14 ms·

Zorin OS

206 points by oldfuture 1y ago

p_ing 1y ago
[flagged]
- edhelas 1y ago
  Hopefully its powered with a 40W RTX 5060
- webdevver 1y ago
  cathode ray tube race theory!?!?
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
LorenDB 1y ago
Zorin is one of the best distros to recommend to noobs. - Ubuntu based, so it has full compatibility with every .deb package that you find online - Not actually Ubuntu, so it doesn't have that weird Canonical corporate push stuff (ads in terminal, etc.) - Has a .exe hook preinstalled that asks you if you want to install Wine to run Windows apps - Has a very Windows-like layout so it's instantly familiar (which is not uncommon, but Ubuntu certainly goes the other way)
- dlivingston 1y ago
  Interesting. Is it pretty polished or are there some rough edges?
  - LorenDB 1y ago
    I don't daily-drive it myself (openSUSE Tumbleweed user here) but in my experience it's pretty smooth and polished.
  - debo_ 1y ago
    I daily-drive it because of the polish.
- worthless-trash 1y ago
  I've not used ubuntu for some time, but - Ubuntu based, so it has full compatibility with every .deb package that you find online I don't think that .deb files are universally portable.
  - kvdveer 1y ago
    They are not universally portable, but if your running an Ubuntu derived system, most debs can be installed jus fine. Thats not because deb is so compatible,but because virtually everything assumes Ubuntu.
  - jeroenhd 1y ago
    You need the .deb files to match your architecture and to have the necessary dependencies available, but for programs like Google Chrome, Discord, and VSCode, those dependencies seem to come down to "any recent version of glibc and openssl" and the .debs themselves are available for multiple architectures. You're not going to be installing random Debian packages from the Debian FTP server, but for most proprietary software that resorts to "install this .deb", it'll work most of the time, which beats many other distributions. On the other hand, installing software this way is a great way for upgrades to the next major version to fail spectacularly halfway through, so I'm not so sure if it's a feature or not.
- biggestfan 1y ago
  And in place upgrades! It was a massive problem for years with Zorin (and still exists with other "user friendly" distros like Elementary), requiring a full system reinstall every time a new version released. That being said, I still think this is a bit of a strange option when there's several Ubuntu flavors with more Windows-esque desktops, plus Linux Mint which offers a lot of these benefits with a much larger userbase and therefore better support (though Zorin is more "modern" looking). Not a bad option but not one I'd think to recommend often.
  - tvgirlfan2004 1y ago
    elementary supports upgrades since OS 8 https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/#:~:text=In%20elementary%20OS,in%20System%20Settings. https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/#:~:text=In%20...
    - biggestfan 1y ago
      That's about normal system updates. Upgrading between versions appears to still require a full reinstall: https://github.com/elementary/os/wiki/Release-Upgrades https://github.com/elementary/os/wiki/Release-Upgrades Also, strange to move those into settings IMO.
roger_ 1y ago
“Bundled with alternatives to over $5,000 of professional software” That sounds spammy and misleading to me. I’m assuming they’re just including open source alternatives and assuming the same value as commercial offerings.
- koakuma-chan 1y ago
  I would rather they didn't bundle anything at all lol
  - debo_ 1y ago
    The lite install doesn't bundle anything.
  - ChrisRR 1y ago
    So just the kernel?
    - koakuma-chan 1y ago
      No, I mean, like all that crap https://apps.gnome.org/ https://apps.gnome.org/
      - ChrisRR 1y ago
        The line's got to be drawn somewhere. I would think most people expect the OS to come with a clock and calculator
- jonnat 1y ago
  Doesn't sound misleading to me. I read "$5,000 of professional software" as paid-for software that would have cost $5,000.
  - yoavm 1y ago
    So clearly it is misleading, because what they mean is definitely along the lines of "we include GIMP while Photoshop costs $999".
replete 1y ago
I reviewed ZorinOS last year when considering going all-in on Linux at home last year, testing around 30 distributions. While it wasn't a good fit as a techie, I rated Zorin the best distro for 'general desktop computing' for "normal" people who have used Windows their whole life. I was impressed by how integrated and easy to use the desktop environment was. Now, this is not a statement of Gnome vs KDE etc etc, it is of the experience of using it - e.g. simple settings for making the general OS feel like Windows or MacOS, lots of sensible things.
- franczesko 1y ago
  Link?
- mrheosuper 1y ago
  how would you compare it with PopOS
  - lproven 1y ago
    For most purposes, much better. Pop OS has a whole new desktop metaphor. That doesn't bother a techie; it can totally throw non-technical folks. Zorin coerces GNOME into a Windows-like design, but unlike too many distros, it looks good while doing it, and the paid version comes with a tonne of apps pre-installed and paid support.
    - close04 1y ago
      > and the paid version comes with a tonne of apps pre-installed I didn't like the way they sell this on their page, "Bundled with alternatives to over $5,000 of professional software". They list the commercial alternatives with their prices but no mention of what's the bundled alternative. Probably the usual free software that any user with a modicum of familiarity with an app store can install in minutes. The lack of transparency about what software they bundle, and the implication that this software is entirely equivalent to the commercial/professional one feels a bit dishonest and puts me off.
afavour 1y ago
I hope this succeeds where others have, well, not failed, but not had overwhelming success. Years ago I installed Linux Mint on a family member's computer but they got frustrated enough with it (and required my regular intervention enough) that we ended up switching away. Zorin boasting about you being able to play "an enormous library of your favorite games" or boasting about the vast software library feels like asking for trouble. It won't be long before users run into rough edges. TBH in the current environment I still think the best OS for "revive an old computer for a not very tech savvy person" is ChromeOS. I've never tried the open source alternatives for that but I'd be much happier setting up a relative with a glorified browser as an OS than something that attempts to do everything.
- tombert 1y ago
  My cousin got my grandmother moved to Linux Mint with some actual success. All she did was check her email and browse the internet, and Linux can do that perfectly competently.
  - zamalek 1y ago
    Same story here. Purchased a System76 machine for my ex-wife's grandmother. She "enjoyed learning about the new system". As a bonus she is now completely support scam immune, one of the advantages of the year of the Linux desktop not having happened yet.
    - qn9n 1y ago
      Not going to lie, I feel a System76 machine is way overkill for someones grandmother who likely doesn't really need that kind of horsepower... Especially given the cheapest model they sell is 1400.
      - panja 1y ago
        Could have been one of the mini desktop models
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
debo_ 1y ago
I've installed Zorin for several elderly folks who were bewildered by the Windows 11 upgrade, and they all seem to like it.
malomalsky 1y ago
I use arch btw
tombert 1y ago
