I like the idea and I agree that this will be the way of the future, but it just doesn't seem practical at the moment. Portability is hamstrung by the need for a constant network connection to accomplish anything, and the cost savings of a Chromebook are almost completely washed out when you factor in at least $20/mo. for Linode.
Why not just get something from System76? Or install whatever OS you like on one of the notoriously Linux friendly Lenovo laptops? You end up with better hardware specs, more flexibility, and comparable portability for the same price.
The chrome book is extremely light. It was also 250, much cheaper and lighter than the lenovo.
I've also been able to use a local ubuntu on this machine, not that it matters too much since I'm on a VPS, but i guess on planes or something I can have code available to me by means of a git before i get on the flight (or cron or something similar).
Dynamic DNS is ~$30/year, and if you're a programming you already have an old computer sitting around that's several times better than the cheapest linode.
Why not just get something from System76? Or install whatever OS you like on one of the notoriously Linux friendly Lenovo laptops? You end up with better hardware specs, more flexibility, and comparable portability for the same price.