Chromebooks - end of life

[fhills]

Maybe I have been ignorant (well yes) but only just found out that chromebooks have a short update life.

Not best pleased as I like the things - suit me fine as my computing needs these days are pretty simple.

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en

I can see no great reason for this other than churning sales - I don't expect continuous developments in the capabilities of my machine (they may overpower it) but would expect security updates for longer than this. And I see no good reason why both of my machines couldn't have carried on a lot longer - they are usually only accessing web pages ffs.

Anyone thinking of getting a chromebook should be aware of this.

I definitely wouldn't have bought two (both Acer and nicely built with good keyboards still going strong) - one of mine is due to shut itself off from updated in January 2021 and the other one just months after that. And that second on is still being sold I think.

This actually manages to make the dreaded Microsoft look rather good.

Lesson learned - will think very very carefully about a chromebook purchase in future - or whether to even get another.

If anyone has any encouraging views/news feel free to post but I have the impression that those date are fixed.

[pdm]

2p

Chromebooks run what is essentially a Google-fied Linux system.
Most more recent Chromebooks can be "fixed" after "end of life" by simply installing a decent Linux distribution of choice commensurate with the capabilities of the hardware. Such an installation will, of course, be updated and upgraded as a matter of course as security fixes and enhancements arise.
I do not have any Chromebooks but I have resurrected several notebooks, old PCs and ARM systems this way when their OS (often windo$e post support expiry) has degenerated to obsolescence.
A quick search revealed: Chromebook end of Life

[Salvatore]

This article appeared in the Guardian this week Can I still use my Chromebook now it is no longer supported?

I'll probably go full-linux when the time comes. I'm halfway there anyway as I use crouton/crosh to run Ubuntu parallel to ChromeOS.

[fuaran]

Or maybe could install Chromium OS? https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os
It is the free/open source OS that Chrome OS is based on. Should get regular updates, though maybe not as stable.

[FifeingEejit]

Given googles repeated ability to make things worse as they get older, maybe its better not to be getting updates...

[fhills]

This article appeared in the Guardian this week Can I still use my Chromebook now it is no longer supported?

I'll probably go full-linux when the time comes. I'm halfway there anyway as I use crouton/crosh to run Ubuntu parallel to ChromeOS.

Yes it was that article (or a comment under it) that led me to that link.

Interesting useful responses.

Warning folks - I may return with questions for your good selves.

I think I'll wait for the first of my chromebooks to run out and then start fiddling with that before the other one falls.

[Blodwyn Pig]

following on from this, swmbo has an old toshiba sattelite, now battery has gone completely, can't restore  due to error............ (always something different ) double click has stopped working etc, so today we popped into John Lewis, and she bought a new Acer laptop, but it wasn't, it was a chromebook. (due to pick it up next week, or not?). We are both non techno, her less than me, the Toshiba was XP I think now 10, but is the chromebook a good idea. it was only £229.  Its only for browsing really. Thoughts please.

[Adam]

Maybe I have been ignorant (well yes) but only just found out that chromebooks have a short update life.

Not best pleased as I like the things - suit me fine as my computing needs these days are pretty simple.

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en

I can see no great reason for this other than churning sales - I don't expect continuous developments in the capabilities of my machine (they may overpower it) but would expect security updates for longer than this. And I see no good reason why both of my machines couldn't have carried on a lot longer - they are usually only accessing web pages ffs.

Anyone thinking of getting a chromebook should be aware of this.

I definitely wouldn't have bought two (both Acer and nicely built with good keyboards still going strong) - one of mine is due to shut itself off from updated in January 2021 and the other one just months after that. And that second on is still being sold I think.

This actually manages to make the dreaded Microsoft look rather good.

Lesson learned - will think very very carefully about a chromebook purchase in future - or whether to even get another.

If anyone has any encouraging views/news feel free to post but I have the impression that those date are fixed.

The Chromebook will still carry on working though.  I wouldn't worry about it excessively if you're just browsing websites.

[fhills]

You mean don't use it for email or buying anything?

(I don't use internet banking at all anyway)

I must say I like using them. Am sure  miss blodwyn will like hers.

How unsafe is an unupdated chromebook likely to be?

[T42]

Google have been rendering phones obsolete for years.  I have a perfectly functional Motorola Defy on my desk: a while back I had to do a system reset to get rid of an discourteous program and then found that I couldn't re-install my apps because Google Marketplace was no longer available and Google Play told me "phone not compatible".

Chromebooks suddenly saying "update your hardware" should be no surprise.

[fuaran]

Probably still safer than a typical Windows laptop.

[Blodwyn Pig]

ok thanks all, will stay with the chromebook, when it comes in.

[fhills]

Probably still safer than a typical Windows laptop.

Thanks for the reply

Even if that windows PC is fully up to date with patches and has an up to date virus system?

(Chromebooks of course don't normally need AV and if anything really wonky happens to them - never has to mine - it's a simple matter to take it back to factory settings, then just restart the system, including everything saved to your google account - bookmarks etc etc - takes no time at all)

Must admit I have little desire to go back to the horrors of windows updates.