Webonaut

Google Chromebook / Chromeboxes make excellent mini web-servers for development/testing/office use, or for using in kiosks / taking to tradeshows etc. Amazingly there is enough space on them for a reasonable sized web-site and database, and the oomph is comparable to a medium-size virtual server from one of the popular web-hosts. Firstly, get your Chromebox / Chromebook running Linux by installing Chrubuntu: Follow this guide here ->  http://webonaut.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/installing-ubuntu-linux-on-your.html Bring up a Terminal. (Remember, your user is called "user" with password "user" by default). Type: sudo apt-get install tasksel sudo  tasksel Use the cursors to select "LAMP" (dom't deselect the default options or you may take away your desktop!) then hit return. (BTW: Now is a good time to try Edubuntu as it is cool, and openssh-server is useful too ;) Give the mysql root user a password when prompted. Test it out! Try this ...

NOTE: THIS WILL WIPE YOUR BOX! (but you only store stuff in the cloud, right?) Switch the developer switch on your machine (it's in a little hole on the back of the Chromebox. Use a paper clip and BE CAREFUL - it's not a strong switch) Switch the machine on. The unhappy face means you are in developer mode (sweet!). You can wait (and put up with the loud double-beep) or press Ctrl+D to continue Log into ChromeOS as normal Open a browser window and press Ctrl+Alt+T to bring up the mildly rubbish in-browser crosh terminal type "shell" to get a decent bash shell type "sudo bash" to get an even better root shell! type " chromeos-firmwareupdate --mode=todev " to update and properly enter developer mode Note: switch back later by typing the reverse into an Ubuntu shell, e.g. " chromeos-firmwareupdate --mode=normal " type "reboot" and follow steps 4,5 and 6 again The next steps are a bit convoluted, but here's a handy ...