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Google’s use of student data could effectively ban Chromebooks from Denmark schools (www.theverge.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 1 point 2 years ago (2 children)

That's my point. They're choosing to use a distro that collects all of this data instead of setting up their own system.

Chromebooks are "cheap" because you pay in part with your data.

Now i don't know too much about them. But I assume they are BIOS locked or something so you can't just install your own distro on them?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    The firmware is locked down with typically either a screw (older devices) or a CR50 security chip (newer devices): https://wiki.mrchromebox.tech/Firmware_Write_Protect#How_Does_Firmware_Write_Protect_Work.3F

    The problems with loading a different distro on them would be:

    • Cost to go through the process of installing alternate firmware and a new distro on hundreds of devices
    • Cost to setup an alternate system to manage/track the devices
    • Cost to deal with students who can now more easily re-flash the devices to run other things
    • Loss of the fairly extensive management capabilities that ChromeOS provides that allows a school/government to lock the devices down, monitor them, etc
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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    If you know you will reconfigure devices. You set up a system to make it easy for yourself.

    There are already so many systems one can employ to track devices that doesn't rely on google.

    Non issue. You already have costs for the students current machines when things go wrong, including IT. And you can also BIOS lock the hardware to prevent alternative boot methods. Which will stop most students.

    There are PLENTY of other software to externally manage computers.

    We're talking about a government here. They have resources to create it. It's a high initial cost. Like everything. And then it shifts into maintenance.

    Normal companies already do this. It's nothing new. Just a question of infrastructure.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    There's still a lot of labor costs to reconfigure the Chromebooks into something else. Or to just set up a computer with Linux, even with imaging. ChromeOS is fast to wipe back to a usable state.

    True, but it's another system to setup and manage instead of the one that's integrated into the ChromeOS tooling.

    I'm not sure you can BIOS lock a Chromebook that has been reflashed with one of those alternate firmwares that allow it to boot another OS. I believe they tend to be all about freedom and not restricting the user.

    Governments, especially education, can be quite underfunded. I am doubtful they will be able to set up the same level of monitoring and management at a similar cost, even if that cost is high initially and lower over time.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    The danish government is not underfunded.

    It's a a question of will and wants. They don't HAVE to buy chromebooks. They can buy hardware like everyone else. It's a government so they probably have to open it up for all suppliersto bid. But it can still be done.

    And a lot of the cost will go back into their people and create jobs.

    And price isn't even the main question. It's the fact that Googles data collection on students might make their chromebooks illegal to use.

    Doesn't matter if it's free. It's not legal.

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