The Magic Lamp in Zorin OS is a visual effect that enhances the user interface by providing a smooth animation when minimizing or maximizing. It is similar to the Jelly Mode introduced with Zorin OS 16. The 3D cube desktop effect, which presents subtle animation effects, can be used to create the illusion of a jelly-like effect.
The Magic Lamp is a free, open-source GNOME Shell extension that recreates Apple’s famously flashy animation. Another Magic Lamp is a window minimization effect for KWin, where a minimized window gets sucked down into the dock/panel. This effect is not gimmicks but provides a feeling of smoothness that makes Windows or Budgie appear more monolithic and rigid.
To disable the Magic Lamp gnome tweak, go to control center>simple compiz/config settings manager and in the 2nd tab (animations) you can change the animation style for minimizing/maximizing. If you are coming from Windows, Tiling Assistant basically replicates the snap feature.
To change the animation style for minimizing/maximizing, change to nearby update servers. The 3D cube desktop effect is a great example of how GNOME extensions can enhance user experience.
If your computer is unable to boot into Zorin OS or any operating system, you may need to repair the boot loader software.
📹 Adding Magic Lamp Effect In Gnome |DEVSHIMITSU
Website: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3740/compiz-alike-magic-lamp-effect/
📹 Zorin OS 17: Linux for Windows Users
Zorin OS 17 Linux distro review, including obtaining and installing the Core or Pro versions, and a demo of new and key features.
I totally agree–Zorin OS 17 is the best Linux distro for Windows users like myself. It’s the first Linux distro I’ve tried that could be completely installed without any need for Terminal command-line inputs to install drivers or software. Previously I tried Linux Mint and Zorin 16.2, and both of them required a difficult process to install the drivers for my USB wi-fi adapter. Zorin 17 installed the drivers automatically.
Hi Christopher, I have an older MacBook Air on which I wanted to install either Ubuntu or LinuxMint. I tried both and both had the same problem, wifi didn’t work. Not surprising as Mint is based on Ubuntu of course. I went to both websites and although both had several workarounds, nothing worked. Then I remembered the excellent article about Zorin OS, and I downloaded and installed version 17. And this time, everything worked immediately right after the installation. As the MacBook Air has an i7 processor and 8 GB ram it works absolutely flawlessly. Even Youtube in HD fullscreen without any dropped frames. Very happy with Zorin!
I love Zorin. It’s gorgeous. I wanted the more Gnome/Mac look, and it worked so well that I paid for the “Pro’ version and upgraded. I have since purchased it 4 more times for other PCs and a couple of elderly family members that just need something to see pictures and articles with, etc. And honestly, to find good reasons to support them for such a fantastic desktop linux product. I was a Linux Mint user for years – always distro hopping trying to find that ‘something missing’. PopOS was close, but as much as I liked Gnome, it was flaky the way they had it implemented. Zorin’s gnome interface is perfect. Fast, everything is drag and drop groupable, able to be renamed, they have the menu editor right there to add / remove items and it works properly, etc. Just really well done. Really appreciate you doing this article. So glad someone did this without the poo-pooing on them for offering a paid version. They deserve every bit of it in my humble opinion.
It always makes my day when Chris does Zorin OS articles since it was him directly who is responsible for me switching over to Linux because of this Distro. I have been using Zorin OS 17 beta so i will now be updating to this version. I have noticed that the store manager where you download all your applications is much more smooth in it’s operation and they polished all of the smaller details as outlined in the article. Honestly i’m not sure why people rave about Linux Mint so much when i personally believe that Zorin OS blows it away in all categories. Thank you again for promoting such a wonderful Distro that will persuade so many Window’s users to switch over to a Linux due to it’s ease of use and familiar utility.
Wow. Linux has come a long way. I used it about 20 years ago to run some apps that were only available on linux. Splat, a vhf propagation predictor, and Ethereal, now Wireshark. This was on a SUSE distro. It was very difficult to work with for a Windows user. I loaded Zorin 17 last week and was up and running instantly. Well, almost instantly. I am truly impressed. Thanks for your help and encouragement. I now have a tired old Lenovo running like new.
