=============================================================================== 002-chromebook.txt =============================================================================== Chromebooking for fun and profit -------------------------------- TL;DR If you just want some tips for stuff to do on, or use on, your Chromebook and don't give a toss about my opinions or motivations skip to Part 3! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: About this document, or, "how no one on the Internet knows how to fucking do anything anymore". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So I made an error. I assumed that a lot of people way smarter than me would have purchased, set up, played with and documented setting up a Chromebook for what I considered pretty common day to day tasks. I did not Google this BEFORE I purchased the device because given the nerdiness of a Google machine in principle it stood to reason in my silly little naive brain that someone would have taken care of this shit. I was wrong. Way wrong. I couldn't find a decent guide to setting up a Chromebook for obvious and common usage - everything I found on the commercial Internet was the same 400 words written by what I can only assume is the tech industry villiage idiot of each website chanting out the same OBVIOUS five applications which were must have for Chromebook users (at best) and complete and utter rambling drivel (at worst) - with few or no links to actual software. All served with a side order of disgusting advertising which basically crippled the page (pretty standard for most websites these days as we all know) but is a particular pain when you are looking at it on a new device which needs setting up to personal preference. Let's get this out the way; my use final case is probably not strictly a standard one (I have a specific list of functions I wanted for this device - which I'll list out in Part 1, but I do think others might benefit from reading exactly how I set my Chromebook up and what software I used and more importantly exactly -where to get it-, and exactly how to install it in some cases - to be clear here, if I don't know how to do something, I don't fucking write about it (and nor should you). If a Genie gave me three wishes in this world; wish number one would be that "anyone who writes a guide to something that have no idea about on the Internet die in a fucking fire". I'm serious. That shit gets me down. ---------------------------------------------- Part 1: Why the shit did you buy a chromebook? ---------------------------------------------- It was cheap. The first obvious reason was because they can be cheap as fuck. I paid about £200 for a Toshiba Chromebook 2 and it's absolutely the right power level for what I need. If I had paid £200 for a Windows notebook / laptop or even a Linux ready lappy with no OS from previous experience trying to be cute with cash I'd have been taking a gamble that the Chrome Browser would even run smoothly on it, I wanted to avoid that, and did. Chrome, unsurprisingly, runs perfectly on my Chromebook. Ultimately, this means I have Internet functionality which was the primary functional requirement of the device in so far as my personal tech spec went. Fast. Windows has always had a huge issue with boot times, and Linux is depressingly developing one over time. SSD's go a long way to fixing this issue (or at least giving the illusion of it being fixed) but they cost cash in the context of a laptop (mega cash) and as I have stated I was on a budget for this project/purchase. That all understand, hear this; my Chromebook boots in 2 seconds. 2. Seconds. From cold. That's quicker than either Linux or Windows would manage even on an SSD. Even on £2000 worth of hardware (see: My gaming desktop PC for comparison). That makes The Chromebook solution best in class in that particular area. Light. I like to carry my things around, and would rather not be carrying the entire universe on my back (See: a Macbook Pro which to my mind is a hideously heavy device). My Toshiba Chromebook is extremely light, in a bag as an after thought you'd barely realise it was in there. It weighs less than most of my jumpers. Again, this is better than a laptop, or even a large tablet. A clear winner. Silent. Seriously. There is no noise. None. At all. It is stealth. Silent death.v You know that fan noise your laptop / Macbook makes? I don't. And that's all she wrote. Networked by design. The entire point of a Chromebook is as a -cloud device- (a horrible buzzphrase given beautiful physical form here!), it's designed to be attached to a network and facilitate communications and that is a job is does -very- well. This is what I need a device for; productivity network operations, and this hits ALL the tick boxes and then some. Battery lasts forever. It just does. If I managed to run out of batteries it'd be my own stupid fault. And I don't think anything I've ever done is my own fault. I'm a dick. Lastly... I've spoken about the fun being drained out of technology before in various mediums; and I feel like Chromebooks are a small step back in the fun direction, in order to