"Why Chromebook Pundits Are Out of Touch"

[frahse]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I made some changes:

• I got a new Windows PC today
• I'm giving the netbook back
• I'm moving the Chromebook to the living room

As much as I wanted to make Chrome my primary PC, I couldn't. For me, it's not ready for prime time. Library books and WYSIWYG editing were the deal breakers. Other than that, I had no other major issues with Chrome.

I am waiting myself for a better machine.
But one thing that I really want is the ability to do "offline" printing.

[Kumabjorn]

Chromebooks all come with USB ports, right?
Then all that is required are printer drivers, I assume.
Would it be a major undertaking porting a Windows driver to Chrome? Or what about a Linux driver, would that perhaps be easier?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Chromebooks all come with USB ports, right?
Then all that is required are printer drivers, I assume.
Would it be a major undertaking porting a Windows driver to Chrome? Or what about a Linux driver, would that perhaps be easier?

"No messing with drivers" is a somewhat fundamental Chromebook principle. You wouldn't need "a" driver, you need drivers for any type of printer you might want to use.
Also, a driver requires software that knows to request it's functionality, so it would require more than a driver, it would likely require an OS patch to allow apps to request printing through a local driver.
Unless someone created a driver that appeared to the OS as a MSC device, and printed whatever file the user saved to it....
There are things that can be done for local network printing, though. I'd just like to see a method that doesn't require the Internet or external servers.

[Kumabjorn]

So it's like they (Google) insist on knowing everything you do on your device?

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

So it's like they (Google) insist on knowing everything you do on your device?

What did you expect? That is the whole idea, for Google.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

So it's like they (Google) insist on knowing everything you do on your device?

No, but a major point of the simple zero maintenance experience Chromebooks are supposed to offer involves not having users be concerned with drivers and hardware configurations. You can work off line and connect to things on a local network that Google could not know about, but currently only via a fairly small set of protocols and mechanisms.
I'd like to see more of them added.

[Kumabjorn]

It's it known if Google will respond to those demands? I like zero maintenance but I also like to use the printer/scanner I bought a few weeks ago.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

It's it known if Google will respond to those demands? I like zero maintenance but I also like to use the printer/scanner I bought a few weeks ago.

Just don't do that stuff

After I gave up on audiobooks and editing, Chrome worked great

[ApK]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Just don't do that stuff

In all seriousness, it's really "if that is stuff you want to do, then a Chromebook is not a good choice as a one-and-only device for you."

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ApK

In all seriousness, it's really "if that is stuff you want to do, then a Chromebook is not a good choice as a one-and-only device for you."

Exactly! That's why mine is in the living room.

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Exactly! That's why mine is in the living room.

But that's where I download and transfer my audiobooks. I've been reading this thread and am glad I decided to just stick with my netbook, even though I really had the 'want a new toy' bug.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

But that's where I download and transfer my audiobooks. I've been reading this thread and am glad I decided to just stick with my netbook, even though I really had the 'want a new toy' bug.

I always keep my primary PC in the bedroom. Chrome devices are great, as long as you're aware of the limitations of the OS and can live with them.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by ApK

"No messing with drivers" is a somewhat fundamental Chromebook principle. You wouldn't need "a" driver, you need drivers for any type of printer you might want to use.
Also, a driver requires software that knows to request it's functionality, so it would require more than a driver, it would likely require an OS patch to allow apps to request printing through a local driver.
Unless someone created a driver that appeared to the OS as a MSC device, and printed whatever file the user saved to it....
There are things that can be done for local network printing, though. I'd just like to see a method that doesn't require the Internet or external servers.

Exactly for local networks.

But even with the possibility that you are porting someone's else printer, all the magic "cloud" need do is know what printer it is, normal plug and play, or even the old fashioned "tell the damn thing what is there."

The engineer in me and I have been that a long time when things were much more difficult with printers can't see any other reason for Google to do this dumb thing except that they wish to drive everyone to "their cloud" even if there is not a valid reason.
Because of this there will actually be more resistance to them.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Just don't do that stuff

After I gave up on audiobooks and editing, Chrome worked great

According to my wife, editing is fine, just check out the various options.

Audio books aren't my cup of tea. Oh! audio DRM?

Someone might have a method.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by frahse

Audio books aren't my cup of tea. Oh! audio DRM?

Someone might have a method.

I think the method will be wine under a Linux boot. At least in the near term. I can't find the link, but I recall seeing something describing upcoming updates to ChrUbuntu. Which may incorporate a wine package.