Paying Attention: If you have one computer, there’s a good chance you have more than one: specifically an old laptop that’s past it’s OS life. It happens. No matter how much you update, no matter how much you upgrade, sooner or later you reach a point where that once-treasured-and-essential-laptop can no longer take another round of essential-to-operating-today upgrades. It slows down; it won’t run the latest version of your software; it’s balky. At that point, you either shelve it, permanently; sell it; or junk it. How about a third alternative? It’s now possible to re-purpose your blast from the past by Making it Chrome. Click on the link (left) for a short, sharp piece on turning your laptop into a Chromebook, a streamlined, works-only-via-the-internet (and cloud) computer that be used to surf the net, check/send email, write, do spreadsheets, and, yes, tend to your blog. The version of Chrome used for this install is called Chromium OS and is an open source version of Chrome, from developer Neverware. A true warning: while Neverwear makes it very easy to turn your semi-bricked laptop into a Chromebook-type computer, the process is not without a few danger zones, so follow the guidance and directions to the letter. In other words, make the install at your own risk. One other caveat: you have to have an internet connection for the computer to operate correctly once the new OS is installed because everything is coming from the cloud; don’t do what I did once with my Chromebook: go out to lunch, have a presentation to go through, open up the Chromebook and then–no wi-fi, no presentation. Duh……. Using a Chromebook is an exercise in streamlining your computing needs and re-purposing a machine that you thought had no future other than dust collection is even better. Our thanks to our friends at LIFEHACKER for putting this guide together.
The Fine Print: The Chrome logo is trademarked 2016 Google, Inc. and/or it’s successors and assigns. All rights reserved.