Impressive! Always a fan of Mint, I have checked out Zorin a few times over the years and it’s great to see it has matured so nicely. Gone are the days of scratching around for drivers like we used to have to. A Linux distro these days on a decent device really is a relevant windows replacement as a daily driver.
I have dabbled with Linux with many Distros over the years, the Distro that won me over was Ubuntu back when they would mail out physical disks, I ordered a 10 pack, loved it and handed out the extras to people I knew. Since then I have always kept an Ubuntu PC running, I have tried many others and even bought a 2nd PC once that came with Mint which was really good, these days I prefer Zorin, I used it on a small HP notebook which gave it more life than what the factory installed Windows 7 Starter could do, that old thing is still in use today without Windows.
Once Zorin became my daily driver, I went ahead and bought the Pro version. As Chris pointed out, it doesn’t do a whole lot more than the core version. But I like to support open source software when I use it. I’m also the sucker who paid for Malwarebytes and WinRAR. hehe I used those, though. Anyway, if you’re sick of the intrusive Windows updates and nonstop sales pitch, Zorin is a pretty easy switch to make. I use it everyday.
I last tried a desktop distro of linux a few years ago and frankly it made me want to scratch my eyes out with a fork. Your article convinced me to check this distro out on a spare, but relatively modern laptop I had lying around (10th gen i5 cpu). I got my Windows browser (vivaldi) working easily, got discord working, I even got the latest version of Minecraft installed! I found myself using the thing for general desktop work all day without even really thinking about it not being Windows. Honestly, very impressed! Thankyou for this article!
Tried other distros but didn’t like them., BUT Zorin OS is FANTASTIC. As a Windows user I found it logical, clean and easy to use. Made my old HP Pavilion dv6 run like a rocket. Easy learning curve and I was able to do just about everything a wanted to do. Very Windows like. I LOVE it. Many thanks for the tutorial and recommendations ! ! !
I’ve been on an off on Linux because of personal and business reasons. Couple months back I went full on Linux and get rid of windows for good. I was using ZorinOS 16 and decided to install ZorinOS 17. I’m enjoying it. I recommend it. There are just couple of things I don’t like. 1) If you choose a language and choose a time zone on a country with a different language for example let’s say you choose English and choose a time zone in China it turns date&time, measurements etc. into Chinese language and format without asking you. This happened on ZorinOS 16 as well. 2) if you change your language and keyboard settings after the installation it still keeps the installation keyboard layout at the logins screen. I don’t know if this is specific to ZorinOS or not. But that’s what I experienced on ZorinOS.
I switched to Zorin OS over a year ago due to a article you made on it. It was version 16. What appealed to me was its clean layout and pretty much an easy transition from Windows environment. I like it a lot more than Mint. Now I’m using 95% of my time Zorin. I don’t miss Win. Linux is much snappier and looks right out of box especially with Thinkpads. Many thanks for directing me into the world of Linux.
I’ve been trying W11, Mint and Zorin on my Dell XPS15 laptop. Using each for a month at a time in that order. For me the winner was Mint and I’m pleased to have just wiped the SSD and reinstalled it cleanly, this time for keeps. I would have put Zorin a close second and W11 is just poor UI with added bloat, unending slow updates and still underlying insecurity. It’s taken a while, but we finally have a genuine giant killer in Mint.
Came from Windows 11 and have been Dos/Windows Since 1989. Have dabbled before in Linux but it always looked like Windows 95 even skinned. Zorin OS and Lutris have changed my entire perspective on what a great operating system is. This functions exactly like I want with very minor tweaking. I used Ventoy which is a complete game changer for booting from USB drives. I have 0 need to return to Windows OS.
