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    Is the $99 Computer a Bad Thing?

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    • scottalanmillerS
      scottalanmiller @BMarie
      last edited by

      @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?

      B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • DashrenderD
        Dashrender @scottalanmiller
        last edited by

        @scottalanmiller said:

        @Dashrender said:

        If the iPad was the same price (with an add-on keyboard of course) I think the Chromebook would just fail.

        No, one is useful for content creation and manipulation, one is for content consumption. Fundamentally different devices. A Chromebook is a full power workstation, you use it like a computer. It is not a mobile device. The iPad is a mobile device and lacks the interface, multitasking and features necessary to be useful for non-consumption activities.

        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.

        scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • B
          BMarie @scottalanmiller
          last edited by

          @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

          DashrenderD scottalanmillerS coliverC 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • DashrenderD
            Dashrender @BMarie
            last edited by

            @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

            The lack of ability to install apps on it kinda make this a non issue.

            scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • scottalanmillerS
              scottalanmiller @Dashrender
              last edited by

              @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.

              DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • scottalanmillerS
                scottalanmiller @BMarie
                last edited by

                @BMarie said:

                Virus/Malware

                How does being a $99 machine alter what AV you have?

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • scottalanmillerS
                  scottalanmiller @Dashrender
                  last edited by

                  @Dashrender said:

                  The lack of ability to install apps on it kinda make this a non issue.

                  Chromebooks are way better without AV than Windows with AV. I thought she was just talking about $99 Windows boxes, though.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DashrenderD
                    Dashrender @scottalanmiller
                    last edited by Dashrender

                    @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.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • coliverC
                      coliver @BMarie
                      last edited by

                      @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.

                      DashrenderD B 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • DashrenderD
                        Dashrender @coliver
                        last edited by

                        @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.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • B
                          BMarie @coliver
                          last edited by

                          @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.

                          coliverC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • coliverC
                            coliver @BMarie
                            last edited by

                            @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".

                            B DashrenderD 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • B
                              BMarie @coliver
                              last edited by

                              @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.

                              coliverC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • coliverC
                                coliver @BMarie
                                last edited by

                                @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.

                                B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • B
                                  BMarie @coliver
                                  last edited by

                                  @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 🙂

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • DashrenderD
                                    Dashrender @coliver
                                    last edited by

                                    @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.

                                    coliverC scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • coliverC
                                      coliver @Dashrender
                                      last edited by coliver

                                      @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....

                                      MattSpellerM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • MattSpellerM
                                        MattSpeller @coliver
                                        last edited by

                                        @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

                                        coliverC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • coliverC
                                          coliver @MattSpeller
                                          last edited by

                                          @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.

                                          MattSpellerM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • MattSpellerM
                                            MattSpeller @coliver
                                            last edited by

                                            @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).

                                            coliverC scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
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