do some of the customisations we are going to talk about later in this document you do have to put some effort in but at the same time the device makes that fun - it also encourages learning. I am writing this document on the device. It's fun. I am playing SNES games on this device afterwards as a reward for doing some work on this document tonight, and for doing some contract work on the sofa. It's fun. Fun. And technology; this is not a mutually exclusive suggestion and the fact it often feels like one, in particular for people who work in tech, is fucking annoying to me as someone who has grown up loving technology. I am trying to take it back; the Chromebook, and the entire feeling of the OS and device facilitates this. It's good feels. Get involved. ---------------------------------- Part 2: What a Chromebook isn't... ---------------------------------- The Chromebook isn't a secure internet terminal - using this device and a Google account is exactly that. You're the product. You give up your data to the man in the big Alphabet tower, but fuck it. We've all given up the right to be too pissed about that with relentless noughties apathy (well YOU all did) so there is no point point bitching and whining about it now - just work with what we got and try and have some fun with it. Also outsourcing some of the more advanced functionality to a shell account (See, Part 3) makes it as secure as any SSL connection (although that sentence no longer holds nearly as much weight as it used to... that's life). This isn't a photoshop / video editing monster brimming with productivity tools either. If you need tools like photoshop or video editing suites this is NOT the right choice for you. Your specific use case warrants a Macbook (probably) or a Windows laptop with the developmental kit you need installed on it under recommendation from someone else in your field! You cannot recreate that shit with a device designed as an Internet communications device so don't even try! This isn't a gaming PC either. It'll play some games, it'll emulate a SNES (retro gaming is one of my things) but that's about it. Don't expect anything from the device in this respect. It's not for that. I'll repeat that. IT IS NOT FOR GAMING - the Play Store games area is a mess/disgrace and full of utter shite! That all said and understood; stuff you are going to need and more excitingly, want... --------------------------------- Part 3: Functionality Suggestions --------------------------------- - This first one is bloody obvious but Google Docs direct from the web can do almost everything you'll need as a normal person; not well, but good enough. This should go without saying and is only included in this list for completeness. - If your Chromebook hasn't got a native carrier for mobile Internets, then tethering to your mobile / cell phone is very simple; set up on phone as you would (see your phone’s instructions or literally any online guide for this) and connect via WiFi. No stress involved, works natively out of the box. Just keep an eye on your data usage on those social media sites kids! Tumblr is a killer via Chrome Browser on ChromeOS as opposed to the Android version. - Install LastPass in Chrome and never worry about that shit again no matter which of your devices you are on (because typing passwords is so 2005 and everything that matters DOES or SHOULD have 2 factor authentication methods involving your phone number these days anyway). Get LastPass here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lastpass-free-password-ma/hdokiejnpimakedhajhdlcegeplioahd - Install Pushbullet so you don't have to keep glancing at your mobile/cell phone when you are on your Chromebook - back ChromeOS your one stop communications hub while you are using it with this one little application. The Pushbullet software is highly customisable and can push notifications from a huge variety of iOS and Android apps, just the stuff you want right on your desktop/Chromebook/both. The most important part of this, and great example, for me is SMS messages. Get Pushbullet here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pushbullet/chlffgpmiacpedhhbkiomidkjlcfhogd?hl=en - Install Dropbox so you can access your stuff, everywhere, including in the file system of your Chromebook (with this extra application; https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/file-system-for-dropbox/hlffpaajmfllggclnjppbblobdhokjhe/). So install Dropbox from here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dropbox/ioekoebejdcmnlefjiknokhhafglcjdl?hl=en and if you'd like to access your files directly from the ChromeOS file management application (and why wouldn't you...) install this also: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/file-system-for-dropbox/hlffpaajmfllggclnjppbblobdhokjhe/ - runs well, no problems. - Install System Specifications because you need to know; maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow... but some day and for the rest of your life exactly what the specs your wonderful little Chrome friend is rocking. Get this applications for ChromeOS