Would a chromebook be a bad option for a portable device for programming?

Depends on the type of programming.

https://shiftedit.net/

https://c9.io/

http://ideone.com/

It's not going to be fun...

I would mainly be doing Java and C++, with some external libraries probably for game stuff.

I would mainly be doing Java and C++, with some external libraries probably for game stuff.

You should be able to get away with Java. C++ would depend on which ide you want to use. More than anything it's probably going to come down to how big the projects you want to work on are and which chromebook you get.

Whilst technically ChromeOS can now do native languages I think (Native Client), it's unclear if you actually mean to be using this API? I'm not sure it's possible to write things that would be easily cross-platform with other platforms like Windows or Linux, nor am I sure if there are cross-compilers, or emulators for things like debugging/testing(?)

So yes, you can programming on Chrome, but the languages/APIs that ChromeOS runs is a lot more restricted than other platforms.

Ohh well Java I'm pretty sure would be cross-platform. C++ I would be compiling for windows. There's always the choice of installing linux on the chromebook as well. Would there be any better choices? I'm looking around the <=250 range

"Ohh well Java I'm pretty sure would be cross-platform."

Don't count on it A quick Google suggests that ChromeOS doesn't come with Java, though it may or may not be possible to get it working judging by discussions...

If you install Linux on it then you'll be able to do programming like any other laptop of course. The question then is, if Chromebook is cheaper or better specced than any other low end laptop. I guess if you want to run Linux, it's a way to get a laptop without a Windows licence, hence is cheaper. OTOH if you want to do Windows development, it'd be simpler with a Windows laptop anyway, but you'd probably have to pay a bit more.

"Ohh well Java I'm pretty sure would be cross-platform."

Don't count on it A quick Google suggests that ChromeOS doesn't come with Java, though it may or may not be possible to get it working judging by discussions...

If you install Linux on it then you'll be able to do programming like any other laptop of course. The question then is, if Chromebook is cheaper or better specced than any other low end laptop. I guess if you want to run Linux, it's a way to get a laptop without a Windows licence, hence is cheaper. OTOH if you want to do Windows development, it'd be simpler with a Windows laptop anyway, but you'd probably have to pay a bit more.

Ohh, I meant developing it was cross platform. Cause you technically don't need it installed. Since there's cloud compilers. But I'm not too sure how good they work especially with libraries.

Well couldn't I just use the normal gcc compiler on linux, if I install linux that is? I dont know too much about c++ compiling on linux but I believe it works this way

Well, you already know that a windows or linux laptop will definitely work, and there are plenty with the same specs at that price range. If you were thinking the chromebook pixel (and sweet god I hope you weren't), then there's always a macbook, which will definitely work and be cheaper. So I literally see no reason to even think about the chromebook in this case, unless you just had intellectual curiosity.

Well, you already know that a windows or linux laptop will definitely work, and there are plenty with the same specs at that price range. If you were thinking the chromebook pixel (and sweet god I hope you weren't), then there's always a macbook, which will definitely work and be cheaper. So I literally see no reason to even think about the chromebook in this case, unless you just had intellectual curiosity.

Well I haven't really found laptops at the 200 range besides refurbs, opened boxes, off-lease. And even then their specs aren't too much better than the Acer C7.