Linux is a nice working system. I’ve expounded its virtues for over 20 years. I used to be the founding senior expertise editor of the now-defunct Linux Journal in 1999. In my skilled expertise profession, I used to be a principal marketing consultant for open-source information heart expertise at Unisys and IBM, and till lately, I used to be the Linux Basis’s editorial director. So sure, I get Linux.
I’ve used Linux desktops, equivalent to RedHat Workstation, CentOS, Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, and each GUI for the platform you’ll be able to think about, together with GNOME, KDE, XFCE, and possibly a dozen different bizarre forks of all of those flavors.
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None of those desktops have ever been exceptionally well-designed methods for normal finish customers. They’re unbelievable for builders and expertise professionals, however if you’re a typical workplace employee, a scholar, or simply somebody at dwelling who desires to get on their websites and do their stuff, Linux desktops are… nicely, they don’t seem to be good. What do I take advantage of as a contract journalist and company communications skilled who writes about tech? I take advantage of a Mac and I’ve executed so since 2018.
Now, it is price noting that open-source pundits have been proclaiming the ‘Yr of the Linux Desktop’ for a very long time, however it’s by no means arrived. Whereas Linux has conquered the cloud, high-performance computing, the Web of Issues, the smartphone trade, and progressive applied sciences, equivalent to synthetic intelligence and machine studying, Linux desktops have by no means caught on. So, why is that?
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Is it an absence of motivation and technical abilities wanted to transition to Linux? Is it the necessity to be taught one thing new? In spite of everything, in case your present OS works high quality, why change? And for those who want a tech guru that will help you set up the darned factor, why undergo all that bother?
But, change is within the air. I feel the calculus might need altered — however not with the Linux distros we’re all acquainted with. The flavour of Linux that can rework the trade is ChromeOS.
ChromeOS Flex simply works for lots of outdated {hardware}
Let’s face it: ChromeOS is super-easy to make use of. Most individuals already know the best way to use that internet browser, and the laptops that ship with it are cheap and within the $200 to $400 vary. On your typical end-user, ChromeOS does the job — particularly for individuals who do not want Microsoft 365 and Home windows or a Mac, are okay with Google Workspace, and primarily use web-based apps. That is in all probability 90% of the consumer inhabitants proper there.
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These folks do not wish to fear about patches or being a methods admin; they only need their darned web sites to work. They need their desktop to be responsive and so they need to have the ability to watch their movies, make their video calls, entry their paperwork and information, and use social networks.
However there may be one enormous cause why ChromeOS Flex will likely be huge: many elderly PCs are sitting out within the wild that can’t run on present variations of Home windows 10, Home windows 11, or MacOS. There may be basically nothing flawed with these PCs, however they’re simply too outdated to be supported by their unique producers.
These units are usually not solely a assist burden. In lots of circumstances, the older software program working on these PCs is not absolutely conforming with trendy safety requirements and runs out-of-date browsers, and different crusty and dangerous stuff.
ChromeOS, by comparability, may be very safe — it is not weak to many exploits plaguing legacy Home windows and Mac methods.
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But the fact is that many elderly PCs and Macs are simply sitting on cabinets amassing mud, once they might as a substitute lead productive lives once more.
With Google’s ChromeOS Flex software program, now you can revive these outdated machines and make them safe to make use of. In actual fact, that is how I spent a complete weekend.
How I revived outdated PCs and Macs
I used to be intrigued by the thought of taking a bunch of computer systems simply sitting in my closet and making them helpful once more. The method began with burning the ChromeOS Restoration Media onto an 8GB minimal USB flash drive (and the toughest half is selecting “ChromeOS Flex” as your Producer and Product, because the restoration media additionally helps retail Chromebook re-installation).
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The primary check topic was an eleven-year-old Dell Inspiron 15R-5521 laptop computer, which initially shipped with Home windows 8. With its Intel i7 and 16GB RAM, this older machine was a nightmare on newer Home windows OSes.
After selecting the ChromeOS Flex drive as its boot supply with the EFI, the system rebooted with the brand new OS, and to my shock, it was a totally remodeled beast — quick, responsive, and environment friendly.
Then, I turned to a fair older system, my mother-in-law’s 2011 iMac. With its modest 4GB RAM and an i5-2500S processor, it was a relic by trendy requirements. However as soon as I put in ChromeOS Flex, it sprang to life. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth peripherals, and even the Google Assistant had been functioning seamlessly. As soon as thought-about a goner, the iMac turned a totally useful Chrome system.
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A 2011 Mac Mini was up subsequent. Too outdated for the present MacOS variations, this little system was excellent for ChromeOS Flex. After an analogous set up, it turned a Chrome pc, now serving as a media heart linked to my TV.
However not all methods are good candidates
Nonetheless, my latest expertise with a 2018-era Intel MacBook Professional was a actuality verify. The bootloader refused to load ChromeOS Flex. This challenge highlighted an vital lesson — not each piece of {hardware}, regardless of how highly effective, is appropriate for ChromeOS Flex.
Google’s licensed fashions listing is a must-check useful resource, detailing which units are supported and which are not. The excellence between licensed and non-certified fashions on this listing is essential. Licensed fashions assure core performance, whereas non-certified fashions are unpredictable.
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Whereas many elderly methods have a superb probability of working high quality with ChromeOS Flex, there may be one main caveat: the software program solely runs on 64-bit methods; 32-bit CPUs (more and more uncommon, even 10 years in the past) won’t work.
For these of you wanting to check drive ChromeOS Flex with out absolutely committing, you’ll be able to run it from the USB media by choosing “Attempt it First” post-bootup. For optimum efficiency, use a USB-A port that helps USB 3.1 and guarantee your thumb drive media is appropriate with this commonplace. This feature offers a brief expertise of ChromeOS Flex, permitting customers to evaluate its suitability for his or her wants earlier than making any everlasting adjustments to their system.
The SSD benefit
A typical problem in my efforts to rejuvenate older computer systems is their outdated platter onerous drives, that are liable to failure. Changing these with solid-state drives (SSDs) isn’t just about reliability; it considerably boosts efficiency.
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A modest funding in a small-capacity, older-generation SATA SSD (typically beneath $30 from prime producers) can significantly improve a machine’s capabilities, aligning nicely with the minimal storage wants of ChromeOS Flex, a cloud-centric OS.
This improve, the place affordability meets efficiency enhancement, is usually extra simple in desktops and older laptops. The improve often entails unscrewing the case and disconnecting the outdated onerous drive. Nonetheless, making certain that your particular mannequin is designed for straightforward onerous drive substitute earlier than putting in ChromeOS Flex is important.
Wanting forward
In 2024, ChromeOS Flex is poised to redefine the tech panorama. Greater than only a fast repair for getting old {hardware}, the OS guarantees a way forward for sustainable and accessible computing. This progressive platform just isn’t solely a lifeline for outdated units, but in addition a testomony to the untapped potential of current expertise. Whether or not for college kids, dwelling customers, or professionals, ChromeOS Flex provides an opportunity to rejuvenate and repurpose our digital instruments.
