[er0k]

I have a Pixelbook that I picked up on ebay for cheap. I was planning on loading MrChromebox's custom firmware and installing a "real" Linux and all that, but honestly the thing does everything I need (a browser and a shell) so easily I didn't even bother. You can install an Ubuntu VM in a couple clicks, it supports Wireguard natively and it has a touchscreen. I don't even run it in developer mode any more. I'm really happy with the stock ChromeOS these days shrug

[jasonvorhe]

You can really install another OS on it with a couple of clicks? I always thought you needed a special USB debugging cable to unlock the bootloader first. I have a Pixelbook that I'd like to give a friend of mine but he can't have a Google account() so it'd be rather useless for him ootb.

He's homeless and can't rely on having a stable phone number for 2FA

[schwartzworld]

I don't know the current state of the art, but I learned software development on a Chromebook with Linux and I didn't need any special cable. Originally I used Chrouton, but later switched to GalliumOS.

That said, sometimes the computer would get in a weird state that required going into regular Chromebook mode to fix, so I think you'd at least want to have a throwaway Google account for managing it. Doesn't have to be something you actually use.

[pushedx]

What I remember being a few clicks away last time I used one (about two years ago), was an Ubuntu container that could be installed with a persistent local filesystem and shell access.

[er0k]

yeah, here are the instructions: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9145439?hl=en (I was wrong about it being Ubuntu, it's Debian bullseye)

MFA is not currently enforced when logging into a chromebook.

[jasonvorhe]

Oh I misread. I'm of course aware of Crostini, I thought you meant that it would be easy to install Ubuntu for real.