[HN Gopher] ChromeOS is splitting the browser from the OS, getti...
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       ChromeOS is splitting the browser from the OS, getting more Linux-y
        
       Author : mfiguiere
       Score  : 41 points
       Date   : 2023-08-02 20:43 UTC (2 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (arstechnica.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (arstechnica.com)
        
       | sillywalk wrote:
       | Project LaCros looks to be finally finished.
       | 
       | ChromeOS and Chrome browser can/will be updated separately, with
       | Chrome being the same as the normal Linux version.
        
       | femboy wrote:
       | Hopefully running Firefox becomes easier ;)
        
       | daft_pink wrote:
       | I don't really understand the point of turning ChromeOS into
       | Linux. The point of ChromeOS used to be a hardened secure browser
       | only computer that would work identically with your login across
       | systems on the platform. If you want a Linux laptop, why not just
       | buy a Linux laptop. Why use do you want Google's dumbed down
       | implementation of Linux.
        
         | freedomben wrote:
         | They're not "turning ChromeOS into Linux." ChromeOS can and
         | will still be a hardened secure browser-only computer that
         | works identically with your login across systems on the
         | platform. Having separate binaries for the UI shell and the
         | Chrome browser doesn't nullify everything else. TFA even points
         | out that users won't really notice any difference.
        
         | dangus wrote:
         | I think this take is a gross misunderstanding of who buys
         | Chromebooks and why they buy them.
         | 
         | The success of ChromeOS is because it is easy to manage at
         | institutions, is basic and easy to use for users, and runs on
         | low cost hardware. Basically, it's a web appliance.
         | 
         | What ChromeOS has been missing is usefulness outside of the
         | browser.
        
       | unixhero wrote:
       | Chromeos was Gentoo based at one point I believe.
        
       | samspenc wrote:
       | I'm hoping this means we will be able to run Linux binaries on
       | ChromeOS at some point - I'm specifically interesting in being
       | able to run Visual Studio Code (for Linux) and some dev
       | environments and use Chromebooks plus a Linux-compatible OS as my
       | dev machine.
        
         | Laremere wrote:
         | This is already a thing:
         | https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9145439?hl=en
        
           | freedomben wrote:
           | I'm guessing GP means natively, not in a VM. I've been super
           | grateful for the VM-based method, but I still prefer the
           | native experience like that provided by Crouton[1]. With
           | Crouton being "maintenance-only" now I share GP's hope that a
           | similar thing will be possible and easy.
           | 
           | [1]: https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton
        
         | jauntywundrkind wrote:
         | Crostini should already host a fine vscode.
         | https://chromeos.dev/en/linux
         | 
         | ChromeOS seems to consider it an anti-goal for users to be
         | using the OS like a general purpose OS. Crostini allows them to
         | keep the rest of the system locked down, where-as just running
         | vscode on ChromeOS directly would mean giving Vscode more
         | unconstrained access.
        
           | cbhl wrote:
           | IIRC Crostini requires certain hardware CPU features, so you
           | need a Chromebook model that supports it. Most Chromebooks
           | released after 2019, as well as select earlier models in the
           | list in the Wiki
           | 
           | https://chromeos.dev/en/linux/linux-on-chromeos-deep-dive
        
       | nektro wrote:
       | what about fuschia?
        
       | NoZebra120vClip wrote:
       | Microkernel architecture FTW.
        
       | smoldesu wrote:
       | > Previously ChromeOS was using a homemade graphics stack called
       | "Freon," but now with Wayland, it'll be on the new and normal
       | desktop Linux graphic stack.
       | 
       | More interesting than I thought it would be. Hopefully this means
       | better upstream GPU support for the plethora of ARM
       | tablets/laptops that run ChromeOS.
        
         | nerdix wrote:
         | This is good because Chrome on Wayland has been an adventure
         | and not in a good way.
         | 
         | This will certainly mean that Wayland will become a first class
         | citizen and be less prone to random breakage.
        
       | jauntywundrkind wrote:
       | The really stunningly good ecosystem ripple effect of switching
       | to Wayland is that anyone who wants to make hardware for
       | Chromebooks now needs driver support for the one clear obvious
       | huge target they should have had been targeting anyways, Wayland.
       | 
       | More directly obviously useful to most people though is just the
       | fact that the shelf life of these units should hopefully be a lot
       | longer. The OS might not longer get updates, but Chrome can keep
       | upgrading & just run on whatever Wayland compositor is there.
        
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       (page generated 2023-08-02 23:01 UTC)