Chromebooks vs Windows

Granted, a Chromebook isn't a full-scale Windows or OS X-based machine -- far from it -- but given just how often our work is shifting to the web, Chrome OS is becoming dangerously close to "good enough" for most. Chalk it up to serendipity if you must, but Chrome OS is becoming more and more relevant with each passing day, as we're dealt far fewer offline-only apps and far more cloud-reliant ones.

You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: Chrome OS isn't "a real operating system." There's no question that it's different; it's the first major OS to launch without the ability to install local, desktop-based applications. Particularly for businesses, this could be a major deal-breaker. To solve that issue, Google has partnered with Citrix to create a new build of Citrix Receiver, a piece of software that should leave its existing beta trials and hit the public universe this summer.

We saw a brief demo of the software used on a CR-48, and while the setup was obviously optimized, it worked shockingly well. A backend Windows server had a copy of Photoshop CS5 onboard, and the CR-48 was able to load it within a matter of seconds through Receiver. Not a light model -- we're talking about the full, bona fide version of Photoshop.

Editorial: Google clarifies Chromebook subscriptions, might have just changed the industry

The competition is really heating up across the board. In other discussions about Microsoft limiting the ability to install other OSes, it could further provide impetus for some to consider other choices.
 
.The competition is really heating up across the board. In other discussions about Microsoft limiting the ability to install other OSes, it could further provide impetus for some to consider other choices.

Yes they must be really worried about that 1% Rhate.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
LOL! Here we go again :p.........
 

My Computer

System One

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    8.1 Pro X64
    Computer type
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I have a chromebook that I use fir most web surfing at home. Like it better than my tablet. I couldn't use it for work though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
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    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
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    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
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    23" Acer x233H
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    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
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    Corsair 620HX modular
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    Antec P182
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    stock
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    ABS M1 Mechanical
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    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
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    15/2 cable modem
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    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
I have a chromebook that I use fir most web surfing at home. Like it better than my tablet. I couldn't use it for work though.

This is exactly why I hope Microsoft succeeds with Windows 8, RT and Phone, one ecosystem, simplicity. We're getting all kinds of gadgets that aren't compatible and have limited ability, surely Microsoft has got the right idea even though it may not suit everyone at the moment.

Last night I downloaded a game from the Windows store on my Global account, told the wife about it and she said she would like it. Using my Global account on her PC she downloaded it for free, she played a few levels and started having problems with sound. To make a longer story short, I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it worked fine and she was able to start on the level she left.

It's this kind of simplicity and interaction that makes Windows 8 more exciting, and this was only a game, imagine the benefits to professionals and business people. When you count all the other benefits like Skydrive and Windows to Go this has to be the future.

Its just not going to be quite as cheap.

I'm not completely rubbishing all these other alternatives by the way, it's all good innovation to a tech nut like me, but I like the idea of a really, really connected simple world as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
My guess is that of the 800 members in my computer club, 700 do not do any 'applications'. They use email, skype and store a few pictures. Sometimes they look up something on the web. But their main use is to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.

For those people, Chromebook is probably an excellent alternative. It is cheap, simple and does those kinds of jobs. I think it will become more popular. People just have to discover it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs

My Computer

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  • OS
    Win7/8 Mint
    System Manufacturer/Model
    lenovo W530
    CPU
    intell i7
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16gb
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512 gb ssd
    Other Info
    Around 13 million employes
Last night I downloaded a game from the Windows store on my Global account, told the wife about it and she said she would like it. Using my Global account on her PC she downloaded it for free, she played a few levels and started having problems with sound. To make a longer story short, I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it worked fine and she was able to start on the level she left.

It's this kind of simplicity and interaction that makes Windows 8 more exciting, and this was only a game, imagine the benefits to professionals and business people. When you count all the other benefits like Skydrive and Windows to Go this has to be the future.

The Apple ecosystem has been able to do this for some time now. (No, I'm not an Apple fanboy, though I might be headed in that direction - I have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads now - one each for myself and the wife). The only devices that don't participate in this seamless experience are the PC's. Since I'm a developer (heavily invested in the Microsoft platform) it's just not likely I'll switch to Mac. (At least not completely and not soon). I guess you could say I "straddle the fence" between the two camps now. However I can say that the integration of my i-Devices into my PC ecosystem works well as far as it goes.

Among the Apple devices we have, though, it's completely seamless. I buy a game, book, music, app on any of the devices and it's available immediately on the other 4. If I ever quit doing software development on the PC platform then maybe going Mac is the way to go as a retired person no longer developing software. I consider, all the time, buying a Macbook just for my lab here at the house to play with the idea.