I remember seeing this a few years ago. It certainly looked interesting, and maybe something I could convince my parents to use. I've been so entrenched in Linux for the last two decades and have come to Stockholm-syndrome myself enough to genuinely like modern Gnome desktop, and Sway nowadays, so a part of me isn't completely sure why you'd want Windows on Linux, but of course I'm not the target audience for something like Zorin. That said (and this is coming from a guy who is running Linux on the computer typing this and has spent a lot of time customizing Sway [1] and lots of other tinkering to the desktop), I'm skeptical of the claim that moving to Linux will be "faster". I haven't used Windows 11 yet at all, but for day-to-day desktop use I haven't really noticed Windows being slower than Linux. I haven't done benchmarks but I doubt the people running something like Zorin will either; it's all vibes based, and personally I don't really think that Linux feels faster than Windows, at least not Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 10. [1] https://github.com/Tombert/rs-swanbar https://github.com/Tombert/rs-swanbar
webdevver 1y ago
THE ROTATING CUBE IS BACK!!!! LFG!!!! https://youtu.be/4QokOwvPxrE&t=120 https://youtu.be/4QokOwvPxrE&t=120
- NackerHughes 1y ago
  I’m glad to see it. It really didn’t get much better than Desktop Cube back in the day.
netbioserror 1y ago
Being Ubuntu based, I really think Zorin should be combining efforts with Linux Mint. There is quite a bit of work duplicated here. IMO Mint is the prime project; I prefer an ideal form of the core OS to a facade of others. Mint's choices have, as a side-effect, made it rather familiar anyways.
- hrdwdmrbl 1y ago
  And Mint should be combined with Pop OS?
- lproven 1y ago
  They're both in Dublin, as well. Clement Lefevbre is French, and Artyom and Kyrill Zorin are Ukrainian, although they grew up in Dublin. I met them and had lunch with them. They sound like it. :-) The big difference is that Mint is free and runs on donations; the premium Zorin OS edition is paid-for and had paid support. I can't see how the business models would combine. But, apart from that, I think you're right. Both have an Xfce edition, and in Zorin's case, it's free. Mint's flagship has a fork of GNOME 3 called Cinnamon. Zorin uses real upstream GNOME, but with pre-installed GNOME extensions to recreate a Windows-like desktop. Zorin sponsors Dash-to-Panel, and was involved in the original fork from Dash-to-Dock. It also uses Arc menu and a bunch of other extensions, and they're on Github, but they're not in the GNOME extensions store. And there's also GNOME Flashback, which is a separate Windows-like desktop based on GNOME $Current tech, but maintained by the GNOME team. There must be some way to combine these things and make a better experience with the combined efforts, but none of the three companies wants it.
jestinjoy1 1y ago
My computer lab with 20 computers working fine due to Zorin. Was fidning it difficult to run Ubuntu in these systems - 2 GB RAM, Intel dual core.
trklausss 1y ago
My only issue with this project is that, after navigating the webpage for a while, I can't see _any_ reference to open source software, and compliance with their licenses. They should at least put a link anywhere in the webpage, where people can click and at least be redirected to their components. I know compliance is about "you only provide it if asked for", but they could be a bit more proactive and _embrace_ that they are using FOSS, not merely try to sell it. By the way: How does selling of the Pro version work with GPL? Or is it covered because they offer the Core version?
- OsrsNeedsf2P 1y ago
  It depends what's included, but if it's only extra apps/better integration made in-house, those don't need to be open source Also you can charge money for GPL software. If someone wants to pirate Zorin OS, that person seems outside their non-techie target audience
- abhinavk 1y ago
  https://zorin.com/about/#source-code https://zorin.com/about/#source-code The link is also in the middle of the home page.
guestbest 1y ago
Is this the spiritual successor to Lindows?
- lproven 1y ago
  Lindows became Linspire. Because Microsoft sued over the name: https://www.networkcomputing.com/data-center-networking/microsoft-settles-lawsuit-against-lindows https://www.networkcomputing.com/data-center-networking/micr... Linspire was paid-for, and later introduced Freespire as the free community version. https://practical-tech.com/2007/08/05/linspire-ceo-kevin-carmony-resigns/ https://practical-tech.com/2007/08/05/linspire-ceo-kevin-car... Remarkably enough, it is still available. I reviewed the then-latest version in 2023. https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/15/freespire-95-breezes-in/ https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/15/freespire-95-breezes-... It's a successor in name only; the company acquired the Freespire and Xandros brands. The product, sadly, is unrelated. (I say "sadly" because it had a pretty good desktop based on KDE 2.x.) But -- yes, you're right, it sort of is.
jim201 1y ago
I’m glad that there are distros catering towards less techy people. Linux needs this. But I take issue with selling open source projects that could otherwise be downloaded for free. The $48 Pro version resells open source software (Blender is mentioned on their website) and slaps on a few themes. Even if legal, this just seems highly unethical.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- bigyabai 1y ago
  > it is highly unethical to resell open source software produced by volunteers intending to make their work free. Why? ZorinOS users can still download Blender for free if they don't pay for the mega-pack. You have to imagine that it's not very hard for Zorin to follow GPL guidelines ("here are your 13,000 source tarballs, good sir") with this business. You also can't prove that any of these volunteers are against downstream repackaging of their work. If they were really ideologically against the idea of people being able to sell Free Software, then they probably wouldn't be putting time into a GPL project. Commercial redistribution of GPL software has been a thing since the 90s, with much larger pricetags than $48.
  - 0x6c6f6c 1y ago
    I still don't understand the conflation of free as in freedom with free as in free beer. You reserve certain rights to the code, that's not to say no one gets paid for _putting in work_. If anything these models are about as close to providing _some_ manner of income to upstream projects. If Zorin donates a portion back, that is.
- yesfitz 1y ago
  Would it be less unethical to charge a $48 installation fee? Because as far as I know, there's nothing stopping you from installing the free version of Zorin OS and then installing Blender, Krita, Inkscape, etc.
- thisislife2 1y ago
crossroadsguy 1y ago
I miss my early days of CS college and tinkering with distro installs and installs and so on. In fact it was so fulfilling that it felt like “cooking your own meal”. I never used Windows. So in last two decades my experience has been Linux distros to osx/macos. If it was not for the internet cafe computer+internet usage before college (had no other exposure to either, otherwise) my experience of Windows would have been absolutely ZERO which is what it is now. I wish OEMs had made Linux distros first class citizens for their laptops and computers and I wish these distros also imagined “regular people” using their OS/software. I guess both never happening kinda kept nullifying each other. Maybes it’s too late now? In fact there was a time (around a decade ago?) when the Linux based laptops had started becoming kinda “normal” — I remember buying a Linux Dell Vistro with Linux pre-installed from Dell, had helped a friend buy an XPS with linux pre-installed. We both haven’t touched anything other than a Mac in a really long time and last two times I had to buy a laptop I found zero Linux options (in India) — let alone “good” options. PS. Oh, my favourite was always Elementary OS even though it was clearly in beta when I migrated to the macs. There was just something about that distro.
