Sigil-like writing tool on Chrome OS?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I'm finding THIS piece of software quite useful.

Wavemaker Cards

It is actively supported and V4 is in beta at the moment. V3 is stable.

It is free, and it runs on virtually anything that can use a Chrome browser. ...

It seems to work fine in Firefox under Linux. I didn't try connecting to Google Drive, so maybe that would have caused an issue? More than I really need or want, however. I normally use an editor (JOE) to write so, if I was looking for something online, I would be more inclined to use something like Calmly Writer — which I was just playing around with last night (actually the night before last now).

https://calmlywriter.com/online/

It also comes in a downloadable version with more features. If it was something I really needed I wouldn't have any trouble paying the $11 lifetime license (for three seats). I like the distraction-free mode, especially with the dark background in full screen with the Cousine font. Just a dark screen and white letters, but with a few features tucked away, like bullets, etc.

Looks like it might be good for writing HTML. Unfortunately exporting to text doesn't give you a plain text file. (Even the download version adds extra lines between paragraphs.)

[BobK99]

Thanks. An answer to my question (maybe not the answer, but worth exploring ;-) )

b

(Other contributors have been welcome, where welcome is a signed variable).

[JSWolf]

The problem is that a Chromebook only has 64GB storage. Given you need the OS and other software, it's easy to run out of space and not have enough for your Calibre libraries.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Good thing I only said, "Almost all hardware or software prejudices" then!

Wavemaker works with Brave browser as well.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem is that a Chromebook only has 64GB storage. Given you need the OS and other software, it's easy to run out of space and not have enough for your Calibre libraries.

I've got a Chromebook with 512 GBs of RAM, so the claim is not entirely true. But I've also run Linux (and the applications I needed) on a 16 GB Chromebook. So it depends on what you need to do how much RAM you need. I didn't have any trouble installing Calibre on a Chromebook, but I never did get the eReader to talk to the Linux side, so no direct communication to Calibre. I think it can be done, but I was too lazy to stick with it.

[gmw]

^ Yup. Far too often we fallible humans assume that our own knowledge and circumstances are the only possibilities. Thankfully most of us are willing to learn better, but there are always a few that seem oddly reluctant to part with their self-centred worldview.

Our little Australian Terrier is like that ... so were the two before that. The little sods are certain the world only spins because they've got four paws on it. I find it an endearing trait in a terrier, in humans, not so much.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I've got a Chromebook with 512 GBs of RAM, so the claim is not entirely true. But I've also run Linux (and the applications I needed) on a 16 GB Chromebook. So it depends on what you need to do how much RAM you need. I didn't have any trouble installing Calibre on a Chromebook, but I never did get the eReader to talk to the Linux side, so no direct communication to Calibre. I think it can be done, but I was too lazy to stick with it.

How much RAM does the Chromebook have? That 512GB is storage.

From what I've read, most Chromebooks only have 64GB storage.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

How much RAM does the Chromebook have? That 512GB is storage.

From what I've read, most Chromebooks only have 64GB storage.

The really low end ones might only have 64 GB of storage. I have a mid-range one and it has 8GB/256GB with an i5. You can get much better specs than mine, I just don't need it.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

How much RAM does the Chromebook have? That 512GB is storage.

It's a Dell Latitude e5300 2-in-1 Chromebook. So it's a relatively modern, full fledged, laptop with Chrome OS installed and a touch screen. Mine has 16 GBs of RAM and a 512 GB SSD installed. The maximum memory is 32 GBs and it uses M.2 2280 storage (at the time this originally came out, I think the maximum was 1 TB, but I'm guessing that's gone up since then). Mine has an i5-8365U CPU, but these also were available with Celeron, i3 and i7 CPUs. (You can buy the same model with Windows 10 Pro preinstalled, refurbished, for about $300 -- which would make a great Linux machine.)

I bought the e5300 in used, "unknown" condition (which usually means it won't boot) from Shop Goodwill and it took a while for me to get it to boot and work right (no parts, just patience), but ones like mine originally sold for about $1,600 (I paid about $90). The main reason I wanted it was for the 8-10 hour battery life -- even though I almost exclusively use it for Linux. This computer will run Windows in Parallels, as it's officially supported.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

From what I've read, most Chromebooks only have 64GB storage.

