So I'm not particularly a Linux guy, but I am an IT guy, and I've been using my Chromebook a lot - especially since this Covid crisis. I have been using my Chromebook as a dumb terminal to access my Win10 virtual machine so I can do my office job from my back patio, but that's another story. I have a Win10 PC in my home office, but REW on my PC is limited benefit there since it's locked to my desk. The Fiancee has a laptop of her own, but I'm not into cluttering up her laptop with my software, or effectively tying up three computers for me, inevitably when she needs to use hers. REW hardly uses any processor or memory.

A nice hidden feature that all new Chromebooks have is that they run Linux. And you can install Rew on Linux. So why NOT try to get it going on the light, easy, battery-for-days Chromebook?

Well... I was encountering problem after problem, trying to install it.
Here's what I did to fix it:

First, I installed the "files" file manager on the Chromebook, using the plain old Chrome web store.
Second, I went into my Chromebook's Advanced settings to enable the Linux Terminal. After this, when you open the "files" file manager, you see a folder "Linux files", which we'll use.
Third, I downloaded the REW package for Linux - this landed in my Downloads folder on the Chromebook as "REW_linux_5_19.sh"
Fourth, I copied that REW_linux_5_19.sh file to that "Linux files" folder so that it will be accessible in Linux.

I first simply followed these instructions: https://www.avnirvana.com/resources/...res-java-8.18/
That is simply this:
  • open the Linux terminal on the Chromebook.
  • By default this conveniently opens to the location where you drop files into "Linux files". If you do an ls here, you'll see "REW_linux_5_19.sh" listed here.
  • execute "sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre" to install the Java JRE. I read warnings against other methods (headless) - this worked.
  • execute "xhost +" to disable access control and allow the installer client to run.
    • if you don't do this, the installer throws the error "java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Could not initialize class sun.awt.X11GraphicsEnvironment" and crashes.

  • execute "chmod 777 REW_linux_5_19.sh" to grant permissions so that it will run.
  • execute "sudo ./REW_linux_5_19.sh" to start the REW installer.

The installer then appears, a graphical window, easy to follow. Standard stuff.
On the installer, I chose the "create desktop icon", which on the Chromebook adds an icon to the "Linux Apps" folder in the Chrome launcher. Nice!
Alternatively, if you don't pick that, you can start REW by opening the Linux Terminal and executing "roomeqwizard" to launch it.

Either way, it launches and appears on the Chrome taskbar.