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[on:]

I'm thinking about getting a Chromebook next month. Does anyone know if it is possible to program an Arduino using a Chromebook?

By that I mean run an IDE, program to a serial port, listen on a serial port, etc. Just like with a regular system.

- Is it even possible to run the IDE in the new Chromebooks, since they are web based?
- They have two USB ports, so physically connecting to the Arduino should be fine.

Any light you can shed on this would be appreciated. I'm thinking that given their endoresement of Arduino at IO2011, this must be possible, but have never touched a Chromebook.

Thanks

[Reply #1 on:]

I would guess that it may be possible to compile the IDE as an HTML5 Java applet but I don't think avrdude will be available in HTML5 form any time soon.  It may take quite a while before the Chromebook can do anything you can't already do through your web browser.

Perhaps you could set up a small Windows or Mac computer and use GoToMyPC or GoToMyMac to control it remotely from the Chromebook.

[Reply #2 on:]

Here is the FAQ for Chromebook:
http://www.google.com/support/chromeos/bin/answer.py?answer=183061

You probably want to pay attention to the question "I use a specific piece of traditional software. Will it run on a Chromebook?" 

Keep in mind the Arduino IDE is made up of several tools which all would need to be supported.  Plus, device drivers for the underlying OS would need to be supported as well.  (e.g. the Uno emulates a USB Modem, it is unlikely the Chromebook's OS would come with a device driver for a USB Modem.)

[Reply #3 on:]

Thanks. So that's a "No".

New question: Is it possible to have a web app write to a USB or serial port easily? It must be ..... but how?

So if I write a web version of the Arduino IDE (which for the UI part looks like a lot of work, but not particularly hard), how would this talk to the USB port on the Chromebook?

More info: I've read this is possible in Flash, but I don't know flash. Is it possible in Silverlight || C# || Python || Javascript ?

Cheers

PS: Maybe I should retitle this question "web version of Arduino IDE" ?

[Reply #4 on:]

Thanks. So that's a "No".

New question: Is it possible to have a web app write to a USB or serial port easily? It must be ..... but how?

So if I write a web version of the Arduino IDE (which for the UI part looks like a lot of work, but not particularly hard), how would this talk to the USB port on the Chromebook?

More info: I've read this is possible in Flash, but I don't know flash. Is it possible in Silverlight || C# || Python || Javascript ?

Cheers

PS: Maybe I should retitle this question "web version of Arduino IDE" ?

I wouldn't be so quick to say "No" - Chrome OS is the "officially supported" version of Chromium OS, which is the open-source, Linux-based version:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome_OS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromium_OS
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os

I have no doubt that once the Chromebook devices come out for general purpose, that you will see people hacking them, getting them to run anything and everything. While I doubt that the general community for Chrome will create a custom form of avr gcc (and all the other parts) for it, I'm sure there will be at least one person here that will do it.

Give it time. I wouldn't even bother with buying one at first anyhow, unless you are an "early adopter" kind of person, or you need it for a specific reason or such. Personally, I wonder why they only went with 3G (when everything else is moving to 4G) - if I ever decide to get one (heck, I don't even use my eeePC), it wouldn't be until it support both 802.11n/g -and- 4G at once (then again, I can't afford another data plan - my G1 sucks up enough of my money as it is).

[Reply #5 on:]

Hey, I was thinking about the Chromebook too and this has been a question for me, whetherr it will work or not. I know that you can partition Linux to a Chromebook. There appatently are a few flaws with it right now, the sound doesnt work and a few things like that. So my theory is that I can use the Arduino with Linux on the Chromebook. Just a theory because I havent tested it yet.