"The "damn" times they are a changing!" Bob Dylan? (well not exactly)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yes, I understand what Chromebooks are. I have one myself.

But where are you getting that the Chromebook will no longer be able to go online?

Android is notorious for not being updated. Yet old versions of Android can still go online. Why would Chrome O/S behave differently?

I didn't say it won't be able to go online.
But if the servers refuse the connection...
I gather you haven't encountered websites that only support the absolute latest version of a browser? Or only certain whitelisted browsers?

If Google stops patching bugs and security holes servers will have to deny access just to protect themselves. The gadget might have no problem getting online but be unable to go anyplace useful. For starters, if Google wants to make you upgrade they can block off Gmail, Youtube, Google Docs...

It's like how they updated ChromeOS to run Android apps but only for newer devices. More than planned obsolescence, this sounds like forced obsolescence; perfectly fine hardware but if they want you to upgrade they can degrade the functionality enough to make it useless.

Now, having the capability doesn't mean they will use it but Google's track record with Android suggests they will, sooner or later, and probably sooner than later.

It's a matter of time.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I didn't say it won't be able to go online.
But if the servers refuse the connection...

Your arguments go from "I could see that" to "where's my tin foil hat?"

I gather you haven't encountered websites that only support the absolute latest version of a browser? Or only certain whitelisted browsers?

I've seen that, though they seem to be rare (maybe it's just the website I visit? Your mileage may vary). Since corporations tend to use older versions of browsers (where I work, we have to use an old version of Chrome and for some things, we still use IE), most sites will accept several versions of a browser.

If Google stops patching bugs and security holes servers will have to deny access just to protect themselves. The gadget might have no problem getting online but be unable to go anyplace useful. For starters, if Google wants to make you upgrade they can block off Gmail, Youtube, Google...

Google blocking access to their own services seems a little conspiracy theory-ish to me.

It's like how they updated ChromeOS to run Android apps but only for newer devices. More than planned obsolescence, this sounds like forced obsolescence; perfectly fine hardware but if they want you to upgrade they can degrade the functionality enough to make it useless.

Now, having the capability doesn't mean they will use it but Google's track record with Android suggests they will, sooner or later, and probably sooner than later.

It's a matter of time.

The older Chromebooks not being able to install Android apps sucks, but it didn't make a device I only purchased to surf the web (which is all the early Chromebooks promised to do) useless.

I guess in the end, when you buy a very inexpensive laptop that only runs a browser, you have to expect these things to happen.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by kansaskyle

I remember a commercial years ago that mentioned a seven-year-old computer is a lot different than a seven-year-old airplane.

not really - I'm using a 6 year old laptop, and it is still more than adequate compared to current devices

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

not really - I'm using a 6 year old laptop, and it is still more than adequate compared to current devices

I have a second-gen Atom Netbook going on ten years that's working just fine.
It came with Vista, got faster with Win7 and now Win10 made it even smoother. Both free upgrades. Still getting support, even drivers for tbe hardware.

Browses fine, runs Office, Calibre, and media apps as well as it ever did.
I doubt it'll still be in use after 50 years like the B52 but it only cost $279 new.

Say what you will about MS, they do support their OSes for a decade and more.

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/mic...ort-lifecycle/

[Lady Stardust]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I have a second-gen Atom Netbook going on ten years that's working just fine.
It came with Vista, got faster with Win7 and now Win10 made it even smoother. Both free upgrades. Still getting support, even drivers for tbe hardware.

Browses fine, runs Office, Calibre, and media apps as well as it ever did.
I doubt it'll still be in use after 50 years like the B52 but it only cost $279 new.

Say what you will about MS, they do support their OSes for a decade and more.

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/mic...ort-lifecycle/

And yet, they ended support for Office for Mac 2011 in 2017 And no free upgrade, I would have to pay for Office for Mac 2016 or 365.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

And yet, they ended support for Office for Mac 2011 in 2017 And no free upgrade, I would have to pay for Office for Mac 2016 or 365.

Office is a different story.
It's an application, not a platform.
Different rules.
The OS is tied to the hardware and you can't move it to a different system, whereas you can migrate an Office license to different hardware when you buy a new computer. The OS being tied to the hardware makes having usable hardware with an unsupported OS is bound to be annoying, especially if it keeps you from accessing full functionality. Apps don't typically become riskier or lose functionality when support ends.The

(That's where the Win10 support rule of "hardware usable life" makes sense.)

It really an, ahem, Apples and Oranges situation, OSes and applications.

How long does Apple support, say iWork?
From what I hear, the current version 13 doesn't support documents from version 9, 2009. So they supported it for 5 years? That's about right for applications. Few consumer applications get more.

Now, enterprise applications are a different breed but mostly because support is paid for. Those get supported as long as money money money keeps rolling in.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Office is a different story.
It's an application, not a platform.
Different rules.
The OS is tied to the hardware and you can't move it to a different system, whereas you can migrate an Office license to different hardware when you buy a new computer. The OS being tied to the hardware makes having usable hardware with an unsupported OS is bound to be annoying, especially if it keeps you from accessing full functionality. Apps don't typically become riskier or lose functionality when support ends.The

(That's where the Win10 support rule of "hardware usable life" makes sense.)

It really an, ahem, Apples and Oranges situation, OSes and applications.

How long does Apple support, say iWork?
From what I hear, the current version 13 doesn't support documents from version 9, 2009. So they supported it for 5 years? That's about right for applications. Few consumer applications get more.

Now, enterprise applications are a different breed but mostly because support is paid for. Those get supported as long as money money money keeps rolling in.

Apple has always had the policy of not supporting older versions after a given time. That's been a big difference between Apple and Microsoft over the years. Another big difference has been that Apple proactively attempts to discourage the use of undocumented API's by breaking them every so often.

In general, with Android products, especially when the carriers customize it, you know up front that the carrier is only going to support it for a couple of OS upgrades if that. You pretty much have to root the phone at that point if you want to upgrade.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Apple has always had the policy of not supporting older versions after a given time. That's been a big difference between Apple and Microsoft over the years.

When Google released Chrome OS, they promised four years of support. A bit later they bumped it up to five. So it doesn't feel like they are cheating anyone.

[frahse]

Strange, I got a notice from my Chromebook to "update." I did. But I still have the message I quoted saying it was stopping updating.

Maybe it is updating some stuff but not anything for more modern hardware.

[crich70]

When my HP netbook's hard drive went bad and I had to replace it I installed Win 7 on it instead of Win 10. Eventually Win 7 will no longer be supported, but in the meanwhile it suffices, and maybe by the time Win 7 is no longer supported they will have found something better than Win 10. Anyway I don't need the newest OS to write in Scriver, play some games, surf the net and check email, which is mostly what I do with it anyway. It may not be the sportscar of computers but it works.