this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2023
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I'm wondering if Chromebooks can run Firefox? I'm guessing not. I know you can install adblockers on them. Not after mid-2024, I guess.
It really sucks that an affordable notebook computer means getting locked into an advertising system. You can get a Chromebook for under $100 and they have a very, very easy-to-use OS. They're great for poor people and elderly people.
So much for putting an adblocker on Grandma's computer now.
you can have refurbished thinkpad for the same price and you don't have to deal with some chrome-crap.
honestly, the fact that people have to be reminded there are alternatives to chrome is the most mindblowing fact from the article.
If all you need is a cheap laptop, there's thousands of deals on refurbished or used ones. You don't need this year's model to browse the web and send email.
Throw Ubuntu or something on it and you can go even cheaper hardware wise.
I have 10 year old Laptop that runs fine. It runs even finer on Linux.
I've installed the Android version of Firefox on my wife's Chromebook via the Google Play store. There's also a way to enable Linux within ChromeOS and install the more full fledged version of FF.
See: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browsers/chromebook/
If she'd allow you, you could always put a little pihole ($10-20) on her network (with the bare minimum lists so that it doesn't break things too often). Wouldn't change anything about her computer.
Just started running PiHole with a couple lists (default + more restrictions) and have seen zero negative effects so far. Surprising really.
The pricing only really works if you factor in the advertising afterwards.
There are ways to run Linux on Chromebooks
Sure, but do you think Grandma who spent $100 on a Chromebook at Walmart is going to be able to figure out Linux even if their grandson knows how to install it? Chrome OS is the push-here-dummy of OSes. You really can't get much simpler. This is dangling a carrot in front of them so they'll be forced to look at endless advertising.
That's fair enough although I'd argue some desktop environments and Linux distributions are usable very easily. Remember that people like grandma are using "the operating system as a bootloader for the browser" and if they can open Chrome or Firefox they're good.
That being said when writing my response I admittedly had you in mind as the user who simply wanted to save money.
Well I do want to save money, but I'm not interested in a Chromebook for myself. My mother-in-law swears by hers though.
A lot of chromebooks run linux pretty well since chromeOS is essentially just linux which is always an option.