Another amazing presentation Christopher, but IMHO it’s an review/overview of Zorin OS 17, not “Linux for Windows Users”. At the end of the day it’s Linux for Linux users that like a similar look to Windows and nothing more. While that seems to be Zorin’s aim, I fail to see how it’s different to Cinnamon and pretty much all the other Linux distros out there. As primarily a Windows user, I can download a multitude of Distros that natively feel similar to Windows, while some using vanilla environments (like what Zorin uses) look nothing like and that’s good. Desktop Linux has reached the significant milestone of being reliable enough to be used as a daily driver, but for many Chrome OS is a less capable but more robust alternative that is light on resources and (so long as it’s compatible) can be amazingly responsive on the most lacking hardware. While those that embrace Linux will defend its honour with their life it has too many inconsistencies for the average Windows user to want to embrace. Many articles like this one highlight how configurable the UI is, like that’s all Linux has. I have a TV with lots of options for picture and sound, but once I’ve got it set how I like I never need to visit those options again, just like the billion or so things I can change about my Linux interface. With the use of a free 3rd party app I can configure a Windows desktop to my liking (something akin to Apple’s offering), the problem is that the original Windows configuration is about as good as it gets (obviously since many distros mimic it) and most people feel comfortable with that.
Zorin OS 17 is a LOT Smoother than 16.3. It also syncs well across its multiple Software Updaters. This has got to be one of the BEST Linux Distros for people who have been using Windows OS all their lives and want to switch to Linux. Most of the Windows shortcuts work in Zorin. There’s no need to fiddle with Terminal or Commands, but the option certainly exists. Overall Zorin is an excellent option to revive an older Windows desktop or laptop.
I recently got an ancient Dell Studio laptop and threw Zorin OS 17 Core on there and it works amazingly well. In fact, I also put it on my other three ancient laptops and they all work really well. This isn’t related to Zorin, but I can’t recommend Ventoy enough. I have it installed to a little portable HDD and it lets you boot from any ISO images you want. I have about 20 different Linux ISOs and a Windows 11 as well and all of them boot perfectly, including Zorin. So much easier than having to create a separate bootable USB drive over and over just to try out different distros.
Thank you! I’ve pretty much been sour with windows since they discontinued support for XP! While I didn’t mind windows 10, I was still annoyed with the lack of control and lack of privacy. My recent laptop I tried Ubuntu and while I imagine if I had given it more time I could’ve gotten better at it, I was to the point of installing windows in a partition just to avoid headaches with certain things. I came across your article and the next morning I installed Zorin. So far it has been amazing. Especially for my wife who is not computer savvy. Thank you sir!
I have tried out loads of different operating systems and Zorin is my current favourite. I have done a full install an an older laptop and also installed it onto a 256Gb USB stick to use as a portable system. As well as all the linux stuff I like also being able to run both windows and android apps using wine and waydroid.
Great vid as usual Chris. I’ve been tinkering with different versions of Linux because I definitely plan to make the switch when Windows 10 becomes obsolete. Zorin 17 looks very promising. Luckily, the core programs I need to function work on Linux, so the switch for me will be a bit easier than for some.
Because I had two failed attempts before successfully installing Zorin 17 Pro, I had two annoying extra links in my GRUB that did not work. After upgrading Zorin 17 Pro recently, the two extra links disappeared, and now, I only have Zorin 17 Pro or Windows 10 options. Thank you for your regular YouTube productions. 73, Ian
For windows gamers still on the fence, it’s really easy installing steam and they have a lot of games running native on linux, and a good portion of the windows games also run with the help of proton. And it’s really easy to do without any command line stuff. In steam you just go to the game settings and enable emulation with proton, and then you can install the game and (hopefully) play it. There are still some games that won’t work, but in my experience that was maybe 2 out of 10 games.
I tried your dual boot system, where you used two drives but install each OS on it’s own disk, then use the BIOS boot menu to select Linux or Windows. Thereby avoiding the problems that normal dual boot can cause. It would not work on my PC with a fairly old B85M-E ASUS MB. What happened was:- Windows would boot and restart or startup normally, However, when I ran Linux mint it would boot ok the first time but when shut down it would restart and go straight to Linux Mint again regardless of which system you selected on the boot menu! Long story short, I have now started using Mint (dual boot) as my daily driver to get away from the Microsoft spyware that is Windows 10 and 11. I have to have Windows 10 available because my partner would not know where to start with Linux and would not hesitate to tell me!Been perusal your articles for years, subbed.