Microsoft is in serious catch-up mode on this. Unfortunately I don't like their present implementation so if I swing one way or the other at this point it's going to be in Apple's favor, I think.

-Max
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17R / Dell XPS 8300
    CPU
    Intel i5 (17R) / Intel i7 (XPS)
    Memory
    8GB / 8GB

I am afraid we are already there users cannot afford to switch and have to buy all there media again. M$ is too late to catch up with the competition much less pass them up. M$ has also alienated too many of its customer base with the metro UI.

I'm afraid I'm one of them. I tried to like the Metro GUI for 18 months and just last week decided that it was adding nothing to my computing experience - and I mean nothing. Aside from a few technical glitches that I might eventually have been able to work around the truth of the matter was that I simply didn't want to. There wasn't a day during my use of Win8 that I wasn't considering retooling to 7. Finally did it. Finally letting this one go. Finally getting focused on getting things done that I need to do instead of focusing on the O/S.

Agree with your point about the media. I have bought a lot of "stuff" in the Apple ecosystem (books, music, apps) and am not in the mood to retool all of that into a Metro experience. As for my desktop software, I have heavy investment there and continue to develop in that realm - not going Metro there either.

Sorry ... didn't mean to hijack the thread. To keep on topic: Chromebook, eh? Naah!

-Max :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17R / Dell XPS 8300
    CPU
    Intel i5 (17R) / Intel i7 (XPS)
    Memory
    8GB / 8GB
Granted, a Chromebook isn't a full-scale Windows or OS X-based machine -- far from it -- but given just how often our work is shifting to the web, Chrome OS is becoming dangerously close to "good enough" for most. Chalk it up to serendipity if you must, but Chrome OS is becoming more and more relevant with each passing day, as we're dealt far fewer offline-only apps and far more cloud-reliant ones.

You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: Chrome OS isn't "a real operating system." There's no question that it's different; it's the first major OS to launch without the ability to install local, desktop-based applications. Particularly for businesses, this could be a major deal-breaker. To solve that issue, Google has partnered with Citrix to create a new build of Citrix Receiver, a piece of software that should leave its existing beta trials and hit the public universe this summer.

We saw a brief demo of the software used on a CR-48, and while the setup was obviously optimized, it worked shockingly well. A backend Windows server had a copy of Photoshop CS5 onboard, and the CR-48 was able to load it within a matter of seconds through Receiver. Not a light model -- we're talking about the full, bona fide version of Photoshop.

Editorial: Google clarifies Chromebook subscriptions, might have just changed the industry

The competition is really heating up across the board. In other discussions about Microsoft limiting the ability to install other OSes, it could further provide impetus for some to consider other choices.

That article was published in May 2011, almost 2 years ago. Has it taken off yet? Haven't read too much about it since then.

Jim :cool:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 HP 64bit, Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center 64BIT
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS - Home Built
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A99X EVO
    Memory
    Crucial Balistic DDR-3 1866 CL 9 (8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI R6850 Cyclone IGD5 PE
    Sound Card
    On Chip
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VE258Q 25" LED with DVI-HDMI-DisplayPort
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Two WD Cavier Black 2TB Sata 6gbs
    WD My Book Essential 2TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Seasonic X650 80 Plus GOLD Modular
    Case
    Corsair 400R
    Cooling
    Antec Kuhler H2O 620, Two 120mm and four 140mm
    Keyboard
    AVS Gear Blue LED Backlight
    Mouse
    Logitech Marble Mouse USB, Logitech Precision Game Pad
    Internet Speed
    15MB
    Antivirus
    NIS, Malwarebytes Premium 2
    Other Info
    APC UPS ES 750, Netgear WNR3500L Gigabit & Wireless N Router with SamKnows Test Program,
    Motorola SB6120 Gigabit Cable Modem.
    Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer,
    Epson V300 Scanner
My guess is that of the 800 members in my computer club, 700 do not do any 'applications'. They use email, skype and store a few pictures. Sometimes they look up something on the web. But their main use is to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.

For those people, Chromebook is probably an excellent alternative. It is cheap, simple and does those kinds of jobs. I think it will become more popular. People just have to discover it.

What on earth do they need a Chromebook for they can use an $80 Android tablet.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
Last night I downloaded a game from the Windows store on my Global account, told the wife about it and she said she would like it. Using my Global account on her PC she downloaded it for free, she played a few levels and started having problems with sound. To make a longer story short, I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it worked fine and she was able to start on the level she left.

