After my recent lengthy post on setting up Linux on my Chromebook, I thought it might be good to take a look at what Linux apps I have installed on my Chromebook and why. While I initially found the ready availability of Android apps on my new Chromebook to be welcome advancement and a huge step in the right direction, most are too limited in scope and functionality for my needs, as are most Web apps. For that reason, the availability of familiar Linux software titles makes my Chromebook seem much more usable. All of these titles are free and most are also available for Windows and Mac OS.
Gnome Software Center--Consider this the missing puzzle piece to make the experience of setting up Linux apps on your Chromebook much less painful. You have to install it from the Terminal's command line but once it's in place, most other titles you would want are available with point-n-click convenience, much like Google's Play Store or the Apple App Store. It should be noted that some titles in the store are outdated versions and depending upon your needs, you may be better off enduring the Terminal to install the latest version. The folks at Chrome OS would do well to include a dedicated software center with Crostini once the Linux experience graduates from Beta.
LibreOffice--This is the main reason I opened up a can of Linux on my Chromebook in the first place. The Web and Android versions of MS Office and their G-Suite (Google) equivalents are more than a little lacking for my tastes. I have used LibreOffice and its predecessor, OpenOffice, for about 20 years and find it contains all I need in an office productivity suite to do. LibreOffice comes preinstalled on most Linux distributions and is also available for Mac OS and Windows. It should be noted that the Gnome Software Center offers an obsolete version of LibreOffice (6.1.x), which reached its end-of-life two years ago (May 2019) so you'll definitely be better off downloading this one from the command line. Chrome Unboxed has an excellent how-to article to walk you through the process but the install scripts point to version 6.4.x so you'll need to modify them to point to the present version (7.1.2 as of this writing).
Thunderbird--This email client has long been my go-to outside of Mac OS, where I prefer Apple Mail. Having it in my Linux container means I can easily open attached files in LibreOffice or follow a Web Link in Firefox. Chrome cannot communicate with apps in the Linux container in the same way. Curiously, Thunderbird is not present in the Gnome Software Center's repository so it must be acquired via the Terminal with the command 'sudo apt install thunderbird'.
Firefox ESR--It may seem odd to want an alternative Web browser when Google Chrome is built into Chrome OS but as with Thunderbird, it's handy to have a Web browser residing inside the Linux container where it can interact with other Linux apps in a way that Chrome cannot. The 'ESR' designation stands for 'Extended Support Release'. Available from the Gnome Software Center, it is a slightly older but more stable version of the browser. It may not have all the latest features but you are spared having to restart every so often to install the latest version.
GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program)--It functions like Photoshop without the annual subscription and also has some limited page layout capabilities. There are also versions available for Windows and Mac OS as well. This one is easy to install either from the Gnome Software Center or from the Terminal (sudo apt install gimp)
Scribus--A page layout application similar to MS Publisher or Adobe InDesign, it is not quite as user friendly as its commercial counterparts but it's not bad and the price is right. The version included in Gnome Software Center is the latest stable release and finally includes an assortment of templates for common projects like Fliers, brochures, booklets and business cards but it lacks one for a CD jewel case insert. It's not hard to create one, though. Like GIMP, there are also versions available for Windows and Mac OS as well. The easiest way to install this one is from the Gnome Software Center
AisleRiot Solitaire and Gnu Mahjongg--While these don't exactly qualify as must-have titles, they're fun, simple games for when you feel like wasting a little time on the computer. AisleRiot includes a multitude of different solitaire card games and Mahjongg (I have no idea why it's misspelled with two g's) is a simple puzzle game in which the object is to clear the board by clicking matching tiles. Both are easily installed from the Gnome Software Center.
The above titles adequately flesh out my software needs on the Chromebook and mirror most of the titles I have installed on my ancient Linux laptop. Unlike Android apps and Web apps, which have individual icons in the Chrome OS Launcher, icons for Linux apps are housed together under a single 'Linux Apps' icon, appears to open a folder containing icons for each app. For a more seamless experience, you can 'pin' the icons of your most frequently used apps to the Shelf at the bottom of your screen, much like the Windows System Tray or the Dock in Mac OS.
I realize some hard-core Chromebook fans may think installing Linux apps somehow runs counter to the whole idea of maximized simplicity, which is central to the Chrome OS ethos but it does provide much-needed functionality that Web- and Android apps cannot quite match, at least for this old-school user.
UPDATE (5/6/21)--Late last week, my Linux environment crashed as I was using it and none of the Linux apps would launch. I was very busy, so I just set the Chromebook aside and used my MacBook Pro for 'mission-critical' work until I had the time, energy and inclination to resurrect it. The only solution I could come up with was to delete the Linux environment and start over. Having been through this before, I decided I needed a shortcut so as I installed each component, I also copied the installation scripts to a Google Docs file (see appendix below) so I could readily access it in the future. Just knowing what to do made the process simpler and I had all of my Linux apps restored in about an hour, including creating the 'cheat sheet' on Google Docs. I then took another hour or two on the next evening to configure and personalize Firefox and Thunderbird. I hope I don't have to go through this process again anytime soon but at least I'm becoming adept at using the Terminal.
Looking back on what happened, the crash occurred when Chrome OS attempted to install a minor system update. I'm thinking that it might have included an update to the Linux environment that couldn't be properly installed since it was in use at the time. As evidence that the update affected the Linux environment, my Linux apps' icons are now out on the Launcher instead of under the "Linux Apps" icon, which now only contains icons for library files I wouldn't need to launch directly. Of course, the latest experience also points out that the Linux environment still has a way to go before it is ready for 'prime time'. Nonetheless, I still believe the addition of Linux apps is an important growth path for Chrome OS as it continues to increase in mainstream acceptance as evidenced by its tripling of market share in the past year to surpass my beloved Mac OS as the number two computer platform behind Windows. Ironically, this trend also sets Chrome OS on the path to become a dominant player in the desktop Linux market.
APPENDIX
Crostini Rebuild Scripts
The scripts below, implemented one at a time in the sequence below, will quickly set up basic Linux applications under Crostini on a Chromebook with Linux Development Environment implemented.
Update System
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Install CUPS (printer support)
sudo apt install cups
sudo apt install system-config-printer
xhost +
sudo system-config-printer
Install Thunderbird1
sudo apt install thunderbird
Install Latest LibreOffice2
sudo apt remove libreoffice (if an older LO is already Installed, then download latest LibreOffice from libreoffice.org)
sudo tar -xf LibreOffice_7.1.2_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz
(update version number, if necessary)
cd LibreOffice_7.1.2.2_Linux_x86-64_deb
cd DEBS
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
Install Gnome Software Center (easy access to additional Linux apps)
sudo apt-get install gnome-software gnome-packagekit
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
1Thunderbird is not included in the Gnome Software Center.
2The version of LibreOffice included in the Gnome Software Center is grossly outdated.
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