Chromebooks: Now It’s Your Turn

Who knew people were so passionate about Chromebooks?

My recent post about these cheap Google-powered laptops inspired such a powerful reaction that I feel compelled to share it with the rest of the Modern Family faithful.

In my post, I asserted that Chromebooks were a smart choice for kids but hardly anyone else. Reader reactions spanned the gamut, from dark accusations that I’m in Google’s pocket to outrage at how I slighted these plucky-yet-powerful devices. You expressed strong opinions and asked excellent questions. Here’s a sampling of the best:

Did Google bribe you to write that post?

Scott L., a longtime IT pro from Hawaii, writes:

“The Chromebook is one of the worst products I’ve seen come along. It is crippled. I’m regularly floored by the misinformed people who report this stuff. Get some real-world experience, like me, and you’ll see people return these devices for real computers when they realize what they’ve done.

So how much did Google pay you for this story?”

Scott L. was not the only reader to ask that question. This is a common response in the tech journalism world when you like something readers don’t, or vice versa. It couldn’t be because we have a difference of opinion; I must be for sale.

The answer? Of course not. If I actually had all the bribe money readers accused me of taking over the years, I could retire to my own private island.

The funny thing is, I don’t think Google liked my post very much — it wasn’t all that flattering to Chromebooks. Which brings me to the next letter.

Dude, why are you so down on Chromebooks?

Tom L., who works in higher education, took me to the woodshed for being too negative about Chromebooks. He writes:

“I cannot understand why tech writers consistently want to tell people that they need more computer than they actually use. … The Chromebook is what I and so many other adults want and need from a computer — a cheap, easy-to-use, virus-free machine that has no other capabilities than those that I need 95 percent of the time!

That’s why you and Microsoft, with its obnoxious and deceptive anti-Chromebook ads, write and advertise what you do. If we actually had a dead-easy computer to use, who would need you guys?”

He went on at some length, describing the ways I could solve the various deficiencies I cited in my piece. Like, for example, instead of plugging a scanner into a Chromebook (which doesn’t support them), I could scan documents to an SD card and then plug the card into the Chromebook.

Here’s the thing: I strongly believe people shouldn’t have to change how they work just to accommodate a new piece of technology; I think the technology should adapt to them.

There are millions of adults who use their laptops for work and need to use software that simply won’t run on a Chromebook — certainly not without jumping through a lot of hoops. To recommend one to them would be a disservice.

He’s right about those deceptive Microsoft ads, though. They’re shameful.

Wait, isn’t Google evil?

John J. writes:

“The whole Google control online Big Brother app thing is a bit scary. Who owns/gets control of that data?”

Good question.

The fact is, using a Chromebook is no more harmful to your privacy than simply having a Google account. To many people, though, that’s harmful enough. If you believe Google is indeed evil, you definitely should not buy a Chromebook or use any of Google’s 3,247 free services.

The alternative, however, is that you’re stuck using devices and services controlled by Apple or Microsoft, and they’re not saints, either, when it comes to data collection. Or you can take your chances with some flavor of Linux, an open-source operating system that you can install on virtually any computer (though if you’re not a geek, you’d better have one on speed dial).

C’mon, isn’t it smarter to buy a cheap Windows machine instead?

Eddie S. writes to me from Texas:

“I purchased two brand-new HP laptops with Windows 8 and a 160 GB hard drive for $289 each at Walmart. I downloaded OpenOffice and use it instead of MS Office and even use Dropbox as their ‘cloud.’ I don’t need to be connected to WiFi to do anything and, by the way, my kids CAN play Minecraft on their laptops.”

In terms of cost, a cheap Windows machine running free software is indeed comparable to buying a Chromebook. But then you’re still stuck using a Windows machine, with all the headaches that entails. You’ll have a much broader choice of software and compatible devices, but also greater exposure to malware and other Internet nasties. Also, in my personal opinion, Windows 8 is a wet hot mess. Your mileage may vary.

What I’d like to know is what happens a year or two from now. Will Chromebooks grow slower and slower over time, as every Windows machine I’ve ever owned has? I don’t have the answer to that. But I’d be curious if any of my readers do.

Who says Chromebooks are just for kids?

Elaine H. chimes in:

“I bought a Samsung Chromebook in December. … It was one of the best investments I have made. I am in my 60s, retired, and all I want is something to check my email, Facebook and keep my journal on.

Wonderful invention — much better than the netbooks the kids used years ago at school.”

I was gently scolded by several readers for neglecting people of a certain age in my assessment. All I can say is mea culpa. I goofed by making an arbitrary age distinction where there really isn’t one.

The decision to buy a Chromebook has little to do with how old you are; it’s more about what you want your computer to do, especially if you use it for work as well as play. That’s the real distinction.

Are Chromebooks actually suitable for kids?

Rich H. asks an excellent question:

“How do you set up an account for the kids without using the parents’ info? Gmail has age requirements unless you falsify their age.”

It’s true you must have a Google account to get any real use out of a Chromebook (you can use a guest account to surf the Net, but you can’t install apps or save files). It’s also true that Google asks for your birth date and will prevent users under age 13 from creating accounts. But you have a few options.

If your child’s school uses Google Apps for Education, she can log into the Chromebook using the account created for her by the school. Whether she’ll have access to all the Chrome apps, though, is up to the school’s tech administrator.

Your second option is to create a “supervised user” account for your child, which allows you to manage what she does via your own Google account. It’s a nice concept; unfortunately, this feature is still marked “beta” and, boy, is it ever.

The web filters are bare-bones — you can either allow every single site or manually create a list of places your kids are allowed to visit. (You can also remotely grant permission if the child asks to visit a site that is blocked.) Worse, supervised (child) users cannot install any Chrome apps on their machines, which pretty much negates the major argument for getting a Chromebook.

A Google spokeswoman acknowledged that this feature is in the very early stages and says the ability to use apps and extensions will be added in the future. “We are committed to offering a fantastic experience for everyone,” she said.

So that leaves you with two more options: Lie about your kids’ ages or let them use your account. In other words, either you teach them to violate Google’s terms of service or give them full access to your Gmail inbox. Neither option is great, but if all your kids can do with a Chromebook is surf the web, then you might as well buy them a cheap Android tablet for half the price.

Finally, a small correction. My description of how to connect a Chromebook to a printer was technically inaccurate; you can find the real skinny here.

Now, any more questions?

Questions, complaints, kudos? Email Dan Tynan at ModFamily1@yahoo.com.