- bigyabai 1y ago
  > I wish OEMs had made Linux distros first class citizens for their laptops and computers What more are you waiting for? Pretty much the only holdout is Nvidia, and they don't really make great laptop chips anyways. Almost every x86 chipset with UEFI and ACPI supports Linux to some degree. At this point, if your chip isn't running Linux it's because you've made a concerted effort to prevent users from accessing the bootloader. When people say 'first class citizen' I feel like it's always a moving goalpost. First it's 'working WiFi drivers' but Broadcom modems have been supported for a decade now. Then it's 'proper Wayland support' but even Nvidia has a working Wayland session now. So then the goalpost moves to 'but I want Wayland on XFCE' and the cycle starts anew. These days, the 'regular people' workload I see on most computers boils down to gaming and running Google Chrome. Linux does both of those fine; it's the culture that has to change before people accept it. Look at how successfully the Steam Deck penetrated the market.
  - frollogaston 1y ago
tslocum 1y ago
Just because you can charge for open source software, doesn't make it moral to do so. Concentrating our efforts on making Debian even easier to use seems much more in line with the ethics of the FOSS ecosystem.
pogue 1y ago
If you want to check out Zorin, or other popular Linux flavors, in your browser to see if you like them without having to install them on a VM/separate partition, try Distro Sea: https://distrosea.com/ https://distrosea.com/ There's also quite a few good reviews on Zorin on YouTube. People should also note Zorin sells a "pro" version for around $50. I'm sure most people could achieve the same features the pro edition has without much trouble, but it also helps them with development costs and everything else. https://zorin.com/os/pro/ https://zorin.com/os/pro/
- jazoom 1y ago
  DistroSea is amazing. I just tried it and it worked well. Though huge latency for me.
- qn9n 1y ago
  I get a `proxy detected` error whenever I try a vm on distrosea, I've tried disabling all content blockers and am not running a proxy of any kind.
gxonatano 1y ago
I know there's a place for distros like these, designed to be familiar to users of Windows or MacOS, but to me it shows Linux at its laziest: where exciting new ideas in system and UI design are skipped over, in favor of bad design ideas from 1995 (looking at you, Start menu). On MacOS and Windows you're stuck with whatever OS UI those respective corporations decide you get—the Apple menu, the Start menu, floating window management, and so on—and there's nothing inherently good about those paradigms; they mostly just exist for legacy reasons. On Linux, you have the freedom to customize everything, and to so it just seems sad that so much good development effort is going into building systems that value familiarity over innovation. Put differently, I find it sad when user-friendliness is valued over user-centrism. Linux is full of software that is user-centric more than user-friendly: look at Vim, for instance, which is famously difficult to quit, yet is designed to be ergonomic and efficient in a way which puts the user first. The Vim philosophy (modal editing, ergonomic arrow keys, etc.) has even been extended to web browsers (Qutebrowser, for instance), and to window managers (i3, sway, etc.). These types of programs, in my opinion, are where Linux really shines. Most people commenting here, however, describe this familiar/innovative or friendly/centric dichotomy in terms of user archetypes: "techie" and "normal" people. That feels unnecessarily essentialist, implying that "normal" people aren't curious enough to learn something unfamiliar, like a new style of user interface. But if we always assumed that, we'd never have had any innovative interfaces at all: mouse-driven desktop interfaces, smartphone touch screens, or any of it. Of course, Linux distros are diverse enough to have something for everyone. I just think that conventional, familiar ones like this represent a missed opportunity.
- frollogaston 1y ago
  As a longtime Mac user, I kinda wish it had a start menu. So much useful stuff easily accessible. But also, none of those choices affect my productivity all that much.
  - qn9n 1y ago
    As a longtime Mac user, just use Command-Space.
anonymousiam 1y ago
It's a catchy name that I haven't seen in very many places. A few years back, I met a salesman named Zorin. I thought for a moment and realized that was the name of a Bond villain (played by Christopher Walken). I mentioned it to him, and he said that his mom had named him after the character. The OS looks interesting, and may be appealing to non-power users who want more freedom and/or privacy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvxumh7ULx4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvxumh7ULx4
nemothekid 1y ago
Why has the spinning cubes / compiz demo remained a mainstay for desktop linux presentations for 20 years now?
vivzkestrel 1y ago
can someone kindly explain to me how this is capable of running AAA steam games? is it running them natively or through some virtualization layer?
- lpzimm 1y ago
  They mean through proton, which is Valve's compatibility layer based on wine. It was made for the arch-based steam deck but can be used on most (any?) distros. IME it works surprisingly well, although some games drop out when the anti-cheat gets updated, then might come back when proton updates. https://help.zorin.com/docs/apps-games/play-games/#steam https://help.zorin.com/docs/apps-games/play-games/#steam
- __loam 1y ago
  I assume it's just using proton like the steam deck.
t_mann 1y ago
This looks like my favorite for installing on relative's PCs before the Windows 10 sunset - I'm just a bit worried about Dual Boot, I've heard some stories about hiccups there. Does anyone have comments about how Dual Boot works with Zorin today, or general experience with that use case?
- sonderotis 1y ago
  Been dual booting for 2 years and I have distro hopped over 6 distros. Never had a hiccup. Ever
- jeroenhd 1y ago
  For what it's worth, Windows 10 will sunset in two years. You can pay $30/year for security updates (or get updates for free by enabling Windows Backup or spending Microsoft Reward Points you earn by using Bing) and keep using Windows 10 until programs stop working, which will probably take a while with the current status. My advice on dual booting Linux in general: 1. Resize the partition from Windows if you're going to install to the same disk 2. Do not use MBR mode to install anything. Windows updates will break your Grub bootloader, and Grub updates will break the Windows bootloader. Most PCs default to UEFI these days already, but it's always good to check 3. If at all possible, use the computer's UEFI OS dialog rather than chainloading Windows from the Linux bootloader. Kind of requires a user-friendly motherboard GUI, but if Bitlocker decides to turn itself on, you'll be struggling with recovery keys a lot less if you let both bootloaders just manage themselves. 4. If that's not possible or the motherboard OS selection sucks ass, and Bitlocker is enabled, write down the recovery key, boot through the Linux bootloader once (Windows will notice the boot process changed and prompt for a recovery key), and enter the recovery key. After a reboot, Bitlocker should unseal when booting from the Linux bootloader automatically, and now directly booting from the motherboard OS selection will require the recovery key. 5. If you're going to use a new disk, make sure to create a sufficiently large UEFI partition (>1GB, storage is cheap these days!) so bootloader/kernel updates don't break in the coming years. 6. Not really a dual booting issue, but if you're doing tech support for your relative, do yourself a favour and set up a tool like Timeshift (including automatic snapshots on updates, and if your configuration permits automatic integration into Grub). It'll offer system restore-like features, allowing you to revert the system to a known-good configuration in case an update breaks something. Timeshift itself works best on btrfs installs, but it'll also work in rsync mode on any file system, and other tools like it exist.