32 GBs or 64 GBs are the most common configurations in the cheap Chromebooks -- but you can do quite a bit with either of these. The older ones were 8 GBs and 16 GBs storage (I think even down to 2 GB and 4 GB). But now, you can find quite a few models at 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage and higher. You also have to understand that 8 GBs on a Chromebook (much lighter OS and less hardware intensive than Windows) is much faster than Windows would be with 8 GBs.

I wanted to test Linux on Chromebooks. I like the e5300, but I would just as soon have the non-Chromebook model and just run Linux on it.

I don't know if I'll keep any of the Chromebooks I've collected, but I've had fun experimenting with them.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

The really low end ones might only have 64 GB of storage. I have a mid-range one and it has 8GB/256GB with an i5. You can get much better specs than mine, I just don't need it.

I think those are about the normal specs for i5 Chromebooks now. If you go to Best Buy, search for Chromebooks and filter to i5, almost all of them will have 8 GBs of RAM and 256 GB SSDs. These are really fast with Chrome OS and would run Linux well.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

The really low end ones might only have 64 GB of storage. I have a mid-range one and it has 8GB/256GB with an i5. You can get much better specs than mine, I just don't need it.

After looking up Chromebooks with good enough specs, they are too expensive for what you get.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

After looking up Chromebooks with good enough specs, they are too expensive for what you get.

I basically agree with that (unless you find them used). I'm guessing that most people who buy higher spec Chromebooks are those who've bought cheaper ones and like the simplicity of Chrome OS -- and want a little more "leg room." Also, those who own Chromebooks, often own other computers as well. An inexpensive Chromebook is a convenient way to get online quickly and it's basically cheap enough that most people don't worry so much about it being stolen. On the screenwriting forum I go to, a Macbook user was looking into buying one for writing when at Starbucks because thugs have been stealing people's MacBooks right off the tables. (He lives in the San Francisco area.)

For me, the main draw was long battery life.

[Albertde]

There is a use case for Chromebooks: a quick boot-up, a nearly flawless updating procedure, no need for snti-virus, access to Android apps and Crostini (a Debian Bullseye Linux Virtual Machine without having to worry about the drivers) . Whenever I installed some Linux distribution myself on a previously Windows machine, I always had driver problems: the monitor being finicky, touchscreen not working and the track pad needing calibration, etc. I have a Lenovo Chromebook (8GB RAM and 128GB storage) with a 14" touchscreen and a backlit keyboard and guaranteed updates till June 2030. The Android apps and graphic Linux programs installed have icons (including AppImages with a bit of work), so I seldom use the terminal - mostly to update the system without waiting for Google to do it.

[Quoth]

Oh, someone will do a virus for Chromebooks. They are just small user base.
Spyware and only good value S/H at €150 if a good enough spec for Linux. Barely better than a €200 10" Android tablet with €12 BT keyboard.

The original design goal was a Graphics Terminal for Google Web based services implemented with essentially a Chrome Browser. Chrome OS is a crippled cut down Linux they keep having to add to because an Always-Connected Browser as a laptop doesn't actually work. It's crazier than FireOS, which really just replaces PlayStore and Goolgle surveillance on Android with Amazon. See also dreadful Android TV and Fire TV based TV sets that are like badly implement tablets with no touch and TV channels as an after-thought.

In nearly 25 years I've had less problem with Linux drivers than Windows and in last 8 years no issues at all. My SSD Linux boots faster than Android on anything, though my HDD based Laptop is much slower to boot.

[hobnail]

If you do get a Chromebook I strongly suggest getting one where the keyboard either detaches or it folds around to the back. I bought one from google and its keyboard does neither of those. When you run an Android app the screen is in landscape mode so the Android app takes about 1/4th or 1/3rd of the screen in the center with big black unused space on the left and right sides of it; i.e., the Android app runs in portrait mode. You can turn this Chromebook sideways so it's like a tablet and the app fills the screen but then you've got the keyboard sticking out towards you.

An Android tablet can run apps full screen in landscape mode but for some reason this chromebook cannot. It's been awhile since I played with it so perhaps they've fixed this.