Good vid but I disagree with you about the release cycle. Distros and all operating systems need to get back to releasing the OS when its ready instead of releasing a half-baked OS on a "cycle" I've been using Zorin on one computer or another since version 15 and its only gotten better. It has no glaring weaknesses. Very user friendly, can install ALL software from anywhere (it doesn't try to force you into snaps) Auto detects hardware and offers to install correct drivers, its beautiful and consistently themed, snappy, comes loaded with sane defaults, stable, installs very easily. Whats not to love? At this point it might even dethrone Linux Mint as the number one user friendly Linux distro.
Glad you’re enjoying Zorin. It’s good to hear about it from another user’s perspective. Seems like you’ve been at it a while. Daily driver? And are you using Pro?
@@SavvyNik Zorin 16 is on my daughters MacPro 5,1 and Zorin 17 beta is on my MacBook Pro 2015. Both daily drivers. I'm typing this on my PC running Manjaro KDE. I'm not using the pro version as I can get the same results by simply installing a few extensions and other software. The top of the Linux food chain at the moment IMO is: 1. Zorin OS 2. Linux Mint 3. Manjaro KDE 4. Ultramarine
I tinkered with Zorin 6-7 years ago, and was impressed even back then; will look to give this another test spin, as a possible OS to recommend for my 10 year old grandson on his inherited 7 year old HP laptop!
Congratulations on the video. I have been using Zorin Os pro as my main distro for a while now with very good results. Zorin Os 17 looks very promising, I can't wait for the stable version to be released so I can start using it on my computers. I agree with you that they have to shorten the release times. It is noticeable that the project, led by the Zorin brothers, has become more complex and demanding, so it would be good if they consider including more developers in it, as it happens with Linux Mint. I take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2024.
@@65svein ah, now I get it. 🤦♂️ I just was too much taking words for real. To be honest, I really miss such thing as an GNOME LTS, so I was thinking it could be real, and Zorin chooses it for whatever reason. They are too late already with their development..'
I used Zorin 12 a few years back and liked it. Then I tried Linux Mint and like it also. Now I'm back to Zorin 17 since I'm trying to do everything I do in Windows to make videos for my channel and I can. It took some research and a few days to get it right, but I did it. My biggest challenge was play music from my turntables through my USB interfaces and then through my DAC connected to my computer. After finally getting Firewire installed and setup using Coppwr I finally got it playing my vinyl! I have it installed on a WD Elements SSD via USB 3.0 and it's pretty zippy! I tried Mint a second time, but couldn't manage to get my music to play, so back to Zorin I went.
Just started with Zorin 17.1, using an 8GB DDR2 Q9650 2GB GDDR5 750 Ti based system, dual booting between Zorin and XP/8.1. As I live in the UK, I use the UK ISO keyboard layout. However, the Zorin installer has a nasty habit of switching back to the US ANSI layout, even when you initially set the keyboard layout to UK. This messes up things like initial password entry, where using special characters to make the password more secure results in a mismatch between what you think you're typing in vs. what Zorin actually stores internally. So when you enter your password later using the UK keyboard layout, it keeps coming up as being incorrect. I've found that when I delete all other keyboard layouts but the UK one on initial load off the Zorin Try/Install DVD/USB, it keeps the keyboard layout consistent. This can completely catch newbies unawares, as it initially did me, and may put people off as a result. One thing I would like to see with Zorin going forward is a choice of integrated screensavers in settings. Not everyone wants a boring blank screen when the system's been idle for a little while. There are screensavers you can install later, but they're clunky.
P. S. Overall though, I'm really liking my experience with Zorin 17.1. It really is a great alternative to Windows. (Especially with what Microsoft's been doing lately with Windows on older, still perfectly capable hardware, along with all their other practices alienating their users).
Zorin 17 looks fantastic. Although I bought $35 Zorin 16, and being a Linux Mint lover, Zorin 17 looks effortless that I'm going to put it on one or two of my other machines after beta.. Thanks for the review.