pjmlp 1y ago
Just another Linux distribution. If it wants to be better than Google, Apple and Microsoft desktop offerings, needs to be available on random shopping mall stores, with the same adoption complexity as the competition.
johnisgood 1y ago
Without Pro, I cannot choose macOS style interface at all? I think that looks the best.
- jeroenhd 1y ago
  The macOS style looks very close to out-of-the-box Gnome from what I can tell. There are free themes that will also look like macOS if going for the macOS look is your goal: https://forum.zorin.com/t/making-zorin-os-look-like-macos-big-sur-and-above/35199/ https://forum.zorin.com/t/making-zorin-os-look-like-macos-bi... Comes down to installing WhiteSur, a few fonts, and an icon pack.
  - johnisgood 1y ago
    Your link says: "You need to have Zorin OS Pro and the macOS style enabled." At any rate, as techie, I could make it look like macOS, but I was thinking of installing it on family members' computers without much effort.
ThinkBeat 1y ago
I used this (pro) for a few years. It is ok but it does not have any particular feature I found worth the cost of the upgrades. I bought the current version back then. I dont remember the number so X. Less than a month later they released the new version X+1 and that was at €39 I believe for a discounted upgrade. (numbers may not be 100% accurate it has been a while) But they do have a free version and that is nice of them.
- kwanbix 1y ago
  The full price is 48+tax, so 44+tax for the upgrade sounds wrong. I personally use Mint/Ubuntu with XFCE which I found it to be the closest to my work habit and the closer to Windows (I use both Linux and Windows). About ZorinOS Pro, I think it is too expensive. They are competing with Free Windows, Free MacOS, and Free Mint/Ubuntu/Fedora/Arch. That said, if it works for them, let them be. AS long as they respect the GPL/LGPL and contribute back, I don't see a problem.
tom_ 1y ago
But there's already a Zorin OS! Example footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=043WEs_6TAo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=043WEs_6TAo
neiesc 1y ago
It`s open source?
- jeroenhd 1y ago
  Some components, like paid-for themes in the Pro version, aren't. But most of it is as open source as any Linux desktop.
olejorgenb 1y ago
I assume it's due to marketing, but it really irks me that I have to scroll down to the bottom and click "View technical details about Zorin OS" to find out that this is a Linux distro build on top of Ubuntu...
- marci 1y ago
  It's in the homepage, in the blue and green parts near the middle (Reliable | Secure). But still, they have the place for windows and macos in the tagline, they could add linux.
  - timeinput 1y ago
    I think I'm mostly agreeing with you. In old newsprint there was a term "below the fold" with a literal meaning. If it's below the fold it's less important than what is "above the fold" since no one reads below the fold. Is it burying the lede to point out that it's Linux (or GNU/Linux+Ubuntu extra packages how ever we want to pronounce it)? I would guess probably not. On a 32" monitor in portrait mode I did have to scroll quite a bit to see those bits. It was worse on my phone, and was even worse on a landscape monitor. "It's Linux" is far less important than what Forbes has to say about it, and it being Linux is more important than it being privacy respecting (which probably means Firefox as the default browser) to the page authors, but who am I to question them. Maybe this is the year of the Linux desktop.
  - qn9n 1y ago
    I believe, given their target audience, it doesn’t matter. The information is available for those who care, but for the non-technical user who is fed up with their current OS, the message is: “Feel at home on ZorinOS and experience a performance and security boost.” They understand that technically-oriented people will research the OS and its underlying components, but their target audience isn’t technical. Therefore, bombarding them with overly technical details on the home page is counterproductive. In my opinion, ZorinOS has effectively marketed itself.
    - adithyassekhar 1y ago
woodrowbarlow 1y ago
is Zorin Connect something that can be installed and used independently of Zorin OS? and does Zorin Connect depend on Gnome?
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
incanus77 1y ago
I have been using and administering macOS since 2002 and Linux since 1998. Zorin is my favorite distro when I need to put an OS on a machine and want a cohesive, well-designed, low hassle, free system for myself or others. It’s really well done and truly feels like a unit instead of the many, many disparate parts that it is made of. Sure, you can do all of the things that it does in more custom ways assembling and using those disparate pieces yourself. Sure, it is probably less efficient on disk space and resources as it uses a variety of software installation approaches including Flatpak. Sure, its Windows compatibility is just Wine. Sure, it’s hard to find info on the main product page about what it’s actually running. None of those things matter when you want a computing system that is polished, free, and lets you start being productive instead of managing your system. If that’s not for you, don’t use it! You’ll be fine.
- FirmwareBurner 1y ago
  How does Zorin compare to the likes of Mint?
  - pedro_caetano 1y ago
    Not GP but Zorin is still Ubuntu under the hood, the main difference is that they really made a lot of Design decisions that are biased towards usability, specially for non-technical people (at arguably the expense of some Free Software principles). The other more aesthetical aspect is that at least with Zorin 17 they really mimic Windows in a positive way, in that they leverage the 'muscle memory' of non-technical users. My experience putting it on other people's laptops is that they just intuitively know where to find things because of how the DE is analogue to what they are already familiar with.
44za12 1y ago
I’ve been looking for a better ecosystem than Apple. This looks like it.
pmkary 1y ago
Basically every linux marketing ever: a polished desktop theme that is familiar to windows users and works on old machines, also never mentioning this is a linux.
pshirshov 1y ago
Look ma, an imperative linux distro, you can even pay for it.
44520297 1y ago
Around once a year I look for a distro that works on a laptop w/fractional scaling and hibernate. I’ve already done that once this year, if Zorin can handle that then maybe 2026 will my personal year of the linux desktop
turmagangtech 1y ago
Bought their paid license to support the team. Got ChatGPT support. Sub-par, TBH, doesn't worth it at all.
jzemeocala 1y ago
about a decade ago Zorin OS got me into Linux.....Highly recommend it to any windows users that are tired of the nonsense. nowadays I am a happy and competent debian user