It's this kind of simplicity and interaction that makes Windows 8 more exciting, and this was only a game, imagine the benefits to professionals and business people. When you count all the other benefits like Skydrive and Windows to Go this has to be the future.

The Apple ecosystem has been able to do this for some time now. (No, I'm not an Apple fanboy, though I might be headed in that direction - I have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads now - one each for myself and the wife). The only devices that don't participate in this seamless experience are the PC's. Since I'm a developer (heavily invested in the Microsoft platform) it's just not likely I'll switch to Mac. (At least not completely and not soon). I guess you could say I "straddle the fence" between the two camps now. However I can say that the integration of my i-Devices into my PC ecosystem works well as far as it goes.

Among the Apple devices we have, though, it's completely seamless. I buy a game, book, music, app on any of the devices and it's available immediately on the other 4. If I ever quit doing software development on the PC platform then maybe going Mac is the way to go as a retired person no longer developing software. I consider, all the time, buying a Macbook just for my lab here at the house to play with the idea.

Microsoft is in serious catch-up mode on this. Unfortunately I don't like their present implementation so if I swing one way or the other at this point it's going to be in Apple's favor, I think.

-Max

I know you can do this on an iPad, I have 3 myself, and don't worry I've thought of leaving the Windows fold at times myself. The thing is NOW you can do all these things on a real computer and real tablets and even on a phone.

As soon as I saw Windows 8, I immediately thought this is the future, maybe it's because I'm straddled across Android, IOS and Windows, 3 Ecosystems what a pain in the bum. Surely it's got be easier to have one.

Maybe we'll only have one ecosystem, Apples, with its $1000 128GB iPod.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
The point here is that it doesn't matter how good some product is or what it's shortfalls may be, things are changing rapidly in how people use computers. Windows 8 could be the Rolls Royce of OSes, but most people simply don't care. I was at a 50th birthday party last night and the number of my friends that had bought an iPad this year truly amazed me, which is why I can't see Windows RT providing anything special to the ecosystem. It might excite some tech heads, but for the average Joe it's a case of 'Meh?'
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows Phone 6, Windows CE 5, Windows Vista x32, Windows 7 x32/x64, Windows 8 x64
My guess is that of the 800 members in my computer club, 700 do not do any 'applications'. They use email, skype and store a few pictures. Sometimes they look up something on the web. But their main use is to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.

For those people, Chromebook is probably an excellent alternative. It is cheap, simple and does those kinds of jobs. I think it will become more popular. People just have to discover it.

What on earth do they need a Chromebook for they can use an $80 Android tablet.
I have an Android tablet and set one up that cost $59. I agree, you can do a lot with the tablet and if you have a bluetooth keyboard, even typing is easy. But here we are talking about people (mostly ladies) that are 70 to 80 years old. They would have trouble reading from a 7" screen. And besides, there are too many functions in Android. That would confuse them.

They need a 2 hour class to teach them how to crop a picture and forget such advanced apps like video editing or uploading videos to YouTube. A half a dozen icons or buttons is the most they can manage.

I was teaching so called 'advanced' classes at the club. That was to e.g. show them how to create a data partition or make an image. It was too much for most of them. Only a few hardliners could follow.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
That article was published in May 2011, almost 2 years ago. Has it taken off yet? Haven't read too much about it since then.

Jim :cool:

Lol! Thanks for pointing that out, Jim. :) I usually check the article date, but overlooked it this time. Good comment BTW.

Ray, I think you to be grasping for straws here. The general population of consumers thinks Google is a search engine and nothing else but. Brain burned and tagged by what they started out as.

They surely don't know that Android is a phone OS, but rather a model of a phone. Again, brain burned. And what's more is that they surely don't know what the Chrome OS is and probably couldn't care less. Chrome ain't happening any more than any other cloud-centric or cloud-based OS. At least by the general public.

What are they brain burned with when they hear or read the name Microsoft? -> The good old familiar operating system that's preinstalled on various OEM machines and devices they've been buying for a long time.

What the hell is OSX again?.....
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer T690
    CPU
    Intel Pentium D Dual Core
    Motherboard
    Acer/Intel E946GZ
    Memory
    2GB (max upgrade)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 - PCI Express x16
    Sound Card
    Integrated RealTek ALC888 high-definition audio with 7.1 channel audio support
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer AL1917W A LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1440 X 900
    Hard Drives
    350 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
    Thumb drives
    PSU
    Standard 250 watt
    Case
    Desktop 7.2" (183mm) W x 17.5" (445mm) L x 14.5"
    Cooling
    Dual case fans + CPU fan
    Keyboard
    Acer Windows PS/2
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft Arc
    Internet Speed
    54mbp/s
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Office Pro 2013 / Nokia Lumia 1520 Windows Phone 8.1DP GDR1
My guess is that of the 800 members in my computer club, 700 do not do any 'applications'. They use email, skype and store a few pictures. Sometimes they look up something on the web. But their main use is to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.