@@SavvyNik Is Zorin OS 17 Pro a paid update from Pro 16? And can I simply wipe my old Zorin OS 16 and use my old Zorin OS Support Code? I can find nothing about this on their website.
@@peterbreis5407no I think you have to buy it. I have 16 pro and tried the 16 pro key but it wouldn't work when trying to download it. It would download 16 pro.
like 3 days on 17 beta average 8+ h day , use case light programming, web development and some everyday things browsing & you tube no problems. Have experienced 2 bugs (1 - weather app place holder when using 2 laptop + monitor for some reason shows somewhere between monitors. 2 - one time after restart did not see ssd ) Why Zorin? after 3 years + in Linux lot of learning lot of tinkering im just tired build Os to my needs and likeing , and Zorin do great job doing it for me so i can Focus only on Job. Software is Not problem since all can be flatpak or snap. All weird and specific things ppl who will need them will know how get newer versions
@@DarkGT That's strange because new kernel should support about the same old hardware as older kernel does (as far as I know) and support isn't dropped easily. My laptop is about as old as your hardware and I updated kernel from 5.15 to 6.5 and it works fine but this was on Linux Mint.
@@YoStu242 At least those that ship with long term supported Ubuntu seems to be less problematic. I booted the 24.04 for the gag and it did throw some error before the logging screen, but it worked just fine. Some of the problems I get are related to the Nvidia's shenanigans.
My last comment I made a mistake by posting a web address. Sorry. In short of what I said in my last comment, I switched to Linux and wasn't disappointed at all. I felt the switch was needed to regain some trust in computing. I'm very happy with switching over.
grew up with Ubuntu since 2012, daily driving Zorin now to escape the Snappening and get gentler rehab from Windows (it got me for a while) and better Wine and game support i am somewhat frustrated with the release cycle, GCC not being updated seems excessive, but i will keep it around to be my cozy space, i'll dual boot with EndeavourOS (we don't talk about the Windows partition)
II still have some questions which I will answer by putting a trial copy of Zorin on a sacrificial laptop and just trying the things I'm curious about ...but so far I'm very impressed
I would be patient with the release schedule. I would rather have a working product that is not buggy, like say Ubuntu vs. Zorin. While I havent purchased Zorin Pro, I am compelled to since it is a very refined and chiseled OS.
Ok, great, but the available community support is going to be very limited, so if you are coming from Windows, and aren't familiar with Linux, this could be a DISASTER!
Most of the issues in it can be solved by searching. If you encounter an error, it was probably answered in the distro's forum, and external forums for Debian and Ubuntu can still provide you with appropriate and correct answers.
How does Zorin compare to Fedora and Debian? Can any Linux distro, like Fedora or Debian, download and use the various themes of Zorin, like the rotating 3D desktop feature?
@@somerandomdude-hoyeaaaaa Thank you for your insight Can Fedora Gnome, for example, be tweaked so one of the two available desktop screens is Gnome, while the other is KDE pmPlasma?
I am a long user of Debian. Curious for the star distro that can single handle Windows, Apple and other Linus distros, I installed 17 core on an i7 with 16 gb ram and 200 gb ssd, exactly like my grandma would do. the first step was to install chrome. at the end of the installation, got an error that it doesn’t have the right to add a shortcut. “meh”, I said. then, i installed vs code and github desktop (same lack of rights for creating shortcuts). then, the system said that it needs some updates. I proceeded with the first. after one hour i was bored enough to see the same “installing” screen frozen on the display, so i restarted the computer. of course, the update failed. then, i tried to open the chrome - refused to do anything; the system tried something (apparent from the spinner) then decided to ignore me. is this the Windows breaker? the most friendly Linux distro? perfect in the way it works? i am still laughing.
I'm new to this OS version, does it come with playstore? windowsstore? or any other way to download programs such as adobe, photoshop, cinema4d, chief architecture x14? twinmotion? after effects? excel?