Zorin OS

206 points by oldfuture 1y ago

p_ing 1y ago

[flagged]

edhelas 1y ago
Hopefully its powered with a 40W RTX 5060
webdevver 1y ago
cathode ray tube race theory!?!?
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]

LorenDB 1y ago

Zorin is one of the best distros to recommend to noobs. - Ubuntu based, so it has full compatibility with every .deb package that you find online - Not actually Ubuntu, so it doesn't have that weird Canonical corporate push stuff (ads in terminal, etc.) - Has a .exe hook preinstalled that asks you if you want to install Wine to run Windows apps - Has a very Windows-like layout so it's instantly familiar (which is not uncommon, but Ubuntu certainly goes the other way)

dlivingston 1y ago
Interesting. Is it pretty polished or are there some rough edges?
- LorenDB 1y ago
  I don't daily-drive it myself (openSUSE Tumbleweed user here) but in my experience it's pretty smooth and polished.
- debo_ 1y ago
  I daily-drive it because of the polish.
worthless-trash 1y ago
I've not used ubuntu for some time, but - Ubuntu based, so it has full compatibility with every .deb package that you find online I don't think that .deb files are universally portable.
- kvdveer 1y ago
  They are not universally portable, but if your running an Ubuntu derived system, most debs can be installed jus fine. Thats not because deb is so compatible,but because virtually everything assumes Ubuntu.
- jeroenhd 1y ago
  You need the .deb files to match your architecture and to have the necessary dependencies available, but for programs like Google Chrome, Discord, and VSCode, those dependencies seem to come down to "any recent version of glibc and openssl" and the .debs themselves are available for multiple architectures. You're not going to be installing random Debian packages from the Debian FTP server, but for most proprietary software that resorts to "install this .deb", it'll work most of the time, which beats many other distributions. On the other hand, installing software this way is a great way for upgrades to the next major version to fail spectacularly halfway through, so I'm not so sure if it's a feature or not.
biggestfan 1y ago
And in place upgrades! It was a massive problem for years with Zorin (and still exists with other "user friendly" distros like Elementary), requiring a full system reinstall every time a new version released. That being said, I still think this is a bit of a strange option when there's several Ubuntu flavors with more Windows-esque desktops, plus Linux Mint which offers a lot of these benefits with a much larger userbase and therefore better support (though Zorin is more "modern" looking). Not a bad option but not one I'd think to recommend often.
- tvgirlfan2004 1y ago
  elementary supports upgrades since OS 8 https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/#:~:text=In%20elementary%20OS,in%20System%20Settings. https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/#:~:text=In%20...
  - biggestfan 1y ago
    That's about normal system updates. Upgrading between versions appears to still require a full reinstall: https://github.com/elementary/os/wiki/Release-Upgrades https://github.com/elementary/os/wiki/Release-Upgrades Also, strange to move those into settings IMO.

roger_ 1y ago

“Bundled with alternatives to over $5,000 of professional software” That sounds spammy and misleading to me. I’m assuming they’re just including open source alternatives and assuming the same value as commercial offerings.

koakuma-chan 1y ago
I would rather they didn't bundle anything at all lol
- debo_ 1y ago
  The lite install doesn't bundle anything.
- ChrisRR 1y ago
  So just the kernel?
  - koakuma-chan 1y ago
    No, I mean, like all that crap https://apps.gnome.org/ https://apps.gnome.org/
    - ChrisRR 1y ago
      The line's got to be drawn somewhere. I would think most people expect the OS to come with a clock and calculator
jonnat 1y ago
Doesn't sound misleading to me. I read "$5,000 of professional software" as paid-for software that would have cost $5,000.
- yoavm 1y ago
  So clearly it is misleading, because what they mean is definitely along the lines of "we include GIMP while Photoshop costs $999".

replete 1y ago

I reviewed ZorinOS last year when considering going all-in on Linux at home last year, testing around 30 distributions. While it wasn't a good fit as a techie, I rated Zorin the best distro for 'general desktop computing' for "normal" people who have used Windows their whole life. I was impressed by how integrated and easy to use the desktop environment was. Now, this is not a statement of Gnome vs KDE etc etc, it is of the experience of using it - e.g. simple settings for making the general OS feel like Windows or MacOS, lots of sensible things.

franczesko 1y ago
Link?
mrheosuper 1y ago
how would you compare it with PopOS
- lproven 1y ago
  For most purposes, much better. Pop OS has a whole new desktop metaphor. That doesn't bother a techie; it can totally throw non-technical folks. Zorin coerces GNOME into a Windows-like design, but unlike too many distros, it looks good while doing it, and the paid version comes with a tonne of apps pre-installed and paid support.
  - close04 1y ago
    > and the paid version comes with a tonne of apps pre-installed I didn't like the way they sell this on their page, "Bundled with alternatives to over $5,000 of professional software". They list the commercial alternatives with their prices but no mention of what's the bundled alternative. Probably the usual free software that any user with a modicum of familiarity with an app store can install in minutes. The lack of transparency about what software they bundle, and the implication that this software is entirely equivalent to the commercial/professional one feels a bit dishonest and puts me off.

afavour 1y ago

I hope this succeeds where others have, well, not failed, but not had overwhelming success. Years ago I installed Linux Mint on a family member's computer but they got frustrated enough with it (and required my regular intervention enough) that we ended up switching away. Zorin boasting about you being able to play "an enormous library of your favorite games" or boasting about the vast software library feels like asking for trouble. It won't be long before users run into rough edges. TBH in the current environment I still think the best OS for "revive an old computer for a not very tech savvy person" is ChromeOS. I've never tried the open source alternatives for that but I'd be much happier setting up a relative with a glorified browser as an OS than something that attempts to do everything.

tombert 1y ago
My cousin got my grandmother moved to Linux Mint with some actual success. All she did was check her email and browse the internet, and Linux can do that perfectly competently.
- zamalek 1y ago
  Same story here. Purchased a System76 machine for my ex-wife's grandmother. She "enjoyed learning about the new system". As a bonus she is now completely support scam immune, one of the advantages of the year of the Linux desktop not having happened yet.
  - qn9n 1y ago
    Not going to lie, I feel a System76 machine is way overkill for someones grandmother who likely doesn't really need that kind of horsepower... Especially given the cheapest model they sell is 1400.
    - panja 1y ago
      Could have been one of the mini desktop models

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

debo_ 1y ago

I've installed Zorin for several elderly folks who were bewildered by the Windows 11 upgrade, and they all seem to like it.

