Run Ubuntu or Another Linux Distro in a Window on Your Chromebook

[[Coi] Mr.CLuBBeR]

Another use for Chromebooks

Given the choice, most people would likely choose a Windows laptop over a Chromebook if both were free. They're not free, of course, and Chromebooks have found an audience due to their low price tags and ability to offer basic functionality, like surfing the web and being productive in Google's ecosystem. In addition, you can now run Linux in a Window on Chromebooks.
Google evangelist François Beaufort made the revelation in a Google+ post, saying that it's now possible to run Linux in a Window on Chrome OS by installing the Crouton Chrome extension. However, there's a bit of housekeeping that needs to take place first -- you have to put your Chromebook in Developer Mode. Once you've done that and installed both the Crouton extension and Crouton tool (direct download link), you'll have to dink around with a few terminal commands, then you're ready to install whichever Linux distro suits your fancy.
This probably isn't a game changing feature, though it's far more convenient than some of the other existing methods. It also addresses a concern that Chromebooks are mostly only useful when connected online. There are still things you can do on a Chromebook without an Internet connection, but if you're willing to install Linux and run it from within a Window, it opens up a whole new world for these budget-priced machines.
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