Here's a good idea! A new version of ChromeOS that runs on ordinary PC's, not just chromebooks. The idea is to hoover up all those Windows 10 users who can't run Windows 11 on their existing hardware and don't want to buy a new machine or pay through the nose for Windows 10 security updates.

The year of the Linux desktop seems still to be delayed, but maybe we can still celebrate the year of the Unix desktop.

People had to learn to use MSWindows in the first place, so why would they think that they shouldn't have to learn a different O/S, even ChromeOS will need to be learned!

They just need to realize, that once learned they will be better off, financially & securely....

The bad thing is, last I checked and unless Google changed it, you could only create the media for Flex from an actual Chromebook. Which means its not easily accessible.

I put it on an old low-end, Celeron powered notebook. Does not run too bad. Sluggish, but not excessively so.

I don't think that's true any more. This looks like a straightforward web download to me. It contains a link to a zip file which you unzip and then dd the installer image to a memory stick.

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Yes, it does look like they changed it. I made a stick a few months ago, and needed a ChromeOS device. For some reason at the time even the Chrome extension could not download and create the USB stick. I guess Google sorted that out.

As long as you don't need the Android support, it isn't so bad for someone who needs to do just basic stuff. Like I said I have it on an old Celeron notebook, it runs maybe a bit sluggish but that's expected. Startup however is pretty damned good for the device it is.

Only Bluetooth audio is problematic, but I hear that's an issue on even some true Chrome devices.

Why on earth would anyone be happy with this!?

Google ChromeOS is proprietary spyware, and is probably worse than Microsoft Windows in that respect.

Blindly accepting an OS that exploits users simply because it uses a related kernel to one's own OS is an unhealthy attitude.

ChromeOS (including flex) is linux, not unix anyway, pretty sure it's gentoo based. And it's the most used distro according to analytics, in fact more people use chromeos than every other gnu/linux distro combined!

edit: confirmed; chromiumOS has been gentoo based since 2010, and hence so is chromeOS which is based on chromiumOS, and chromeOS flex which is based on chromeOS.

While we as GNU/Linux users and privacy minded folk see the implications, it has its uses.

Grandma has old hardware that can no longer run the lastest versions of Windows. Leaving her with an old version leaves her vulnerable to exploits. Sure, one could switch her to a true GNU/Linux distro, but then you're responsible for tech support.

Like it or not, ChromeOS just works, which is practical in some cases. Like I said I installed it on an old notebook. Basically I use it for email and web based stuff like web based IRC and other chat clients. In normal "everyday" type of use (although I use it maybe at most once a month when I'm sitting outside and don't care if I drop and break it), I have yet to have something fail on me, rendering the device useless due to a software problem.

Oh no! I have to run a dist-upgrade every few years? What a disaster!

That's the only support that I've needed to provide since Adobe Flash has finally gone (which used to require manual updating every so often).

Debian just works, is easy to use, and doesn't send data to Google.

I am very curious, where did this info come from?

Here's an article: https://linuxiac.com/linux-hits-3-percent-market-share/

Although the headline is biased, they could include chromeos and say linux has 7% market share!

In general, I agree with the OP on this. My issue with ChromeOS flex is the same issue that Linux had for years. It lacks SOOOOO much support for hardware. If you've got a laptop you want to use ChromeOS Flex on, you're out of luck if the wifi card is:

Intel AX200
Intel AX210
Intel BE200
Qualcomm QCNFA725/765
AMD/MediaTek RZ608/MT7921
AMD/MediaTek RZ616/MT7922
GarbageTek 8825

None of those wifi cards, last I checked (about 3 months ago), were supported in the latest build of ChromeOS Flex at the time.

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Thanks.

Probably it is true, but it is just about the market share of the desktop OSs. What about the server side?

I doubt anyone is using chromeos as a server. Certainly not to serve anything serious. We all know linux rules the server and mobile markets.

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Exactly. The original post was about ChromeOS as an alternative to Windows, OP even said "on ordinary PCs."