Hey Nick Which Desktop Environments Do you Recommend for The Hp Stream 11 laptop Users because I'm one of them I tried Ubuntu Unity but I'm don't want to use it forever I hope you help later
I like everything about ZorinOS, except the defualt audio signature they have on their shit is v-shaped. I much prefer audio on windows 11, and linux mint.
I didn't like the dark mode not many customisation for folder toolbar colours to much eye candy for me and large iso size memory usage Every time you release a New version you have to pay again £48
Sadly Zorin is only downstream using work from others. I would love to are them upstream their work and improve the whole ecosystem. Well, on the other hand, with GNOME development being strictly predefined, it will not happen their. Only way is to fork it/ create your own like system76 is doing it. It just left me with using something that allows and encourages making settings apart from the defaults, like KDE or XFCE.
No. There is no best Windows alternative because Linux is decentralized and leaves the users to screw up his OS himself. Linux is a rabbit hole with a terminal for the Average User. Unless you are an IT guy, leave it alone. There is good reason why Windows is centralized and not decentralized. Meh.
False. You don't have to use the terminal at all if you don't want. Linux world is different though so it requires some learning ofc, just like when you started with Windows, you had to learn to use it.
@@matyasmarkkovacs8336 With respect, I am not wrong. Perhaps I could have rephrased my comment better, but Microsoft is centralized and Linux is decentralized. Linux has no main entity that controls it. That is what I meant. Now, in the vast majority of videos out there, Linux experts push the terminal nearly exclusively, watch them, and you cannot deny that. Trying to force people into the same zeal you have for Linux will not work.
@@thesilentgeneration The kernel itslef indeed doesn't have a main controlling entity/company, but there are distros which have. Ubuntu is controlled by Canonical, openSUSE is controlled by SUSE. Red Hat Linux is controlled by Rad Hat. There's a reason why many videos show terminal. This way it's easier to troubleshoot something or set something up quickly than navigating through the GUI, not to mention there are different DEs which have different menus. On the other hand terminal commands are often the same.
@@matyasmarkkovacs8336 Yes, I believe this to be true. At the same time, Windows developers don't suggest you use the terminal because it is easier or has like commands. No. They tailor their OS specifically with the uneducated IT users in mind. Easier for one is not necessarily easier for all. Not everybody is as tech-savvy as a Linux IT enthusiast.
Not exactly. Its more stable than any other distro I've tried other than mint and not everyone needs the latest kernel or latest version of gnome. The Zorin team has worked really hard and to say its just Ubuntu is a real slap in the face. Its like saying all arch BASED distros are just arch and the devs don't do shit. Ubuntu is just Debian etc. Its bullshit thinking.
@@Kermit2kThe kernel is not outdated, it's LTS, which means Long-Term Support, so it's a well tested version which gets security updates and bugfixes, but not feature updates. Generally these kernel versions are more stable.
Good vid but I disagree with you about the release cycle. Distros and all operating systems need to get back to releasing the OS when its ready instead of releasing a half-baked OS on a "cycle" I've been using Zorin on one computer or another since version 15 and its only gotten better. It has no glaring weaknesses. Very user friendly, can install ALL software from anywhere (it doesn't try to force you into snaps) Auto detects hardware and offers to install correct drivers, its beautiful and consistently themed, snappy, comes loaded with sane defaults, stable, installs very easily. Whats not to love? At this point it might even dethrone Linux Mint as the number one user friendly Linux distro.
Glad you’re enjoying Zorin. It’s good to hear about it from another user’s perspective. Seems like you’ve been at it a while. Daily driver? And are you using Pro?
@@SavvyNik Zorin 16 is on my daughters MacPro 5,1 and Zorin 17 beta is on my MacBook Pro 2015. Both daily drivers. I'm typing this on my PC running Manjaro KDE.
I'm not using the pro version as I can get the same results by simply installing a few extensions and other software.