Another great article! Since this is an OS which is cited as good for users coming from Windows I wish you would talk a little about the Zorin support for windows apps feature, and even more, about the use of Wine, which Zorin uses, and playonlinux (which also uses Wine, I’m sure you know). I appreciate all your hard work planning, recording, editing and posting your articles. Thank you very much!
Yet another awesome article, it’s always nice to meet new Linux distros because they are worth of attention and most of us should start using them. I would also like to watch a article about how you manage to maintain your systems so neet and clean. Which are your secrets? The other days I was perusal one of your silent pc build article where you upgraded a 10 year old PC and inside it was like it just came out from the delivery box. Keep up the good work!
Oh my! So many options, so little time. As a relatively new Linux user (Win11 drove me to switch), I keep thinking, maybe I should have installed Zorin OS instead of Linux Mint, or now even LMDE. I know, I can try them easily enough using Ventoy or maybe one of the web based trial systems like DistroSea. Again, so many options. It all makes my head spin!
Perhaps as a follow-up, you can do a article on how to use WINE in Zorin OS. While I’ve never had much use for WINE, there are people who want to run Windows applications. And since they choose Zorin OS because of the Windows-like interface, they may find a article on using WINE to be useful. PS: I’m glad you didn’t break the laws of Explaining Computers demonstrations. I doubt Mr. Scissors and Stanley the Knife could go your bail.
Just got around to trying Zorin OS yesterday. I remember you talking about a few years ago, but went with Linux Mint and standard Ubuntu. I like Linux Mint a lot, but after just trying Zorin OS, I love it, it’s perfect. Will definitely be getting the pro version down the road. It runs Steam games a lot better than standard Ubuntu did plus it comes with Nvidia drivers preinstalled. I think that was the biggest issue. The PlayOnLinux app works great too and even runs in full screen, I think not having Nvidia drivers installed on Ubuntu was perhaps causing everything to be in a small window.
Thanks Chris for a thoroughly interesting review of Zorin OS 17, I really like the clean look of it & if I ever switch from Mint this would be a good choice. For me I’d use the core version, once the install is completed I do love to tinker in the settings, adding the software for my use case. :_scissors2:
If theres any website that can convince me to give Linux multiple chances, its this one. Going to try it out on my laptop and see how it goes. There has yet to be a distro that makes switching from Windows seem worthwhile to me (the biggest hurdle ive faced is seamless migration between two machines on one set of peripherals, one of which MUST use Windows for work, ive found workarounds for doing so on two Linux machines but once you ask Linux and Windows to work together with mouse/kb sharing and clipboard sharing, things get messy) but Zorin looks pretty good, if nothing else i will run a dual boot. If i can find a way to do all of the things i rely on Windows for, it may be time for the plunge. I really dont like MS’s practices but im also a gamer and it seems theyve still got us by the short hairs.
If you like Zorin OS, or use it on a work machine, consider paying for the Pro edition. Think of it purely as a donation with some extra rewards thrown in, since the Pro edition is truly just a way to support the developers behind Zorin. Of course, you’re not limited in any way if you choose not to go Pro, you just don’t get all of the desktop themes available. Personally, I use Zorin OS Pro on three different machines, both as a daily driver and for software development, so $39 every two years (each major LTS release) is worth it to me personally, to support these developers, helping them to continue their work. I encourage anyone who has the means to support the developers behind their favorite open source software.
The first time I saw a cube interface was a Silicon Graphics demo when they were the hot new cool kids on the block (1990s, IIRC). Can’t remember what it was for, probably apps, but its chief purpose was to impress the people who knew how much graphics power it needed. I didn’t, but the techies present made suitable subdued noises. Still prefer the classified list at bottom left corner, myself, but the more choice the merrier.