malomalsky 1y ago

I use arch btw

tombert 1y ago

I remember seeing this a few years ago. It certainly looked interesting, and maybe something I could convince my parents to use. I've been so entrenched in Linux for the last two decades and have come to Stockholm-syndrome myself enough to genuinely like modern Gnome desktop, and Sway nowadays, so a part of me isn't completely sure why you'd want Windows on Linux, but of course I'm not the target audience for something like Zorin. That said (and this is coming from a guy who is running Linux on the computer typing this and has spent a lot of time customizing Sway [1] and lots of other tinkering to the desktop), I'm skeptical of the claim that moving to Linux will be "faster". I haven't used Windows 11 yet at all, but for day-to-day desktop use I haven't really noticed Windows being slower than Linux. I haven't done benchmarks but I doubt the people running something like Zorin will either; it's all vibes based, and personally I don't really think that Linux feels faster than Windows, at least not Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 10. [1] https://github.com/Tombert/rs-swanbar https://github.com/Tombert/rs-swanbar

webdevver 1y ago

THE ROTATING CUBE IS BACK!!!! LFG!!!! https://youtu.be/4QokOwvPxrE&t=120 https://youtu.be/4QokOwvPxrE&t=120

NackerHughes 1y ago
I’m glad to see it. It really didn’t get much better than Desktop Cube back in the day.

netbioserror 1y ago

Being Ubuntu based, I really think Zorin should be combining efforts with Linux Mint. There is quite a bit of work duplicated here. IMO Mint is the prime project; I prefer an ideal form of the core OS to a facade of others. Mint's choices have, as a side-effect, made it rather familiar anyways.

hrdwdmrbl 1y ago
And Mint should be combined with Pop OS?
lproven 1y ago
They're both in Dublin, as well. Clement Lefevbre is French, and Artyom and Kyrill Zorin are Ukrainian, although they grew up in Dublin. I met them and had lunch with them. They sound like it. :-) The big difference is that Mint is free and runs on donations; the premium Zorin OS edition is paid-for and had paid support. I can't see how the business models would combine. But, apart from that, I think you're right. Both have an Xfce edition, and in Zorin's case, it's free. Mint's flagship has a fork of GNOME 3 called Cinnamon. Zorin uses real upstream GNOME, but with pre-installed GNOME extensions to recreate a Windows-like desktop. Zorin sponsors Dash-to-Panel, and was involved in the original fork from Dash-to-Dock. It also uses Arc menu and a bunch of other extensions, and they're on Github, but they're not in the GNOME extensions store. And there's also GNOME Flashback, which is a separate Windows-like desktop based on GNOME $Current tech, but maintained by the GNOME team. There must be some way to combine these things and make a better experience with the combined efforts, but none of the three companies wants it.

jestinjoy1 1y ago

My computer lab with 20 computers working fine due to Zorin. Was fidning it difficult to run Ubuntu in these systems - 2 GB RAM, Intel dual core.

trklausss 1y ago

My only issue with this project is that, after navigating the webpage for a while, I can't see _any_ reference to open source software, and compliance with their licenses. They should at least put a link anywhere in the webpage, where people can click and at least be redirected to their components. I know compliance is about "you only provide it if asked for", but they could be a bit more proactive and _embrace_ that they are using FOSS, not merely try to sell it. By the way: How does selling of the Pro version work with GPL? Or is it covered because they offer the Core version?

OsrsNeedsf2P 1y ago
It depends what's included, but if it's only extra apps/better integration made in-house, those don't need to be open source Also you can charge money for GPL software. If someone wants to pirate Zorin OS, that person seems outside their non-techie target audience
abhinavk 1y ago
https://zorin.com/about/#source-code https://zorin.com/about/#source-code The link is also in the middle of the home page.

guestbest 1y ago

Is this the spiritual successor to Lindows?

lproven 1y ago
Lindows became Linspire. Because Microsoft sued over the name: https://www.networkcomputing.com/data-center-networking/microsoft-settles-lawsuit-against-lindows https://www.networkcomputing.com/data-center-networking/micr... Linspire was paid-for, and later introduced Freespire as the free community version. https://practical-tech.com/2007/08/05/linspire-ceo-kevin-carmony-resigns/ https://practical-tech.com/2007/08/05/linspire-ceo-kevin-car... Remarkably enough, it is still available. I reviewed the then-latest version in 2023. https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/15/freespire-95-breezes-in/ https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/15/freespire-95-breezes-... It's a successor in name only; the company acquired the Freespire and Xandros brands. The product, sadly, is unrelated. (I say "sadly" because it had a pretty good desktop based on KDE 2.x.) But -- yes, you're right, it sort of is.

jim201 1y ago

I’m glad that there are distros catering towards less techy people. Linux needs this. But I take issue with selling open source projects that could otherwise be downloaded for free. The $48 Pro version resells open source software (Blender is mentioned on their website) and slaps on a few themes. Even if legal, this just seems highly unethical.

deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
bigyabai 1y ago
> it is highly unethical to resell open source software produced by volunteers intending to make their work free. Why? ZorinOS users can still download Blender for free if they don't pay for the mega-pack. You have to imagine that it's not very hard for Zorin to follow GPL guidelines ("here are your 13,000 source tarballs, good sir") with this business. You also can't prove that any of these volunteers are against downstream repackaging of their work. If they were really ideologically against the idea of people being able to sell Free Software, then they probably wouldn't be putting time into a GPL project. Commercial redistribution of GPL software has been a thing since the 90s, with much larger pricetags than $48.
- 0x6c6f6c 1y ago
  I still don't understand the conflation of free as in freedom with free as in free beer. You reserve certain rights to the code, that's not to say no one gets paid for _putting in work_. If anything these models are about as close to providing _some_ manner of income to upstream projects. If Zorin donates a portion back, that is.
yesfitz 1y ago
Would it be less unethical to charge a $48 installation fee? Because as far as I know, there's nothing stopping you from installing the free version of Zorin OS and then installing Blender, Krita, Inkscape, etc.
thisislife2 1y ago

crossroadsguy 1y ago

I miss my early days of CS college and tinkering with distro installs and installs and so on. In fact it was so fulfilling that it felt like “cooking your own meal”. I never used Windows. So in last two decades my experience has been Linux distros to osx/macos. If it was not for the internet cafe computer+internet usage before college (had no other exposure to either, otherwise) my experience of Windows would have been absolutely ZERO which is what it is now. I wish OEMs had made Linux distros first class citizens for their laptops and computers and I wish these distros also imagined “regular people” using their OS/software. I guess both never happening kinda kept nullifying each other. Maybes it’s too late now? In fact there was a time (around a decade ago?) when the Linux based laptops had started becoming kinda “normal” — I remember buying a Linux Dell Vistro with Linux pre-installed from Dell, had helped a friend buy an XPS with linux pre-installed. We both haven’t touched anything other than a Mac in a really long time and last two times I had to buy a laptop I found zero Linux options (in India) — let alone “good” options. PS. Oh, my favourite was always Elementary OS even though it was clearly in beta when I migrated to the macs. There was just something about that distro.