The top of the Linux food chain at the moment IMO is:
1. Zorin OS
2. Linux Mint
3. Manjaro KDE
4. Ultramarine
Thanks for sharing
I tinkered with Zorin 6-7 years ago, and was impressed even back then; will look to give this another test spin, as a possible OS to recommend for my 10 year old grandson on his inherited 7 year old HP laptop!
Congratulations on the video.
I have been using Zorin Os pro as my main distro for a while now with very good results.
Zorin Os 17 looks very promising, I can't wait for the stable version to be released so I can start using it on my computers.
I agree with you that they have to shorten the release times. It is noticeable that the project, led by the Zorin brothers, has become more complex and demanding, so it would be good if they consider including more developers in it, as it happens with Linux Mint.
I take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2024.
Thanks for the insight, wishing you happy holidays as well!
I think what Zorin does is a great idea! Not as opinionated as Gnome but actually very user friendly! And very stable probably, because GNOME LTS.
GNOME has LTS versions? Haven't noticed that, yet. They don't advertise it as KDE, do they?
@@Lerothas Unnecessary comment from you, I'm sure most understood that Mina S meant Ubuntu LTS.
@@65svein ah, now I get it. 🤦♂️ I just was too much taking words for real.
To be honest, I really miss such thing as an GNOME LTS, so I was thinking it could be real, and Zorin chooses it for whatever reason. They are too late already with their development..'
I used Zorin 12 a few years back and liked it. Then I tried Linux Mint and like it also. Now I'm back to Zorin 17 since I'm trying to do everything I do in Windows to make videos for my channel and I can. It took some research and a few days to get it right, but I did it. My biggest challenge was play music from my turntables through my USB interfaces and then through my DAC connected to my computer. After finally getting Firewire installed and setup using Coppwr I finally got it playing my vinyl! I have it installed on a WD Elements SSD via USB 3.0 and it's pretty zippy! I tried Mint a second time, but couldn't manage to get my music to play, so back to Zorin I went.
Just started with Zorin 17.1, using an 8GB DDR2 Q9650 2GB GDDR5 750 Ti based system, dual booting between Zorin and XP/8.1.
As I live in the UK, I use the UK ISO keyboard layout. However, the Zorin installer has a nasty habit of switching back to the US ANSI layout, even when you initially set the keyboard layout to UK. This messes up things like initial password entry, where using special characters to make the password more secure results in a mismatch between what you think you're typing in vs. what Zorin actually stores internally. So when you enter your password later using the UK keyboard layout, it keeps coming up as being incorrect.
I've found that when I delete all other keyboard layouts but the UK one on initial load off the Zorin Try/Install DVD/USB, it keeps the keyboard layout consistent.
This can completely catch newbies unawares, as it initially did me, and may put people off as a result.
One thing I would like to see with Zorin going forward is a choice of integrated screensavers in settings. Not everyone wants a boring blank screen when the system's been idle for a little while.
There are screensavers you can install later, but they're clunky.
P. S. Overall though, I'm really liking my experience with Zorin 17.1. It really is a great alternative to Windows.
(Especially with what Microsoft's been doing lately with Windows on older, still perfectly capable hardware, along with all their other practices alienating their users).
Zorin 17 looks fantastic. Although I bought $35 Zorin 16, and being a Linux Mint lover, Zorin 17 looks effortless that I'm going to put it on one or two of my other machines after beta.. Thanks for the review.
No problem
@@SavvyNik Is Zorin OS 17 Pro a paid update from Pro 16? And can I simply wipe my old Zorin OS 16 and use my old Zorin OS Support Code? I can find nothing about this on their website.
@@peterbreis5407no I think you have to buy it. I have 16 pro and tried the 16 pro key but it wouldn't work when trying to download it. It would download 16 pro.
like 3 days on 17 beta average 8+ h day , use case light programming, web development and some everyday things browsing & you tube no problems. Have experienced 2 bugs (1 - weather app place holder when using 2 laptop + monitor for some reason shows somewhere between monitors. 2 - one time after restart did not see ssd ) Why Zorin? after 3 years + in Linux lot of learning lot of tinkering im just tired build Os to my needs and likeing , and Zorin do great job doing it for me so i can Focus only on Job. Software is Not problem since all can be flatpak or snap. All weird and specific things ppl who will need them will know how get newer versions
Thanks for sharing your experience on Zorin!