Thanks for walk through. I have used Zorin OS several times but only as alternatively. And I have it installed it as bootable USB on a standby if anything happens to W10 or if I want to use Linux to fresh myself up after windows bloatware experience. My only reason of not using Zorin OS or any other distro I have used like elementary OS and Mint OS fully is lack of TTS support which W10 has inbuilt with voices, difficulty in installing apps and uninstalling the ones that are installed and storage structure and hierarchy and support for my office related apps and apps that I am using for years (not games). And most importantly, lack of android emulator support within Linux like windows has with bluestacks.
Another thing that Linux did well (or it could be considered an unfortunate thing depending on how you look at it) was indirectly forcing Microsoft to offer “free Windows upgrades,” to later versions; hardware requirements being met. I really believe Microsoft wouldn’t have done that if Linux didn’t exist. They’d have monopolised it and made you shell out hard earned cash for upgrades, had Linux not existed. Windows is still my daily driver, but I’m pretty amazed at how far Linux has come. I use it from time to time (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS) on a spare computer. The thing holding me back from completely shifting is the odd device that refuses to run no matter how many troubleshooting tutorials there are, and I’m not ready to specifically search for/purchase devices that bear the “Linux compatable,” branding. And also gaming. One may say you could simply run a virtual Windows environment, but why do that if I already have a working Windows system? But to state again, especially considering that it’s free, it’s an amazing OS alternative.
I have just installed this, and discovered one thing that may be worth mentioning. The option “Install with Modern Nvidia drivers” really does mean Modern. I chose this option, and spent a couple of hours downloading drivers and typing in long commands in the Terminal, in an unsuccessful effort to get the Display to work correctly. It was stuck at a low resolution and could not be changed. It turns out that my GTX740 is NOT modern, and required the install to be done without the Nvidia Driver option. The standard install went without a hitch, the graphics card showed up, and the display is now correct. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that I can print and scan without jumping through hoops, something that eluded me during earlier attempts at using Linux.
Sunday greetings all! Zorin OS looks like a nice, clean Linux distro. You do however, keep stating it is Windows like. It looks close to MacOS to me, except for the “Dock” being on the lower left. Very similar fonts and look to it. Not a bad thing since I am perusal this article on my Mac. Have a great week all!
Thanks for another excellent review. I was inspired to give Zorin 17 a try and it certainly is a tidy desktop implementation. I only had to open a terminal once! Performance was perhaps a bit disappointing but as it was on a lowly and old Gigabyte Brix mini-computer I was probably expecting too much.
I found two chromebooks at the thrift store and installed Mint and Zorin OS to see which linux distro suited me best. I was leaning towards Mint UNTIL I learned that they were sweaty snobs and didn’t support the snap store. Zorin is my daily driver and I have it dual boot windows on my 2-in-1 laptop, only using windows when I absolutely have to since Zorin is way more processor efficient and less bloated. The Zorin connect feature that lets me connect clipboard and input directly from my phone is a must have for inputting passwords and logging into accounts!
Chris, Thank you for a very informative article. May I suggest that when you accelerate some operations on screen you give an indication to how long it actually takes. When doing OS installs, I have often had to wait very long times for whatever reason and having a sense of whether things are stalled is helpful.
Nice review EC ….. I tried Linux for the first time a few years ago and went with Zorin OS 16 core and I liked it just fine but to me Linux has a long way to go before it even thinks about catching up to Windows OS’s ….. And I eventually let it go but have just recently tried Linux again with Linux mint cinnamon and it feels almost exactly like Zorin 16 which means Linux still has a long way to go before I think about switching from MS.
