For most of my computing life, I was a dedicated Windows user. My journey began with Windows 1.02 on my IBM PS/2 Model 25 in the late 1980s, and I was hooked from the start. I spent countless hours developing applications for Windows 3.1 using Turbo Pascal for Windows. The thrill of working with new technologies and being part of the early days of personal computing was unforgettable. I continued to stick with Windows through various versions, becoming particularly fond of Windows 7. Despite the misstep with Windows 8, I’ve remained a loyal user, and today, Windows 11 is my go-to operating system for work and personal use.
However, a few years ago, I started to notice a shift in how I used my computer. I realized that I was spending almost all of my time in the Chrome browser, using it for everything from browsing to managing emails, and very little time in actual Windows applications. The only Windows program I consistently used was Visual Studio Code. This led me to the realization that I no longer needed Windows for most of my computing needs. When I looked into Chromebooks, I discovered that ChromeOS was essentially Linux under the hood, and I could run Visual Studio Code natively on it. To my surprise, everything ran as smoothly as it did on my Windows machine, with all the extensions I relied on.
Making the switch to ChromeOS wasn’t without its adjustments, but it was a smooth transition overall. I was pleasantly surprised to find that ChromeOS came with many standard utilities that I regularly used, like a calculator and text editor. For more complex tasks, I quickly found browser-based alternatives, such as Chrome Remote Desktop, which allowed me to access my Windows environment remotely. Additionally, I set up the Linux Development Environment on ChromeOS and managed to run Postman alongside Visual Studio Code, which gave me all the tools I needed for my work. With these simple tweaks, I found myself fully functional and productive on my new device.
What ultimately sold me on ChromeOS was its simplicity and efficiency. As a long-time user of Google Pixel phones, I was already ingrained in the Google ecosystem, making the switch to ChromeOS a natural progression. With Chrome becoming the center of my digital universe, there was little I couldn’t do within the browser. I don’t rely much on Microsoft Office, so Google’s suite of office tools fit my needs perfectly. Plus, even browser-based gaming is improving. The best part is how quickly a Chromebook boots up and updates itself in the background. No more annoying, time-consuming updates or worrying about viruses—it’s a streamlined, no-hassle experience. Switching to ChromeOS has allowed me to simplify my computing life, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.