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Comment by embik | Hacker News Reader

> Can students install anything like Steam on Chromebooks without jailbreaking them?

Turning on "developer mode" isn't exactly jailbreaking, so yes, they have access to the underlying Linux and can even run a Linux desktop environment of their choice on top of ChromeOS. They can't install Steam because that only supports x86 but you can't blame ChromeOS for that.

I'm pretty sure you won't be able to do that with Windows S, so, no, it's not exactly like ChromeOS.

edit: See http://www.dudleymediagroup.com/Detail/id/how-to-game-with-s...

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> I'm pretty sure you won't be able to do that with Windows S, so, no, it's not exactly like ChromeOS.

You are correct, it's not. You can turn Windows 10S into full, unlocked Windows 10 Pro in a few seconds, and that's fee for education users.

However, Windows 10S does solve a lot of problems for education users in preventing kids from downloading non-Store apps that may not be easily removable.

> However, Windows 10S does solve a lot of problems for education users in preventing kids from downloading non-Store apps that may not be easily removable.

I may be wrong, but isn't that basically AppLocker? Why introduce a custom version of your operating system if you could easy merge such a feature into already existing administrative tools (assuming that it isn't, I'm not that familiar with AppLocker)?

There are multiple ways to lock down Windows, and various schools use them. The problem with AppLocker is that it assumes you have a reasonably sophisticated IT department that knows what it wants and can write rules to achieve it.

Windows 10S is much more flexible and requires no set-up and no maintenance. If it's in the Windows Store, you can install it.

Bear in mind that schools run fleets of PCs and children do not have their own. They get whichever comes off the trolley. The Windows store installs whichever apps they use when they log on.

Many Chromebooks are x86-based, but probably not the cheaper ARM ones.

You're absolutely right, somehow I connected Chromebooks to "always ARM". My bad.

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