Lol this popped up in my recommendations. I’ve been using Zorin off and on since Zorin 9 (i really miss the electric blue layout and funky slanted task bar) i still have a burned dvd of the iso somewhere. I distro hop alot, but i always find myself back on Zorin. Its just seemingly more “polished” even if your not coming from windoze (which i haven’t used in years) its just a solid linux distro
This is useful for people who can’t afford a Windows 11 Pro PC before the October 202 deadline to switch from Windows 10 to 11. With a dual boot option, this would be a cool way to keep using my current Windows 10 Home and pro PCs while still retaining safe Internet usage under Zorin or similar Linux Operating Systems.
The two or three things I really want to know: 1. How is GPU support? Did it work out of the box for the intel gpu? 2. How hard is it to change the ethernet ip? 3. How about wifi? That used to be a nightmare for linux on general hardware (also audio) 4. looks like it has windows app support – how well did that work?
I was inspired by your article because I’m planning a small VPN connection PC build using Tailscale. However, I checked the list of Linux distros supported and there was no download for a Zorin based PC. I hope in the future it will be openly supported because I liked what I saw. Thank you for the overview.
Nice demo. Perhaps say Hello Stanley the knife. More typing that keeps Stanley from getting lonely in software articles….On a serious note I am looking for something to replace windows 10 for a few laptops running some radio frequency equipment and proactively want to avoid the coming lack of Windows support or annoying Windows application management…
Finally, after five years of being on a Win 8.1 laptop (this machine), I am about to upgrade to a Core i7 system and with that, upgraded graphics, SSD boot drive etc… I just purchased the Win 10 Core OS & AK… I’m beginning to wonder why I did that…(?) Especially given the date that MS are curtailing updates – 2025 apparently…. I should’ve forked-out the few extra quid and gone for Zorin Pro… Grrrr… However, not to worry, as I can make this new machine ‘dual boot’ – so I may well just go and buy the Zorin Pro distro anyway and I really like the idea that the proceeds of the sale go towards future development… Unlike, I suspect with MS or Mac OS… (shudder). I’ve been looking to jump over to a Linux based system for sometime, but always held-back by incompatibility concerns with many software… Now my computing requirements are changing… Heading towards music production and graphic manipulation, so those extra apps bundled with Z-Pro look very inviting. I’ve already got Gimp and Inkscape, but I wonder whether the DAW – ‘Reaper’ is compatible with Z-Pro/Core (?) A quick visit to the Zorin forum seems to confirm it does. Ubuntu Studio was another recommendation. Great heads-up there Chris… You’ve sold me! And I really like that 3D and ‘Cube’ window/desktop manipulaton app… Very avante -garde GUI.
I had tried Zorin OS before. The one thing that I don’t like about the look and feel of it is that the icons on the launch bar at the bottom are too widely spaced! And I couldn’t find any settings options to be able to change it. So if you know them, you can advise them to improve this feature. They don’t want the icons to be too close together either, so they have to strike the right balance. I think that Windows has got it just about right.
One of the issues that put me off Zorin OS was the Zorin guys didn’t seem to seperate the theming options from how they affect certain websites, forcing them to use light or dark backgrounds. If you wanted to make the top window bars appear dark, certain website backgrounds would also appear dark affecting your ability to read articles. On Linux Mint, this wasn’t a problem as they kept the top bar setting separate from other appearance options.
I’ve heard with Zorin the star of the show is really the Windows application support. Apparently when you download an exe file, like you would if you’re a Windows user and that’s your first impulse, and try to run it, Zorin checks that the same application isn’t available from the software store as a native Linux program first, and if it is, prompts you to install that. If it isn’t, WINE is preinstalled and configured, and the experience should have minimal speed bumps.
A very impressive distro indeed, and very well cleaned up from a fresh new Linux user perspective. I do wonder how daily updates work; security and kernel updates, package updates, and especially if they are not via torrent speeds anymore. For reasonably simple and light work, this Linux distro is great. Even Microsoft Office’s genuine alternative WPS (licensed by Microsoft hence true 100% compatible) adds to actual usability. Still many apps of the same level as in Windows aren’t available for Linux sadly, still hindering full switching to Linux and forgetting Windows. But I do keep a close eye on development of Linux.
