebook. Only issue I've had there is that JetBrains stuff won't install there. But c9.io is a nice replacement.
Actually what gaming I do IS on that desktop. Seven year old desktop plays most of our games just fine. I only play games with the kids.
