I really don’t think open source and privacy respecting are requirements for the so called yotld. A desktop linux system usable by anyone with no prior knowledge, available preinstalled on devices in store, mass potential appeal, etc are more important.

I think the fact one can pick up a chromebook and not know it’s linux is actually part of what makes it so good. Most users know nothing about OSes and they shouldn’t have to. For most people windows is just what comes on the computer and chromeos is exactly the same to them in that regard.