I installed nobaro 39, i like thr feel, it is a lewrning curve to get some games working, although it comes with steam installed couter strike 2 worked without doing anything, battlefield 1 on the other hand was a bit of a challenge due to me not knowing what im doing in linux, but i managed in thr end.
Howdy! (from the States….obviously 😂) I was wondering if you cpuld do a article on interesting things to do on a Zimaboard? Or at least CasaOS. I would trust your info more than most. If you get one I highly recommend just ordering from the manufacturer. Its MUCH cheaper and even though it comes from China, they provide trackong thw entire trip and it only took a little over a week to show up in the US. I wont be sore of you don’t, but fogured I would ask. Thanks for all your work and I hope you ha e a fantastic year! Cheers!
I really want to try Zorin out, but don’t have a great device to put it on… I bought a small Acer laptop, but I think some of the hardware was a bit too new for the kernel zorin was using, due to having some very strange issues with some of the hardware. Currently trolling ebay for a 10th or 11th gen laptop to pick up for cheap to play with.
3rd time viewing. Hey, I found out a cool thing about Zorin OS Pro and really all versions.of the program. Maybe you can make a article about this. You can do an in-place-version-upgrade. Ya know pro to pro or core to core ect. I payed for version 16.3 and can now upgrade it for free to 17.2 for free. That saved me $48 USD.
I have for years played with Linux to do things like formatting drives that Windows doesn’t recognise etc, but having all my decades of data in legacy Windows programs stopped me changing over – as well as the steep learning curve needed. I tried one of the early Zorin versions and was very impressed – actually bought the Pro version. I can’t remember now why I gave up on it – they kindly refunded the purchase (thank you) – but likely because of the inability to run the legacy programs. Last week I again tried 17 and this time it appeared there was no way to connect with the internet: I am reasonably computer literate but wasn’t prepared to actually install it again and find myself cut off. I am leery about installing alongside Windows hearing of all the issues that some have with various distros’ dual boots. Unfortunately, in Linux you are very much on your own when anything goes wrong and although Zorin looks like the best version the legacy issue is a huge problem for me and I suspect many others.
Chris, I have been toying around with Linux because of the coming end to Windows 10 support. One thing that is very confusing to me is how to add hard drives in Linux. It’s so easy in Windows I can not wrap my head around how to mount a hard drive so that it mounts every time your reboot. To me this is one of the biggest reason why I’m having a mental block to making the switch.
Off topic comment: I’m wondering if you might do a lesson on usb-type c, type a, … usb blue, white, rainbow, .. usb bandwidth for power, article, … I just finished trying to add monitors to a laptop for a friend and noticed an unwanted uptake of alcohol to dampen my frustrations. It’s chaos out there.
Chris, you often comment on using display scaling and font changes to get a better appearance for filmmaking purposes. I’ve found that scaling, on my PC, results in a “tearing” of fast-moving objects at about 1/3 of the way from the top. This can be shown by either having a article playing or just moving a window around the screen. By eliminating scaling and just changing resolution I can achieve similar “scaling” results without the artifact. Is this something you have experienced?
Hey Chris! Have you ever tried using Ventoy for OS installations? I find it’s really useful since you can have multiple OS images on the same USB stick, and you don’t need to use something like Balena Etcher to write the images to the drive. I find it’s a lot less faff than Balena Etcher (as good as it is!) and I can keep an older version of Windows handy alongside my regular Linux distros, such as when I need to use a BIOS utility that only works on Windows.
The Linux Experiment has a very different take on Zorin. Whilst it is very polished it is apparently using some quite outdated modules which were not brought up-to-date in OS17 and it remains a mystery why. I have been experimenting with Mint, Elementary and Zorin on an old iMc circa 2007 and it is very interesting to see how some have better driver support than others etc. Interestingly without a doubt Zorin seems the most polished and everything worked perfectly except that is is unusably slow. Elementry is really fast but there are driver issues when the display goes to sleep and not all keyboard functions are supported. Mint works the best and is quick but both Mint and Elementary really don’t work at all well with the apple magic mouse and sometimes require a wired mouse to re-connect. Zorin works flawlessly. I will try a clean install of Zorin again to see if I can resolve the speed issue as for me it is the most compatible but if I cannot resolve it then it is uniusable.