bigyabai 1y ago
> I wish OEMs had made Linux distros first class citizens for their laptops and computers What more are you waiting for? Pretty much the only holdout is Nvidia, and they don't really make great laptop chips anyways. Almost every x86 chipset with UEFI and ACPI supports Linux to some degree. At this point, if your chip isn't running Linux it's because you've made a concerted effort to prevent users from accessing the bootloader. When people say 'first class citizen' I feel like it's always a moving goalpost. First it's 'working WiFi drivers' but Broadcom modems have been supported for a decade now. Then it's 'proper Wayland support' but even Nvidia has a working Wayland session now. So then the goalpost moves to 'but I want Wayland on XFCE' and the cycle starts anew. These days, the 'regular people' workload I see on most computers boils down to gaming and running Google Chrome. Linux does both of those fine; it's the culture that has to change before people accept it. Look at how successfully the Steam Deck penetrated the market.
- frollogaston 1y ago

tslocum 1y ago

Just because you can charge for open source software, doesn't make it moral to do so. Concentrating our efforts on making Debian even easier to use seems much more in line with the ethics of the FOSS ecosystem.

pogue 1y ago

If you want to check out Zorin, or other popular Linux flavors, in your browser to see if you like them without having to install them on a VM/separate partition, try Distro Sea: https://distrosea.com/ https://distrosea.com/ There's also quite a few good reviews on Zorin on YouTube. People should also note Zorin sells a "pro" version for around $50. I'm sure most people could achieve the same features the pro edition has without much trouble, but it also helps them with development costs and everything else. https://zorin.com/os/pro/ https://zorin.com/os/pro/

jazoom 1y ago
DistroSea is amazing. I just tried it and it worked well. Though huge latency for me.
qn9n 1y ago
I get a `proxy detected` error whenever I try a vm on distrosea, I've tried disabling all content blockers and am not running a proxy of any kind.

gxonatano 1y ago

I know there's a place for distros like these, designed to be familiar to users of Windows or MacOS, but to me it shows Linux at its laziest: where exciting new ideas in system and UI design are skipped over, in favor of bad design ideas from 1995 (looking at you, Start menu). On MacOS and Windows you're stuck with whatever OS UI those respective corporations decide you get—the Apple menu, the Start menu, floating window management, and so on—and there's nothing inherently good about those paradigms; they mostly just exist for legacy reasons. On Linux, you have the freedom to customize everything, and to so it just seems sad that so much good development effort is going into building systems that value familiarity over innovation. Put differently, I find it sad when user-friendliness is valued over user-centrism. Linux is full of software that is user-centric more than user-friendly: look at Vim, for instance, which is famously difficult to quit, yet is designed to be ergonomic and efficient in a way which puts the user first. The Vim philosophy (modal editing, ergonomic arrow keys, etc.) has even been extended to web browsers (Qutebrowser, for instance), and to window managers (i3, sway, etc.). These types of programs, in my opinion, are where Linux really shines. Most people commenting here, however, describe this familiar/innovative or friendly/centric dichotomy in terms of user archetypes: "techie" and "normal" people. That feels unnecessarily essentialist, implying that "normal" people aren't curious enough to learn something unfamiliar, like a new style of user interface. But if we always assumed that, we'd never have had any innovative interfaces at all: mouse-driven desktop interfaces, smartphone touch screens, or any of it. Of course, Linux distros are diverse enough to have something for everyone. I just think that conventional, familiar ones like this represent a missed opportunity.

frollogaston 1y ago
As a longtime Mac user, I kinda wish it had a start menu. So much useful stuff easily accessible. But also, none of those choices affect my productivity all that much.
- qn9n 1y ago
  As a longtime Mac user, just use Command-Space.

anonymousiam 1y ago

It's a catchy name that I haven't seen in very many places. A few years back, I met a salesman named Zorin. I thought for a moment and realized that was the name of a Bond villain (played by Christopher Walken). I mentioned it to him, and he said that his mom had named him after the character. The OS looks interesting, and may be appealing to non-power users who want more freedom and/or privacy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvxumh7ULx4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvxumh7ULx4

nemothekid 1y ago

Why has the spinning cubes / compiz demo remained a mainstay for desktop linux presentations for 20 years now?

vivzkestrel 1y ago

can someone kindly explain to me how this is capable of running AAA steam games? is it running them natively or through some virtualization layer?

lpzimm 1y ago
They mean through proton, which is Valve's compatibility layer based on wine. It was made for the arch-based steam deck but can be used on most (any?) distros. IME it works surprisingly well, although some games drop out when the anti-cheat gets updated, then might come back when proton updates. https://help.zorin.com/docs/apps-games/play-games/#steam https://help.zorin.com/docs/apps-games/play-games/#steam
__loam 1y ago
I assume it's just using proton like the steam deck.

t_mann 1y ago

This looks like my favorite for installing on relative's PCs before the Windows 10 sunset - I'm just a bit worried about Dual Boot, I've heard some stories about hiccups there. Does anyone have comments about how Dual Boot works with Zorin today, or general experience with that use case?

sonderotis 1y ago
Been dual booting for 2 years and I have distro hopped over 6 distros. Never had a hiccup. Ever
jeroenhd 1y ago
For what it's worth, Windows 10 will sunset in two years. You can pay $30/year for security updates (or get updates for free by enabling Windows Backup or spending Microsoft Reward Points you earn by using Bing) and keep using Windows 10 until programs stop working, which will probably take a while with the current status. My advice on dual booting Linux in general: 1. Resize the partition from Windows if you're going to install to the same disk 2. Do not use MBR mode to install anything. Windows updates will break your Grub bootloader, and Grub updates will break the Windows bootloader. Most PCs default to UEFI these days already, but it's always good to check 3. If at all possible, use the computer's UEFI OS dialog rather than chainloading Windows from the Linux bootloader. Kind of requires a user-friendly motherboard GUI, but if Bitlocker decides to turn itself on, you'll be struggling with recovery keys a lot less if you let both bootloaders just manage themselves. 4. If that's not possible or the motherboard OS selection sucks ass, and Bitlocker is enabled, write down the recovery key, boot through the Linux bootloader once (Windows will notice the boot process changed and prompt for a recovery key), and enter the recovery key. After a reboot, Bitlocker should unseal when booting from the Linux bootloader automatically, and now directly booting from the motherboard OS selection will require the recovery key. 5. If you're going to use a new disk, make sure to create a sufficiently large UEFI partition (>1GB, storage is cheap these days!) so bootloader/kernel updates don't break in the coming years. 6. Not really a dual booting issue, but if you're doing tech support for your relative, do yourself a favour and set up a tool like Timeshift (including automatic snapshots on updates, and if your configuration permits automatic integration into Grub). It'll offer system restore-like features, allowing you to revert the system to a known-good configuration in case an update breaks something. Timeshift itself works best on btrfs installs, but it'll also work in rsync mode on any file system, and other tools like it exist.