here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/system/ocjnemjmlhjkeilmaidemofakmpclcbi - Install Spotify; because without Metal, there is nothing. Yes it is just a launcher for the web application, no that doesn't make much of a difference. Get it from here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/spotify-music-for-every-m/cnkjkdjlofllcpbemipjbcpfnglbgieh?hl=en - Install Text for editing ASCII because Word Processing is for fucking pussies. I really like this no nonsense text editor. Get it from here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/text/mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg?hl=en - If you want to access Linux / Unix systems you are going to have to either a) put the Chromebook in development mode and install Linux GUI over the existant GUI Kernel (time consuming, but probably quite fun) OR if you are lazy like me install a SSH client and maybe register a bespoke shell somewhere to use with your ChromeOS device. If you'd like a shell account for free with a lot of functionality to mess around with and learn on I recommend SDF.org (and please donate the $1 to become a member you tight ass, it's not too much to ask is it?) - because when you can't do something yourself (access command line on your Chromebook directly)... you fucking outsource. The combination of your Chromebook and an SDF.org shell is pretty much a match made in heaven, outsourcing commandline tasks to a cloud provider in the same way your outsourcing file management and storage to Googledox and Dropbox. It's the perfect use of a Chromebook. Make the dream come true with this shell application: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/pnhechapfaindjhompbnflcldabbghjo?hl=en - Having already explained how the Chromebook is NOT a gaming machine, I will now contradict myself and get you all excited by cavitating; But it can do some decent emulation (it's missing a Megadrive emulator at present, but I fully expect someone will wrap up and release an Android one sooner rather than later). Emulate: * Super Nintendo (SNES) -Here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/super-nintendo-emulator-s/ckpjobcmemfpfeaeolhhjkjdpfnkngnd * PS / DOS - Here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dosbox-for-google-chrome/jhceknlmaggijlkkcemdaghpniimajhd - Just so you know; you can plug USB drives in and they work right away with the ChromeOS file explorer. - And even more old school like; you can even plug USB CD-Drives in and they work right away with the ChromeOS file explorer! ----------------------------------------------- Part 4: More Advanced Productivity Applications ----------------------------------------------- - CryptoCat (Because REALTALK is encrypted) is a great little instance Instant Messenger (spawn chats as and when you need) which can be obtained here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cryptocat/gonbigodpnfghidmnphnadhepmbabhij?hl=en - Wanna run Android Apps (Because this opens millions of doors with one swift bit of work) on ChromeOS? You can with a -little bit- of work and a -little bit- of technical knowledge/learning (you can do it, I believe in you). I am not going to rewrite what the little Google elves have already written in this instance so here is a direct link to the official guide to installing the required runtimes. It's fairly straightforward: * Official Guide to setting up the runtime environment required: https://developer.chrome.com/apps/getstarted_arc * Then install Twerk which will enable you wrap Android Apps for ChromeOS at whim: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/twerk/jhdnjmjhmfihbfjdgmnappnoaehnhiaf?hl=en ---------------------------------------------- Part 5: Some security, thrown in on the end... ---------------------------------------------- - Virtual Private Network? No problem. Setting open OpenVPN (Because Netflix and chill can require region specific access. Not code) is pretty simple. Here are the steps: 1. Select the three-line menu in the upper right corner of Chrome, then choose Settings 2, Select Add connection 3. Choose Add private 4. Fill in the network connection data with the details from your relevant service provider: * Adding a Server hostname: (for example) us.yourvpn.com * Name the service: (for example) us * Selecting the L2TP/IPsec + any pre-shared key option (depending on the service you use) * Typing in the pre-shared key "ifthatkeyisathing" * Fill in your username and password 5. Select to save your identity and password. 6. Then click Connect. After a few seconds, the system will be connected. 7. You can then access and toggle the VPN from the ChromeOS settings in the bottom right of the OS taskbar (your profile picture). I've seen quite a few dicksheads derping around online saying that ChromeOS doesn't play nice with OpenVPN but that is complete bollocks as far as I can see, it worked first time when I tried it. So yeah, it should work for you if you follow the steps above. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conclusion: You now have a lovely communications device which is very capable indeed. Enjoy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== EOF