XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.sys.mac.system

AJL <[email protected]> asked

So the best comparison with iOS would be a Chromebook then, wouldn't
it?

Dunno. My Chromebook is basically a device in laptop form with a Chrome browser and the capability to run Play Store Android apps. Some run
good, some not so good. I bought it out of curiosity. It's over 3 years
old now so the new ones may be better at Android. It's unlikely I'll get another. I find that my W10 laptop using the BlueStacks emulator runs
Android apps just as good as the Chromebook if not better. I have
another LT that just updated to W11 which is supposed to run Android
apps natively but so far I haven't figured out how. Can't get by the new screwy W11 GUI...

Thanks for that candid assessment of Chromebook operating system capability.

I own plenty of iOS and Android devices, and I've converted a few Windows S laptops (usually gifts for kids) to Windows Home (because they're $50
cheaper); but I've never owned a Chromebook so I don't know what it can do.

From what I can tell, Google _copied_ Apple's iOS gameplan with the
Chromebook on limiting the functionality available to the user by limiting sideloading.

A Chromebook seems as limited in sideloading as any iPad is AFAICT.

If that's true, then the closest parallel to compare iOS to is a Chromebook. Not Android.

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XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.sys.mac.system

AJL <[email protected]> asked

On 10/13/2021 9:24 PM, Robin Goodfellow wrote:

From what I can tell, Google _copied_ Apple's iOS gameplan with the
Chromebook on limiting the functionality available to the user by
limiting sideloading.

I doubt that the average Chromebook user even knows what sideloading is.
But my GUESS is that by limiting sideloading Google wants to protect the
user from himself. Chromebooks are known for their security and
sideloading can be a security problem...

Thanks for that assessment of the Chromebook on its lack of sideloading.
Google blocked sideloading for a reason, which we need to know why they did.

The reason it matters is Google apparently copied Apple marketing strategem.
a. Block sideloading
b. Claim security advantages
c. Completely ignore the astoundingly huge functionality disadvantages

While both the iOS device and the Chromebook are crippled in functionality, that lack of functionality does have advantages in certain environments.

An advantage of blocking sideloading (e.g., for educational institutions) is that the device can be kept to a minimum of focused functionality.

Of course, as you stated, blocking sideloading "may" also be to limit
security threats, but at the huge cost of crippling the functionality.

For an educational institution that doesn't want kids "playing around" with
the chromebook, I can see both advantages (in addition to the lower cost).

For the average user, other than the lower cost (which is an appreciable advantage), I can also see the allure if they are using that chromebook for
a specific purpose (e.g., as a web browser only or to only play games).

I presume the chromebook uses all google apps (google docs type of stuff).
What do you think a chromebook is best for, when used by the average person?

I always wondered why people buy chromebooks, so I appreciate your advice.

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