<div id="geary-body" dir="auto"><div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">To me, these are are downsides:</span></div><div><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br></font><blockquote type="cite"><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">2. has very good parental controls, whereas a standard Linux installation like Ubuntu can always be subverted <br>3. doesn't allow them free access to programs and the Internet. <br></font></blockquote></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Being hard to tinker with makes locked-down devices a poor choice for encouraging intellectual curiosity. Open devices teach that if you don't like your environment, you can work to change it. I think that's an important life lesson, not just in computers; among other things, it's important for a functioning democracy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">This may be more controversial, but I also don't believe in trying to prevent humans, however small, from ever engaging with "bad stuff". I don't think technical barriers are a good substitute for open communication and trust. Better to talk about these topics, where you have control over the framing, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">than wait for children to discover them in a different context. Now, t</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">hese conversation can happen too soon, so I'm not opposed to weak parental controls. But, by the time a kid has figured out how to bypass those controls, they're probably also ready for that conversation. Finally, figuring out how to bypass the controls involves a fair amount of learning — an excellent educational outcome, even if not ideal from other perspectives.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">So, I'm also in favor of installing a full linux distro. If these computers will belong to the kids permanently, I might even suggest providing the older kids with a small flash drive (4-8GB) and a suggestion to try out different distributions.</span></div></div></div><div id="geary-signature" dir="auto">--<br>I try to write short, functional emails.</div><div id="geary-quote" dir="auto"><br>On Wed, Apr 15, 2020 at 11:19, Rich@OTN via Hidden-discuss <hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net> wrote:<br><blockquote type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<p>Interesting comparison.<br>
Major notes about ChromeOS<br>
1) The publizied download ChromeOS is nothing specific to
Google (regardless of URL) and is heavy ad-infested.<br>
2) The <font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Neverware
version is far newer.</font></p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">SO the place to get
ChromeOS is </font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://archiveos.org/croslinux/">https://archiveos.org/croslinux/</a><br>
While actually comes from an archive on sourceforge: </font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/archiveos/files/c/cros/">https://sourceforge.net/projects/archiveos/files/c/cros/</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">The neverware is not
free (since they maintain it) - more on that as I contact them.<br>
</font></p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/15/2020 10:27 AM, Sam McClellan
via Hidden-discuss wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:4ef44db4-5009-dc74-4488-d15b6d216720@itabix.com">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Hey Rich,<br>
<br>
You probably know a fair amount about Chromium vs Chrome OS by
now, but I've included all the info here for general
consumption.<br>
<br>
Chrome OS is Chromium OS redesigned for Google's Chromebooks but
is also available for PCs. Chrome OS is designed for end users,
whereas Chromium OS is designed for developers/geeks and
requires more knowledge and maintenance and has less
functionality targeted to kids and regular users. <br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromium-os-faq" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromium-os-faq</a></font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Chrome OS is a good choice for kids for five reasons - <br>
<br>
1. designed to be simple to set up and maintain <br>
2. has very good parental controls, whereas a standard Linux
installation like Ubuntu can always be subverted <br>
3. doesn't allow them free access to programs and the Internet.
<br>
4. set up to be used by schools and kids<br>
5. can now also run many Android apps <br>
<br>
The downsides: <br>
1. It's very reliant on an Internet connection and can't run
Linux or Windows apps (although the alternatives can run Linux
apps)<br>
2. If you don't have an actual Chromebook, there are some
limitations although the alternatives can make up for these.<br>
3. you have to be part of The Google to use it. </font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
You can download ChromeOS for regular PC's here:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://sites.google.com/site/chromeoslinux/download" moz-do-not-send="true">https://sites.google.com/site/chromeoslinux/download</a>
which just links to<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://getchrome.eu/download.php" moz-do-not-send="true">http://getchrome.eu/download.php</a><br>
but the first link at least shows you it's actually a Google
download.<br>
<br>
However, most reviews say that Neverware's version of Chrome OS
is the best:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text</a><br>
<br>
Here's a good recent review:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.electromaker.io/blog/article/flint-os-vs-chromium-os-vs-cloudready-which-chrome-os-is-best" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.electromaker.io/blog/article/flint-os-vs-chromium-os-vs-cloudready-which-chrome-os-is-best</a><br>
<br>
Other options for kids:<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2030685/make-your-pc-kid-friendly-with-four-custom-operating-systems.html" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.pcworld.com/article/2030685/make-your-pc-kid-friendly-with-four-custom-operating-systems.html</a><br>
<br>
Best,<br>
Sam<br>
</font>
<div class="moz-signature"><br>
<hr size="1"> Sam McClellan<br>
<strong>Itabix, Inc</strong><br>
<i>One place for all things Web</i><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:sam@itabix.com" moz-do-not-send="true">sam@itabix.com</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://itabix.com" moz-do-not-send="true">https://itabix.com</a><br>
Main - 413.587.4600<br>
Toll-free - 877-7ITABIX (877.748.2249) <br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/14/2020 8:27 AM, Rich@tnr via
Hidden-discuss wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:0dfd74a8-b771-e787-a8c7-e1f8b2b1c468@tnrglobal.com">All,
<br>
I need some suggestions, I'm being asked to process a batch of
Dell laptops for the local school kids. <br>
<br>
SO I need to <br>
(1) Wipe the hard drives <br>
(2) install a chromebook (like) environment so they can use
typical virtual school sw. <br>
<br>
I'd prefer something free or close. <br>
<br>
I found 'Chromium OS' <br>
<br>
Any specific suggestions as to which of each you've had
experience with. <br>
I will collect the suggestions as well as the results and post
on HT web site <br>
This is for the Greenfield school kids, if anyone is handling
other areas, please let me know and I'll make a list. <br>
<br>
(BTW, which has a set of covid-19 health and business (CARES
act) details. <br>
<br>
Thanks - Happy Tails and Stay healthy. <br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
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