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The addition of Linux apps to Chrome OS via the Crostini Project seems to be expanding at an exponential rate lately. Google has been content not sharing any insight into the project apart from the advantages it brings to developers but the latest update points at a larger target than just techies developing software.
According to the commit, a decent number of Braswell-powered Chromebooks will soon be getting Linux app support.
strago: Enable VMs
Enable virtual machines for Braswell processor systems.
TEST=run Linux apps on cyan
In case you aren’t familiar with the “Strago” baseboard, it is the foundation of some pretty popular devices such as the Acer Chromebook R11, HP Chromebook 11 G5 and my personal favorite the Acer Chromebook 14(Edgar).
None of these devices would be considered power-user devices and most of them are approaching three years of age. It’s unlikely that many developers would be looking at any Braswell device for their work.
So, what’s the target here?
Could Google be planning a consumer-focused software center that leverages Linux applications? Your guess is as good as mine but it’s clear there’s more going on with the Crostini Project than we know. We’ll be digging deeper into the repository to see if we can unearth some answers.
I, for one, am very intrigued by the potential that the Crostini Project holds for Chrome OS in general. I honestly think if Google plays the cards right, operating systems as we know them could drastically change in the coming years.
What do you think? Is there more to Crostini than meets the eye or will it end up being just another niche platform relegated to developers and tinkerers?
