Chromebooks were a mistake.

[MrIvan]

Okay. So before you crucify me for saying that they suck and you think they're fine, here's why.

Our school owns Dell Chromebook 11's for education. (Not sure what year, but the ones with the blue border around them.) That's what i'm typing this thing on. (It's keyboard isn't half bad though) 

Anyways. I'm supposed to do a project to create a poster for cancer research funding, and I will share it through our online school hub thing, Edsby. If I want to make a poster, my first and best choice is none other than Microsoft Publisher. But, the thing is, the Chromebooks don't support Publisher, because they're not windows machines, which makes sense. But, Microsoft doesn't have a "Publisher Online", even though all the other office apps do. (Except for Access, but who cares about Access.) So, I must resort to an online program, because google doesn't have their own version either. All of the online options suck, they lack control. So I am going to do this at home on my rig, because I can't get it done at school even though i have all the time in the world to finish it. So, i'm just gonna spend this time fooling around on cool math games.

Another problem! In one of my other classes, i'm supposed to make this thing on this app called "Pegatron". It's some sort of animation thing. However, once again, I can't get it done on this Chromebook. But the thing is, this app supports Chromebooks. But, only through Android. This Chromebook doesn't support android, however. So, once again, gotta do it at home. So I'm spending this time writing this post.

All in all, these Chromebooks in particular are pretty useless, and i hope you can see why. These things are supposed to be "For Education", but I can't get this work done on the Chromebook i'm given to do it! Trust me, these things do a lot of stuff right, (Especially this keyboard, it's actually really nice). But ultimately, it's the software support that cripples these perfectly good devices.

[Morgan MLGman]

-- Thread moved to Laptops and Pre-Built Systems --

[GDRRiley]

1st wrong section.

2nd I know you pain my school has thousands of Chromebooks and I hate them as chrome OS can't do much.  

[MrIvan]

1 minute ago, GDRRiley said:

1st wrong section.

2nd I know you pain my school has thousands of Chromebooks and I hate them as chrome OS can't do much.  

1. It has been fixed, worry not.

2. Yeah, it's kinda sad how useless they are

[KenjiUmino]

4 minutes ago, MrIvan said:

These things are supposed to be "For Education", but I can't get this work done on the Chromebook i'm given to do it!

well, that is not the chromebooks fault.

 

whoever was in charge to equipp students with laptops didn't think this through. 

[MrIvan]

1 minute ago, KenjiUmino said:

well, that is not the chromebooks fault.

 

whoever was in charge to equipp students with laptops didn't think this through. 

Yeah, I agree. Someone set these up incorrectly

[KenjiUmino]

Just now, MrIvan said:

Yeah, I agree. Someone set these up incorrectly

it's "what applications can this device run" vs "what applications are required in different classes" 

 

if i know that i need a specific microsoft application to get the stuff done i need to get done (ms word for example, or publisher) then installing linux on the machine i have to use to get it done would be completely stupid. 

 

installing windows 10s would be about as stupid if i need a CAD program that is not found on the MS store 

[System Error Message]

chromebooks became a mistake when people were overpricing them for crap hardware. Otherwise they're really great. Yes you cant do much with them but thats the point of any computer sold for education or such, restricted only for the use it is intended for. Otherwise chromebooks and can do a lot and google play is coming to it so you can run android apps on chromebooks too. Open office on linux can work with MS office files and can offer more functionality. I had star office in the past which had way more functionality than ms office offered in the past and i got it free along with SunOS and a whole bunch of other very useful software.

[Arika]

this is less of a "chromebooks suck" and more about your school not understanding their limitations and uses

[Donut417]

9 hours ago, MrIvan said:

Okay. So before you crucify me for saying that they suck and you think they're fine, here's why.

Our school owns Dell Chromebook 11's for education. (Not sure what year, but the ones with the blue border around them.) That's what i'm typing this thing on. (It's keyboard isn't half bad though) 

Anyways. I'm supposed to do a project to create a poster for cancer research funding, and I will share it through our online school hub thing, Edsby. If I want to make a poster, my first and best choice is none other than Microsoft Publisher. But, the thing is, the Chromebooks don't support Publisher, because they're not windows machines, which makes sense. But, Microsoft doesn't have a "Publisher Online", even though all the other office apps do. (Except for Access, but who cares about Access.) So, I must resort to an online program, because google doesn't have their own version either. All of the online options suck, they lack control. So I am going to do this at home on my rig, because I can't get it done at school even though i have all the time in the world to finish it. So, i'm just gonna spend this time fooling around on cool math games.

Another problem! In one of my other classes, i'm supposed to make this thing on this app called "Pegatron". It's some sort of animation thing. However, once again, I can't get it done on this Chromebook. But the thing is, this app supports Chromebooks. But, only through Android. This Chromebook doesn't support android, however. So, once again, gotta do it at home. So I'm spending this time writing this post.

All in all, these Chromebooks in particular are pretty useless, and i hope you can see why. These things are supposed to be "For Education", but I can't get this work done on the Chromebook i'm given to do it! Trust me, these things do a lot of stuff right, (Especially this keyboard, it's actually really nice). But ultimately, it's the software support that cripples these perfectly good devices.

You hit the nail on the head. It seems like your school had its head up its ass when it made important decisions. Chromebooks are for people who want a very simple experience, who are surfing the web and checking email. Im going to buy a Chromebook when I get out of school. Why? Because they have great battery life, and all I do on my laptop is watch youtube, come here and post and chat with my friend over hangouts. But for school, you need real computer most of the time. Which is why I havent made the purchase yet, because I have one more semester left and every thing has to be done in word. Plus the online version of word is watered down and doesnt have features I use. So yeah, I know where your coming from. 

