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If it's cheaper than the windows tax one, then replacing chromeos with a linux distro makes this a good option.

Also I wonder if chromeos isn't easier to secure and lockdown for use than a normal windows install.

Btw I recently got a x130e off the lenovo outlet. The keyboard is just amazing on these things.

Edited 2013-01-18 00:35 UTC

Looking at the keyboard, there are few things that I've noticed:

1. Even though it claims to run some Android OS, why does it come with a "Windows" advertising key?

2. There is no "Insert" key, only "Delete" at the top right.

3. The "inverted T" cursor block looks a bit strange, especially in regards of the "Page Up" and "Page Down" keys. Isn't that unergonomic or at least uncomfortable?

4. It has a "Fn" key, but no key labels for the numeric block "additional layout" which can be addressed by Fn + letters of the right keyboard half. Also, no "Num Lock" key.

5. No "Scroll Lock" and "Pause / Break" keys.

6. Instead a "Print Screen" key between the right "Alt" and "Ctrl" keys, where usually the context menu key (which is also missing) is placed.

I can only assume that this deviation from default keyboard capabilities has been considered "in line with the software and the purpose of the device", so it's not a major limitation for its future users:

http://googleenterprise.blogspot.de/2013/01/for-schools-new-lenovo-...

Maybe it's safe to assume that the future users won't be typing much, especially not higher amounts of numbers, so probably everything is fine.

I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm a keyboard nazi, and I see things nobody else can see. :-)

Image for reference:

http://www.lenovo.com/shop/americas/content/img_lib/portals/ps/educ...

Because it almost makes no difference from buying a computer that has Microsoft spying on you all the time? Or Canonical?

* And I'm not sure if Apple computers have anything that is similarly "helpful".

Microsoft doesn't spy on you all the time or I doubt at all.

You can see exactly what information is going out using something like wire-shark.

`sudo aptitude purge unity-shopping-lens && sudo service lightdm restart` takes care of Canonical's spying.

How are they 'spying on you all the time'?

You're asking this about Google, a company who's primary source of revenue comes from ads? Ads that result from Google analyzing your search activity, your email, your documents, your music (if you use that service), etc? Wow, how could they possibly be spying on you?

Guess what, I do not care if they record my search requests. If it helps them to provide a service more taylored to me, I actually benefit from the information they collect.
And since they do it openly it is not spying. It is an agreement.

It's good to hear that you consider it a fair trade of information for the service.

However, personally I would disagree about it being open. If it were open, you'd have easy access to all of the information that Google collect about you. As far as I'm aware, this is not the case. Moreover, even if you opt-out of using Google's services, it's not clear how much information they nonetheless retain about you.

Unfortunately privacy is also a societal issue, and the decisions other people make affect more than just themselves. Personally I'm very uncomfortable about the quantity of data Google collects and I would much rather privacy was valued more highly.

I'm not saying you're wrong though: everyone makes their own judgement about how they value these things.