Comments on: Making your computer a Chromebook. https://habitablezone.com/2016/02/18/making-your-computer-a-chrombook/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2016/02/18/making-your-computer-a-chrombook/#comment-35720 Robert Mon, 22 Feb 2016 21:33:58 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=55839#comment-35720 Careful words: There is malware named "Chromium". And I'm sure the name was chosen to deliberately encourage confusion with both the Chrome OS Rob and Steve are talking about, and the Chromium HTML rendering engine which is the core of Google's Chrome browser. In fact, there is a legitimate Chromium browser which is fairly popular on Linux, just to deepen the confusion. What Rob and Steve are talking about should be safe. Be on the lookout for Chromium malware, but be not afraid of the Chrome OS. Careful words: There is malware named “Chromium”. And I’m sure the name was chosen to deliberately encourage confusion with both the Chrome OS Rob and Steve are talking about, and the Chromium HTML rendering engine which is the core of Google’s Chrome browser.

In fact, there is a legitimate Chromium browser which is fairly popular on Linux, just to deepen the confusion.

What Rob and Steve are talking about should be safe. Be on the lookout for Chromium malware, but be not afraid of the Chrome OS.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2016/02/18/making-your-computer-a-chrombook/#comment-35719 bowser Mon, 22 Feb 2016 05:56:46 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=55839#comment-35719 Careful. "Chromium" is malware, often riding in where one wanted "Chrome". Careful. “Chromium” is malware, often riding in where one wanted “Chrome”.

]]> By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2016/02/18/making-your-computer-a-chrombook/#comment-35692 SDG Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:27:18 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=55839#comment-35692 I've got a couple of old netbooks laying around I've been itching to do this on. Chromium has been a bit of a hassle before, so i never got around to downloading it. This looks a bit easier. No need to dualboot these suckers. Even in their heyday Windows 7 Starter edition was crapware. On one of them I installed Linux mint, but really hated the interface. On the other I installed a variant of android, but it was pretty much unusable, I just did it to see if I could. Chromium is a great operating system. I have an Asus Chromebook and love it. The thing boots so fast and is the perfect machine for casual browsing or Google Docs collaboration. If I can stretch these crappy netbooks into decent chromebooks, that really would be a way to give these crappy computers a 2nd shot at life. I’ve got a couple of old netbooks laying around I’ve been itching to do this on. Chromium has been a bit of a hassle before, so i never got around to downloading it. This looks a bit easier.

No need to dualboot these suckers. Even in their heyday Windows 7 Starter edition was crapware. On one of them I installed Linux mint, but really hated the interface. On the other I installed a variant of android, but it was pretty much unusable, I just did it to see if I could.

Chromium is a great operating system. I have an Asus Chromebook and love it. The thing boots so fast and is the perfect machine for casual browsing or Google Docs collaboration.

If I can stretch these crappy netbooks into decent chromebooks, that really would be a way to give these crappy computers a 2nd shot at life.

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2016/02/18/making-your-computer-a-chrombook/#comment-35688 Robert Fri, 19 Feb 2016 18:29:29 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=55839#comment-35688 I haven't tried it, but the general idea of setting up a dual-boot computer is well understood and pretty reliable. As long as you have a way to go back to the way things were, with old Windows, it's safe to experiment with something new. The Chrome OS seems like a smart choice for getting more mileage out of an old computer. Practically from the day Bill Gates founded Microsoft, people have observed that each new version of Windows is more bloated than the last, and every new version renders an older generation of hardware obsolete. Doesn't have to be that way, because obsolescence is a matter of context--that old laptop isn't obsolete as a Chromebook. I'd say give it a shot, and let us know what happens. I haven’t tried it, but the general idea of setting up a dual-boot computer is well understood and pretty reliable. As long as you have a way to go back to the way things were, with old Windows, it’s safe to experiment with something new.

The Chrome OS seems like a smart choice for getting more mileage out of an old computer. Practically from the day Bill Gates founded Microsoft, people have observed that each new version of Windows is more bloated than the last, and every new version renders an older generation of hardware obsolete. Doesn’t have to be that way, because obsolescence is a matter of context–that old laptop isn’t obsolete as a Chromebook.

I’d say give it a shot, and let us know what happens.

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