[AndrewH]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@AndrewH - They wont run a database at their end

I knew I shouldn't have included that, that someone would misunderstand. No. The Chromebook would run the database, but ideally the files (the EPUBs and covers) would be in the cloud. Or not. They could be on a flash drive or external HD. Whatever. The database would be a packaged app, capable of running on a ChromeOS device without access to the internet. You know... kinda like Calibre on "traditional" computers?

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Rewriting the world in a different programming language is not a viable goal.

I believe I said as much.

That is why ChromeOS is still a toy outside the browser.

Because people don't want to develop for the platform? Ok...

And all I said was that you'll need to get into developer mode and activate Crouton if you want to run python programs on ChromeOS.

You're not running python programs on ChromeOS, though. You're running them on Ubuntu (or whatever flavor of Linux you installed via Crouton). Which sort of defeats the point of ChromeOS.

The allure of ChromeOS devices (aside from the low price point) is that it makes the computer an appliance. Turn it on, and go. No fiddling with registries, config files, arcane terminal commands, anti virus, blue screens of death, defragmenting, updates, random system restarts, drivers, dependencies, missing packages, reinstalling, sudo-apt gets, zypper dups, maintenance, ad nauseam. There must be people who actually enjoy all that, but the vast majority of us do not. I gave up all that. I turn on my computer and within five seconds I'm on the internet being productive. Imagine if your microwave or car required such maintenance and bogged you down with minutiae. "Sorry boss, I'll be who knows how late... my car's in the middle of an update and will need a reboot."

Those involved in Calibre think it's the best thing since sliced bread, that's understandable and I'd agree. It is. They have no interest in re-writing it, that's completely understandable! Nobody is demanding or even asking them to. Would those of us using ChromeOS like to see an ebook management program we could use without jumping through hoops? Heck ya. They aren't just thin clients, and they're perfectly capable of running database software. It just needs to be created. We shouldn't have to resort to installing Linux to do something. That's akin to telling a Mac person to just get a Windows machine. It's the same thing Mac and Linux users have been hearing for years, "Sorry, if you want to play games get Windows". Are Macs and Linux computers not capable of running games, or is it that nobody creates games for those platforms?

I think when all the kids currently using Chromebooks in school graduate, and some become programmers, we'll see a huge surge in apps available for ChromeOS. Perhaps we'll see a ChromeOS ebook management app, perhaps not. There's certainly nothing technically standing in the way of one being created, however.