Chromebook Desktop versus Windows Desktop: Can you tell the difference?
03/16/2014
One reason I purchased a Chromebook was to find out first-hand the similarities and differences between the full version of Chrome OS running on a Chromebook versus a Windows computer running just the Chrome browser.
I think many are in this situation as a Chromebook is typically explained as a laptop that uses just the Chrome browser to access everything. In fact, many suggest that if you want to see if a Chromebook will work for you just try living in the Chrome browser while using your regular computer. If you can live 100% of the time in “just the Chrome browser” then a Chromebook may be in your future.
The biggest caveat to this for many is having access to wireless connectivity all of the time. If you regularly are away from reliable wifi access then a Chromebook may not be for you.
Chromebook Desktop versus Windows Desktop
One of the most striking first impressions I had of the Chromebook when I first turned it on was how similar the interface looked to the traditional Windows Desktop.
Below are two screenshots; the first is from my Chromebook Desktop, the second is from the Windows Desktop of my Dell XPS laptop running Windows 8.1.
Can you tell the difference between the two Desktops at first glance?
Note: If you click on an image it will display full size.
Note: If you click on an image it will display full size.
I used the same background image and similar apps pinned to the taskbar for both systems so you can compare for yourself. Notice the difference? Not so much.
From a design and layout perspective there is very little difference. I think Google wants to provide as familiar looking interface as possible so that new Chromebook users will be comfortable using the new Chrome OS. Providing a familiar interface reduces the change factor for new users but it is uncanny how close the two interfaces have become.
Let’s take a little closer look
In the image below I show the apps that I “pinned” for the Chromebook taskbar.
Going from left to right we have the “Apps” launch button, Files, Google Chrome Browser, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Gmail, and finally the Google Play Music icon.
The “Apps” launch button is similar to the Windows Start button where you get quick access to the apps installed on the Chromebook, just like Windows. The Windows OS always located this in the lower left-hand corner so I moved the Chrome OS App launcher there as well.
Next up we have an image from my Dell XPS laptop showing the Windows 8.1 Desktop taskbar.
Going from left to right on the Windows 8.1 taskbar we have the Windows flag (formerly referred to as the Start button in Windows 7), File Explorer, Google Chrome Browser, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook email, and finally Windows Media Player.
I am now regularly switching back and forth between using a Chromebook and my Windows 8.1 laptop daily. Some of the differences are so subtle that I sometimes have to remind myself what system I am using at the time. The differences become more obvious as I do more sophisticated productivity tasks that are limited when using a Chromebook.
The Chromebook is fine for lighter duty tasks but I much prefer Windows 8.1 for heavier editing tasks I routinely complete be it word processing, image editing, audio editing for podcasts, or editing video screencasts for YouTube. When the real work needs to be done I reach for a Windows 8.1 device with the complete power of all the Office applications, not apps.
Part of this may be out of old habits but I do not think so. I have given the Chromebook a thorough testing over the past three months and would say it meets about 80% of my needs. It is the other 20% that I have to find workarounds for or resign myself to switching devices.
I do like the Chromebook for light duty tasks, is boots lightning fast (7 seconds) and the updates are much smaller and faster than Windows updates. I do however have equivalent Windows devices that boot nearly as fast and offer more functionality. Given that my Windows 8.1 devices also run the Chrome browser I am not really giving anything up when using Windows, in fact, I gain functionality while still having access to all the Google goodies via the Chrome browser.
It is still early days for Chromebooks and I am sure improvements will be made in the future to address current Chrome OS shortcomings. I have long used Linux and know it to be capable of handling the more heavyweight applications that I am still in search of while using a Chromebook.
A browser is just a browser
The other enlightening experience I have had while using the Chromebook over the past three months is that instead of exclusively using the Chromebook in the silo of Google apps it actually makes for a very good device for accessing other cloud services like the free Microsoft Office Online apps and OneDrive cloud storage.
Since I still regularly need the power of Windows 8.1 switching my cloud usage from Google Apps to Microsoft Office Online apps completely turns Google’s intent of the Chromebook on its head. This may seem sacrilege to Google purists but it works very well. I can still use Google Drive on both operating systems if I choose but since more of my files are stored in OneDrive they can be accessed more seamlessly when switching between Chrome OS and Windows 8.1. I have now switched to OneDrive as the primary cloud drive in my daily workflow even when using the Chromebook.
So, I have now come full circle from the beginning of this post. What started out as an experiment with the Chromebook has evolved into more of an “OfficeBook” experience for me. I use both ecosystems regularly and as described the two look so similar that it is easy for me to pick and choose the cloud tool of my choice that makes the most sense for the purpose at hand.
One of the unintended consequences of this similarity in products between the two ecosystems is that users still have a choice, and choice is good. What is ironic is that Microsoft’s free Office Online apps (and others that can be accessed via a browser) now have an equal footing in the Chromebook universe that was designed as their replacement.
to the Cloud…..
Keep on Learning,
Tom Grissom, Ph.D.
@tomgrissom
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