[Ramsey Marwan]

On 9/20/2017 at 5:28 PM, MrIvan said:

Okay. So before you crucify me for saying that they suck and you think they're fine, here's why.

Our school owns Dell Chromebook 11's for education. (Not sure what year, but the ones with the blue border around them.) That's what i'm typing this thing on. (It's keyboard isn't half bad though) 

Anyways. I'm supposed to do a project to create a poster for cancer research funding, and I will share it through our online school hub thing, Edsby. If I want to make a poster, my first and best choice is none other than Microsoft Publisher. But, the thing is, the Chromebooks don't support Publisher, because they're not windows machines, which makes sense. But, Microsoft doesn't have a "Publisher Online", even though all the other office apps do. (Except for Access, but who cares about Access.) So, I must resort to an online program, because google doesn't have their own version either. All of the online options suck, they lack control. So I am going to do this at home on my rig, because I can't get it done at school even though i have all the time in the world to finish it. So, i'm just gonna spend this time fooling around on cool math games.

Another problem! In one of my other classes, i'm supposed to make this thing on this app called "Pegatron". It's some sort of animation thing. However, once again, I can't get it done on this Chromebook. But the thing is, this app supports Chromebooks. But, only through Android. This Chromebook doesn't support android, however. So, once again, gotta do it at home. So I'm spending this time writing this post.

All in all, these Chromebooks in particular are pretty useless, and i hope you can see why. These things are supposed to be "For Education", but I can't get this work done on the Chromebook i'm given to do it! Trust me, these things do a lot of stuff right, (Especially this keyboard, it's actually really nice). But ultimately, it's the software support that cripples these perfectly good devices.

The problem is that cheap windows laptops have come a long way and the need for Chromebooks is shrinking. Thank God that my school has windows machines and my personal laptop is a Windows machine.

[Lord Vile]

On 9/20/2017 at 3:28 PM, MrIvan said:

Okay. So before you crucify me for saying that they suck and you think they're fine, here's why.

Our school owns Dell Chromebook 11's for education. (Not sure what year, but the ones with the blue border around them.) That's what i'm typing this thing on. (It's keyboard isn't half bad though) 

Anyways. I'm supposed to do a project to create a poster for cancer research funding, and I will share it through our online school hub thing, Edsby. If I want to make a poster, my first and best choice is none other than Microsoft Publisher. But, the thing is, the Chromebooks don't support Publisher, because they're not windows machines, which makes sense. But, Microsoft doesn't have a "Publisher Online", even though all the other office apps do. (Except for Access, but who cares about Access.) So, I must resort to an online program, because google doesn't have their own version either. All of the online options suck, they lack control. So I am going to do this at home on my rig, because I can't get it done at school even though i have all the time in the world to finish it. So, i'm just gonna spend this time fooling around on cool math games.

Another problem! In one of my other classes, i'm supposed to make this thing on this app called "Pegatron". It's some sort of animation thing. However, once again, I can't get it done on this Chromebook. But the thing is, this app supports Chromebooks. But, only through Android. This Chromebook doesn't support android, however. So, once again, gotta do it at home. So I'm spending this time writing this post.

All in all, these Chromebooks in particular are pretty useless, and i hope you can see why. These things are supposed to be "For Education", but I can't get this work done on the Chromebook i'm given to do it! Trust me, these things do a lot of stuff right, (Especially this keyboard, it's actually really nice). But ultimately, it's the software support that cripples these perfectly good devices.

An awful OS with cheap hardware. Even when you put it in decent hardware why would buy a pixelbook over a MacBook air for the same price or a decent windows laptop? 

[Donut417]

2 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

An awful OS with cheap hardware. Even when you put it in decent hardware why would buy a pixelbook over a MacBook air for the same price or a decent windows laptop? 

I would disagree that is a compeltely awful OS. For what it is, and who its useful for it great. People who are not tech savy and people who need basic access can pick up a chromebook for cheap. But I do agree, I would never spend more than a couple of hundred for a chromebook. I think the Pixel book price is insane. Especially when you can pick up a PC for a hundred or two more or if you want something premium you buy a mac. 

[Lord Vile]

1 hour ago, Donut417 said:

I would disagree that is a compeltely awful OS. For what it is, and who its useful for it great. People who are not tech savy and people who need basic access can pick up a chromebook for cheap. But I do agree, I would never spend more than a couple of hundred for a chromebook. I think the Pixel book price is insane. Especially when you can pick up a PC for a hundred or two more or if you want something premium you buy a mac. 

I've personally never found it useful, i'd rather work on an ipad or my phone over a chromebook. 

[linkboy]

20 hours ago, Donut417 said:

I would disagree that is a compeltely awful OS. For what it is, and who its useful for it great. People who are not tech savy and people who need basic access can pick up a chromebook for cheap. But I do agree, I would never spend more than a couple of hundred for a chromebook. I think the Pixel book price is insane. Especially when you can pick up a PC for a hundred or two more or if you want something premium you buy a mac. 

My mom has a generic HP Chromebook and it suits her needs perfectly. All she uses it for is typing notes for her meetings in Google Docs and sparing us the torture of having to watch Hallmark movies on the TV. Saves me the hassle of also having to troubleshoot basic Windows things that she never figured out how to learn.

 

For that, they're perfect machines. 

 

Me, I couldn't use one, would drive me nuts.