Zorin 16 has been very stable for me. Major issues to report. I only worry that the newer kernel won't be happy with my old hardware.
Dont know how old are your harware but my oldish intel 6th gen from 2015 working better as before
@@raimg1816 2011, every time I try a newer kernel I would get errors while booting or won't boot at all.
@@DarkGT That's strange because new kernel should support about the same old hardware as older kernel does (as far as I know) and support isn't dropped easily. My laptop is about as old as your hardware and I updated kernel from 5.15 to 6.5 and it works fine but this was on Linux Mint.
@@YoStu242 At least those that ship with long term supported Ubuntu seems to be less problematic. I booted the 24.04 for the gag and it did throw some error before the logging screen, but it worked just fine. Some of the problems I get are related to the Nvidia's shenanigans.
My last comment I made a mistake by posting a web address. Sorry.
In short of what I said in my last comment, I switched to Linux and wasn't disappointed at all.
I felt the switch was needed to regain some trust in computing.
I'm very happy with switching over.
Love to hear it!
grew up with Ubuntu since 2012, daily driving Zorin now to escape the Snappening and get gentler rehab from Windows (it got me for a while) and better Wine and game support
i am somewhat frustrated with the release cycle, GCC not being updated seems excessive, but i will keep it around to be my cozy space, i'll dual boot with EndeavourOS (we don't talk about the Windows partition)
II still have some questions which I will answer by putting a trial copy of Zorin on a sacrificial laptop and just trying the things I'm curious about ...but so far I'm very impressed
I would be patient with the release schedule. I would rather have a working product that is not buggy, like say Ubuntu vs. Zorin. While I havent purchased Zorin Pro, I am compelled to since it is a very refined and chiseled OS.
Ok, great, but the available community support is going to be very limited, so if you are coming from Windows, and aren't familiar with Linux, this could be a DISASTER!
Most of the issues in it can be solved by searching.
If you encounter an error, it was probably answered in the distro's forum, and external forums for Debian and Ubuntu can still provide you with appropriate and correct answers.
How can a distro that is based on GNOME, give you the appearance of KDE?
How does Zorin compare to Fedora and Debian?
Can any Linux distro, like Fedora or Debian, download and use the various themes of Zorin, like the rotating 3D desktop feature?
@@somerandomdude-hoyeaaaaa Thank you for your insight
Can Fedora Gnome, for example, be tweaked so one of the two available desktop screens is Gnome, while the other is KDE pmPlasma?
I am a long user of Debian. Curious for the star distro that can single handle Windows, Apple and other Linus distros, I installed 17 core on an i7 with 16 gb ram and 200 gb ssd, exactly like my grandma would do. the first step was to install chrome. at the end of the installation, got an error that it doesn’t have the right to add a shortcut. “meh”, I said. then, i installed vs code and github desktop (same lack of rights for creating shortcuts). then, the system said that it needs some updates. I proceeded with the first. after one hour i was bored enough to see the same “installing” screen frozen on the display, so i restarted the computer. of course, the update failed. then, i tried to open the chrome - refused to do anything; the system tried something (apparent from the spinner) then decided to ignore me. is this the Windows breaker? the most friendly Linux distro? perfect in the way it works? i am still laughing.
I wish there was a KDE version.
I'm new to this OS version, does it come with playstore? windowsstore? or any other way to download programs such as adobe, photoshop, cinema4d, chief architecture x14? twinmotion? after effects? excel?
And also, it comes with its own software store where you can download apps.
Ui oversimplified worse than win11. If i go to linux it would be mint or something similar that happen to ve compatible with my hardware
Hey Nick Which Desktop Environments Do you Recommend for The Hp Stream 11 laptop Users because I'm one of them I tried Ubuntu Unity but I'm don't want to use it forever I hope you help later
I’d suggest XFCE to save some memory
@@SavvyNik thanks ❤️
I like everything about ZorinOS, except the defualt audio signature they have on their shit is v-shaped. I much prefer audio on windows 11, and linux mint.