pjmlp 1y ago

Just another Linux distribution. If it wants to be better than Google, Apple and Microsoft desktop offerings, needs to be available on random shopping mall stores, with the same adoption complexity as the competition.

johnisgood 1y ago

Without Pro, I cannot choose macOS style interface at all? I think that looks the best.

jeroenhd 1y ago
The macOS style looks very close to out-of-the-box Gnome from what I can tell. There are free themes that will also look like macOS if going for the macOS look is your goal: https://forum.zorin.com/t/making-zorin-os-look-like-macos-big-sur-and-above/35199/ https://forum.zorin.com/t/making-zorin-os-look-like-macos-bi... Comes down to installing WhiteSur, a few fonts, and an icon pack.
- johnisgood 1y ago
  Your link says: "You need to have Zorin OS Pro and the macOS style enabled." At any rate, as techie, I could make it look like macOS, but I was thinking of installing it on family members' computers without much effort.

ThinkBeat 1y ago

I used this (pro) for a few years. It is ok but it does not have any particular feature I found worth the cost of the upgrades. I bought the current version back then. I dont remember the number so X. Less than a month later they released the new version X+1 and that was at €39 I believe for a discounted upgrade. (numbers may not be 100% accurate it has been a while) But they do have a free version and that is nice of them.

kwanbix 1y ago
The full price is 48+tax, so 44+tax for the upgrade sounds wrong. I personally use Mint/Ubuntu with XFCE which I found it to be the closest to my work habit and the closer to Windows (I use both Linux and Windows). About ZorinOS Pro, I think it is too expensive. They are competing with Free Windows, Free MacOS, and Free Mint/Ubuntu/Fedora/Arch. That said, if it works for them, let them be. AS long as they respect the GPL/LGPL and contribute back, I don't see a problem.

tom_ 1y ago

But there's already a Zorin OS! Example footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=043WEs_6TAo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=043WEs_6TAo

neiesc 1y ago

It`s open source?

jeroenhd 1y ago
Some components, like paid-for themes in the Pro version, aren't. But most of it is as open source as any Linux desktop.

olejorgenb 1y ago

I assume it's due to marketing, but it really irks me that I have to scroll down to the bottom and click "View technical details about Zorin OS" to find out that this is a Linux distro build on top of Ubuntu...

marci 1y ago
It's in the homepage, in the blue and green parts near the middle (Reliable | Secure). But still, they have the place for windows and macos in the tagline, they could add linux.
- timeinput 1y ago
  I think I'm mostly agreeing with you. In old newsprint there was a term "below the fold" with a literal meaning. If it's below the fold it's less important than what is "above the fold" since no one reads below the fold. Is it burying the lede to point out that it's Linux (or GNU/Linux+Ubuntu extra packages how ever we want to pronounce it)? I would guess probably not. On a 32" monitor in portrait mode I did have to scroll quite a bit to see those bits. It was worse on my phone, and was even worse on a landscape monitor. "It's Linux" is far less important than what Forbes has to say about it, and it being Linux is more important than it being privacy respecting (which probably means Firefox as the default browser) to the page authors, but who am I to question them. Maybe this is the year of the Linux desktop.
- qn9n 1y ago
  I believe, given their target audience, it doesn’t matter. The information is available for those who care, but for the non-technical user who is fed up with their current OS, the message is: “Feel at home on ZorinOS and experience a performance and security boost.” They understand that technically-oriented people will research the OS and its underlying components, but their target audience isn’t technical. Therefore, bombarding them with overly technical details on the home page is counterproductive. In my opinion, ZorinOS has effectively marketed itself.
  - adithyassekhar 1y ago

woodrowbarlow 1y ago

is Zorin Connect something that can be installed and used independently of Zorin OS? and does Zorin Connect depend on Gnome?

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

incanus77 1y ago

I have been using and administering macOS since 2002 and Linux since 1998. Zorin is my favorite distro when I need to put an OS on a machine and want a cohesive, well-designed, low hassle, free system for myself or others. It’s really well done and truly feels like a unit instead of the many, many disparate parts that it is made of. Sure, you can do all of the things that it does in more custom ways assembling and using those disparate pieces yourself. Sure, it is probably less efficient on disk space and resources as it uses a variety of software installation approaches including Flatpak. Sure, its Windows compatibility is just Wine. Sure, it’s hard to find info on the main product page about what it’s actually running. None of those things matter when you want a computing system that is polished, free, and lets you start being productive instead of managing your system. If that’s not for you, don’t use it! You’ll be fine.

FirmwareBurner 1y ago
How does Zorin compare to the likes of Mint?
- pedro_caetano 1y ago
  Not GP but Zorin is still Ubuntu under the hood, the main difference is that they really made a lot of Design decisions that are biased towards usability, specially for non-technical people (at arguably the expense of some Free Software principles). The other more aesthetical aspect is that at least with Zorin 17 they really mimic Windows in a positive way, in that they leverage the 'muscle memory' of non-technical users. My experience putting it on other people's laptops is that they just intuitively know where to find things because of how the DE is analogue to what they are already familiar with.

44za12 1y ago

I’ve been looking for a better ecosystem than Apple. This looks like it.

pmkary 1y ago

Basically every linux marketing ever: a polished desktop theme that is familiar to windows users and works on old machines, also never mentioning this is a linux.

pshirshov 1y ago

Look ma, an imperative linux distro, you can even pay for it.

44520297 1y ago

Around once a year I look for a distro that works on a laptop w/fractional scaling and hibernate. I’ve already done that once this year, if Zorin can handle that then maybe 2026 will my personal year of the linux desktop

turmagangtech 1y ago

Bought their paid license to support the team. Got ChatGPT support. Sub-par, TBH, doesn't worth it at all.

jzemeocala 1y ago

about a decade ago Zorin OS got me into Linux.....Highly recommend it to any windows users that are tired of the nonsense. nowadays I am a happy and competent debian user