For those people, Chromebook is probably an excellent alternative. It is cheap, simple and does those kinds of jobs. I think it will become more popular. People just have to discover it.

What on earth do they need a Chromebook for they can use an $80 Android tablet.

Well, for me...nearly instant boot. Full keyboard, USB 3 ports, HDMI output, very thin, 11.3 screen, memory card support. I thought for 249 it was a decent product. Once I used it, it became my most used web surfing device at home.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
That article was published in May 2011, almost 2 years ago. Has it taken off yet? Haven't read too much about it since then.

Jim :cool:

Lol! Thanks for pointing that out, Jim. :) I usually check the article date, but overlooked it this time. Good comment BTW.

Ray, I think you to be grasping for straws here. The general population of consumers thinks Google is a search engine and nothing else but. Brain burned and tagged by what they started out as.

They surely don't know that Android is a phone OS, but rather a model of a phone. Again, brain burned. And what's more is that they surely don't know what the Chrome OS is and probably couldn't care less. Chrome ain't happening any more than any other cloud-centric or cloud-based OS. At least by the general public.

What are they brain burned with when they hear or read the name Microsoft? -> The good old familiar operating system that's preinstalled on various OEM machines and devices they've been buying for a long time.

What the hell is OSX again?.....

I didn't notice the date, as it was published in today's tech report on the site. But a quick Google shows that the Chromebooks, or Chrome, hasn't died off. I'm not suggesting that it's going to set the world on fire, but it is another wedge in OS options.

The general public doesn't really care what the OS is; when they hear Android phone, all they understand is that it's capable of cool things and is not an iPhone. The same goes for Android tablets vs iPads. When many people hear Microsoft, the thoughts aren't always complementary. Also, people don't care about OSX, they understand Apple Mac.

I'm not grasping at anything here, just pointing out that this is not an easy road for Microsoft. They need to tread carefully and not forget '...the good old familiar...'.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows Phone 6, Windows CE 5, Windows Vista x32, Windows 7 x32/x64, Windows 8 x64
The point here is that it doesn't matter how good some product is or what it's shortfalls may be, things are changing rapidly in how people use computers. Windows 8 could be the Rolls Royce of OSes, but most people simply don't care. I was at a 50th birthday party last night and the number of my friends that had bought an iPad this year truly amazed me, which is why I can't see Windows RT providing anything special to the ecosystem. It might excite some tech heads, but for the average Joe it's a case of 'Meh?'

Listen Ray you're too deep into Windows, you should join your friends and buy an iPad. When you get it pull out a USB thumb drive and put your 10mb photos and files on it. Do some work on your 10mb photos and then put them back on your USB. Then play some MKV files on your NAS or maybe put XBMC on it.

And Ray you don't have to be a tech head to enjoy Windows 8 it's the simplest OS Microsoft has ever bought out, if my wife can learn it in 5 minutes anybody can do it in two.(I hope she never reads this, but it's true).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro/Windows 8 Pro/Windows 7 64 Bit64Bit/Windows XP
The point here is that it doesn't matter how good some product is or what it's shortfalls may be, things are changing rapidly in how people use computers. Windows 8 could be the Rolls Royce of OSes, but most people simply don't care. I was at a 50th birthday party last night and the number of my friends that had bought an iPad this year truly amazed me, which is why I can't see Windows RT providing anything special to the ecosystem. It might excite some tech heads, but for the average Joe it's a case of 'Meh?'

Listen Ray you're too deep into Windows, you should join your friends and buy an iPad. When you get it pull out a USB thumb drive and put your 10mb photos and files on it. Do some work on your 10mb photos and then put them back on your USB. Then play some MKV files on your NAS or maybe put XBMC on it.

And Ray you don't have to be a tech head to enjoy Windows 8 it's the simplest OS Microsoft has ever bought out, if my wife can learn it in 5 minutes anybody can do it in two.(I hope she never reads this, but it's true).

I disagree on simplest. I've had to do more end user training on 8 than the past few OSs. It's not impossible or very difficult, but I would not call it intuitive or simple.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
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