Can you look into the main reason why a cd game that played with no issues on 16.3 no longer plays on 17
Cubic rotation is an old trick from old times. Did not realized it get popular today. Lol
When does the free stable Zorin 17 version released?
👍
The xfce edition is more interesting to me
Rounded window corners are frivolous.
The absence of window borders is a step backward.
And is the size of displayed characters controllable?
Zorin is ok but IMO I would go with MX or Linux Mint. the paid version of Zorin (Pro) maybe better tha Zorin (core) free.
The paid version doesn't include anything you can't install for free, it's just a nice way to support the developers.
I didn't like the dark mode not many customisation for folder toolbar colours to much eye candy for me and large iso size memory usage
Every time you release a New version you have to pay again £48
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. How are you recommending a distro shipping gnome 43 and not even the latest LTS kernel at the end of 2023?
It’s not being recommended and that’s a criticism in the video.
Its stable and works perfectly. If you don't need the latest kernel because you are on brand new hardware its a non-issue.
Sadly Zorin is only downstream using work from others. I would love to are them upstream their work and improve the whole ecosystem.
Well, on the other hand, with GNOME development being strictly predefined, it will not happen their. Only way is to fork it/ create your own like system76 is doing it.
It just left me with using something that allows and encourages making settings apart from the defaults, like KDE or XFCE.
What have you been using instead (jw)
@@SavvyNik I'm using Debian atm with KDE (and fresh software through flatpaks) and testing openSUSE Slowroll with KDE and XFCE.
No. There is no best Windows alternative because Linux is decentralized and leaves the users to screw up his OS himself. Linux is a rabbit hole with a terminal for the Average User. Unless you are an IT guy, leave it alone. There is good reason why Windows is centralized and not decentralized. Meh.
False.
You don't have to use the terminal at all if you don't want.
Linux world is different though so it requires some learning ofc, just like when you started with Windows, you had to learn to use it.
@@matyasmarkkovacs8336 With respect, I am not wrong. Perhaps I could have rephrased my comment better, but Microsoft is centralized and Linux is decentralized. Linux has no main entity that controls it. That is what I meant. Now, in the vast majority of videos out there, Linux experts push the terminal nearly exclusively, watch them, and you cannot deny that. Trying to force people into the same zeal you have for Linux will not work.
@@thesilentgeneration The kernel itslef indeed doesn't have a main controlling entity/company, but there are distros which have. Ubuntu is controlled by Canonical, openSUSE is controlled by SUSE. Red Hat Linux is controlled by Rad Hat.
There's a reason why many videos show terminal. This way it's easier to troubleshoot something or set something up quickly than navigating through the GUI, not to mention there are different DEs which have different menus. On the other hand terminal commands are often the same.
@@matyasmarkkovacs8336 Yes, I believe this to be true. At the same time, Windows developers don't suggest you use the terminal because it is easier or has like commands. No. They tailor their OS specifically with the uneducated IT users in mind. Easier for one is not necessarily easier for all. Not everybody is as tech-savvy as a Linux IT enthusiast.
it is just ubuntu with gnome wake up sheeple
Even worse. Outdated kernel and gnome version and instead they just ship useless extensions.
Not exactly. Its more stable than any other distro I've tried other than mint and not everyone needs the latest kernel or latest version of gnome.
The Zorin team has worked really hard and to say its just Ubuntu is a real slap in the face. Its like saying all arch BASED distros are just arch and the devs don't do shit. Ubuntu is just Debian etc. Its bullshit thinking.
@@Kermit2kThe kernel is not outdated, it's LTS, which means Long-Term Support, so it's a well tested version which gets security updates and bugfixes, but not feature updates. Generally these kernel versions are more stable.
It's crap it's not free for the pro 17