I've been slowly replacing every machine that I'm responsible for supporting (family members who ask me which computer to buy, and to please set it up) with a ChromeOS computer. Usually it's just a case of buying the new laptop and logging them in. Last week I found a used Chromebox for my dad to replace his WinXP desktop. It went well, but I did get bitten. I didn't know he even had a printer, and since you can't plug a printer directly into ChromeOS, we had to buy a new, networked one (which does work amazingly well, btw). I also had to _write_ two Chrome Packaged Apps (fun learning experience, haha) to replace the WinXP camera import wizard he was using and his photo slideshow screensaver.

Despite all that, I'm still happy with the decision. It's a super simple machine that's fast as hell, updates without him even knowing, and is incredibly secure. And the dev APIs are getting reasonably complete pretty quickly, such that I was able to write a little app to import photos off a camera in just a couple days.

> I also had to _write_ two Chrome Packaged Apps (fun learning experience, haha) to replace the WinXP camera import wizard he was using and his photo slideshow screensaver.

Seems like a good startup idea.

Google is already reporting over 30 users of my little photo importer, which is more success than I've ever had the first week of an Android or iOS app, haha. Maybe there's some real demand building up for these things.

I don't know much about pricing but if you have people wanting to use it perhaps there's a pricing model that you can use to get people to pay for it, too. Good luck!

If I knew how to make ChromeOs talk to my wifi printer (Lexmark s605, which does not seem to support CloudPrint) I'd free my mom from the "burden" that is her Acer AspireOne (too cramped, too slow) right now.

Perhaps I can help you with this.

"Install Google Cloud Print on a Linux server"

this is headless mode, BTW.

https://support.google.com/a/answer/2906017?hl=en

I have a substantial server infrastructure at home, although reports all over the net indicate a rasp-pi is more than good enough to be a mere print server.

If the chromebook I wanted wasn't hopelessly sold out due to christmas demand, my wife would probably be using one right now.

Oh so the rpi will bridge cloudprint and printer through normal linux drivers ?

That would be the plan. I was motivated enough to google for you and that particular printer "just worked out of the box" no fooling around for one guy, on one version of Ubuntu, so I would not be overly surprised if it also just worked on the rpi. I have never fooled around with printing on a rpi although I have one, due to lack of need to print.

My personal plan would revolve around installing that software on an existing server which already talks perfectly well to an older model Brother laser printer. So the server to printer link is done, working, rock solid, no problem, I'd only have to debug the headless cloud print interface. Which I've been meaning to do for some time, but I've been busy and unmotivated to set that up.

My plan was foiled by the chromebook I wanted to get being sold out due to christmas. Otherwise I'd be reporting glorious success or failure rather than my vague plans and suspicions.

If I can't get it working headless, well, I'd figure a way to get it working on one of my linux desktops, although I'm not sure the microscopic gain in being able to print exceeds the microscopic increase in electrical use. The cost of wasted toner and paper would likely exceed the cost of the electricity...

My existing desktops all have google drive and printer access so anytime I print something, to pick up the printed sheets I'd have to physically walk past a machine that could do the printing instead of the chromebook. And its kind of a post paper world so I don't print very much. If my printer broke I don't know if I'd bother buying another.

I'm using my Win7 media PC to connect my old Brother Laser to GCP. Once you have the printer set up, it's only a matter of adding it in a local Chrome installation.

In the first situation, why a Chromebook instead of, say, a tablet? Or an iPod Touch, even? Children don't tend to get the same sort of benefit from full "hard" keyboards that adults do, and there are devices cheaper than Chromebooks that can be similarly locked down.

> "Children don't tend to get the same sort of benefit from full "hard" keyboards that adults do"

How do you expect them to learn to, if you don't give them devices with keyboards? Sure, they could wait until that typing class in middle-school, but wouldn't it be better to have them pick it up themselves, much earlier?

Hard to find a stable tablet with big enough screen for 299$.

Also tablet is a distraction since kids would want to play games as soon as they have one in their hands.

Also starting in 2nd Grade (At least in my area) kids are taught typing on computer (Home Rose?).