Ubuntu v Chromebook

[rjf2019]

We have a bunch of old laptops and PCs that we are repurposing to give away to students for free. They have been professionally wiped with enterprise grade software.

 

Originally they had Ubuntu installed for ease, as they were going to be given away during the first Covid lockdown (but weren't needed in the end.)

 

Since then I have played around with Neverware, and wonder whether setting them up as Chromebooks instead would be a better idea. We are a primary school, so the children receiving them would be aged between 4 and 11, and all have their own Google accounts already.

 

I'm thinking that the advantage of Ubuntu is that they are ready to go already. We have one model of laptop and one model of PC, which I haven't tested with Neverware yet, so of course one of each would be the starting point if this felt like the right move.

 

The advantage of Chromebooks is that they will be easier to use for the students especially as we have just bought some in school, and they will be continually kept up to date. I think if I was setting them up fresh now, I would go with Neverware, but am think I need someone to sway me to make the effort to change them.

[rogerdnixon]

I'd go Neverware - we have zapped 100's of old Windows devices into Chromebooks across out Trust - manage as Chromebooks and they just work + easy to use. I'm assuming you are using Google Workspace - if so - its the way to go.

[mavhc]

Are they 64bit?

[rjf2019]

Thanks for the endorsement rogerdnixon, you’ve gone a long way to getting me to invest the time.

 

The PCs are definitely 64bit, the laptops I’m sure are but would have to check. I do remember looking a year ago and the laptops weren’t on Neverware’s officially supported list, however I’m sure that doesn’t completely rule them out.

[mavhc]

32bit neverware isn't a thing now, so has to be 64bit. 32bit linux is barely a thing either though.

 

In general install from usb, check if it works, it's just if they've included the drivers for your hardware, which mostly they have.

[rjf2019]

Yeah, thinking about it like that, it was the same .iso used for all of the Ubuntu devices, and I would be very surprised if I'd searched for a 32bit version.

 

That's a good point about drivers. Can I just assume that if Neverware/Chrome loads up on the devices that all is good, or it's worth checking specific things like sound compatability?

 

The more I think about it, the more I think to invest the time in Neverware, and leave Ubuntu. I think it will be worth the extra work.

[rogerdnixon]

Just install the free version on a device and test it out. If its not on the supported list - there is still a very good chance it will work fine. You can then zap it to the enterprise version once you know it works.

[dhicks]

I need someone to sway me to make the effort to change them.

 

I've found installing Neverware CloudReady to take very little effort - boot from USB, confirm you want to wipe the device, leave it to run - it turns the machine off when done. If you're handing these to children and not expecting them back I'd install the home version of CloudReady, then there's no cost to the school (although, handily, things like filtering settings still follow users around, so even if pupils are logging on with their school account at home on a non-managed ChromeOS device you can still have filtering settings apply). If you want these to still be owned by the school (and you could use them to stretch out your current device provision, assuming they're in a reasonable state) then the education licensing for CloudReady is pretty good - we went for the all-in-one CloudReady / Google management license deal, paid yearly (sorry, can't remember how many devices that's for). We have CloudReady running on some 9-year-old laptops, as well as on new NUCs in our staffroom, all seem to be working nicely.

[rjf2019]

That’s really helpful David. Unless something big comes up, I’m going to reprovision them as Neverware / Chreome devices. I think they’ll be easier for families to manage at home, and it will take little effort.

 

We have repurposed some low spec laptops we got from the DfE as Chromebooks, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how easy the whole process was.

 

The PCs don’t actually have built in WiFi, and Ubuntu accepted a dongle no problem. Has anyone got any experience with attaching dongles to devices running Neverware?

[dhicks]

Has anyone got any experience with attaching dongles to devices running Neverware?

 

Yes, Neverware seems to work fine with the Edimax N150 "micro" USB WiFi adaptor - only just larger than the USB port itself, around £25, plenty of other brands available on Amazon, probably very similar innards.

[rjf2019]

Edimax rang a bell when I read that, so I have gone and checked. These are the ones that we have for the PCs. There’s no harm in trying one and seeing what happens.

 

TP-Link TL-WN823N Wi-Fi Dongle, 300 Mbps Mini Wireless Network USB Wi-Fi Adapter for PC Desktop Laptop(Supports Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, OS X (10.9-10.13) and Linux, WPS, Soft AP, USB 2.0)