Thanks for the review Chris, Zorin 16 resides on my wife’s computer and I’ll probably upgrade it to 17, but not because of the fancy animations! I’ve been using Linux for many years, but despite my admiration for the open source community and all the software they produce, for my photographic software needs it has to be Windows. Another feature that keeps me on Windows is the preview pane, a necessity when I’m going through dozens of entomological picture files seeking an identification. Being able to click on the file name and immediately see a preview saves an enormous amount of time. I just wish this would appear in a Linux distro. All the best for 2024, D.
Zorin looks very nice and operates rather well, though I have one major problem with it that they can fix. Their ISO when burned onto a flash drive basically breaks it for use afterwards. I try reformatting it in Linux and Windows using all possible tools, and it doesn’t recognize the flash drive’s true size each time. The only way I have been able to get a flash drive back from a Zorin install is by formatting it on Mac OS to OSX extended, then back to FAT32, which is very odd since a simple format usually restores flash drives when I install other distros. If they fix that problem then I have no major qualms with an otherwise great operating system.
Nice distro and great article. But this and all such distros suffer similar usability issues that can put off a novice, e.g.… 1. “Settings” and “Zorin Appearance” both adjust desktop and appearance settings rather than ONE central place to change it all. 2. Clicking the “start” menu item for a running application does not bring it to the top of the window stack as key app.
Definitely its not a system for Windows users with older PCs (2012 and older) because it did not recover after sleep and when i rebooted it it says “no bootable system on disk” so it definitely needs some improvement. Zorin 16.3 works by me fine except sometimes do not shows GUI after the first start properly.
While I don’t use Zorin now, it was a great entry point to Linux for me. Pre-configured Windows-like layouts, while visually consistent and pleasing as well. One downside is a slow release cycle, the reason that made me switch to openSUSE Tumbleweed. But still a great disto that I would generally recommend to people who don’t care about that stuff.
Hi, Chris. I tried to install Zorin on VirtualBox back when you made the previous Zorin 16 article, but I never could get it to install. I guess I’ll try the new one. I don’t have any hardware that I want to dedicate to Zorin just now. I might even try to install it on KVM. Anyway thanks for another brilliant article. I’m a 100% Linux shop with a lone bsd system, OpnSense.
Even though some may mention it to be nice, when a Linux Distro like Zorin looks like Windows, when switching to Linux. However, overall I am not sure if this actually is a too important point for the majority of people who may switch OS. After all, around 99% of the population uses already other OS’s than Windows when they use their phones and tablets. And the desktop environments of those devices are vastly different to what Windows provides. Yet, they feel very comfortably using those devices. So it seems, that in most cases, using a DE does not depend on whether it looks like Windows or not. It probably is more important, that it is consistent in itself.
core looks beautifully minimal.I’m a sucker for the cube rotation so that may have swayed me. Gnome is terrible for new users. It completely baffles me that I can’t drag an app onto the desktop to get a shortcut. The gnome developers dislike of desktop icons is a religion to them. That menu for adding the recycle bin/home and mounted drives to the desktop looks excellent Thanks for the Demo.
What is the best overall version of Linux to use? My intended purpose for the machine would be making content from my online business. I have been using mint, but in your opinion is zorin a better operating system? What are the top three systems that I should try or am I already on the best one? (Mint)
I was using Zorin 16 but when I found out Id have to pay again to get 17’s Pro version (when i bought 16’s pro version under 2 years ago) I decided to switch. I was also having some weird issues with Steam and some annoying bugs in the Zorin UI. I’ve since switched to Fedora. Enjoying it for now (has only been a couple weeks)
I like Zorin and Linux Mint. I wonder, if the copy of Zorin that I have installed now will update to version 17 through the updater, or would I have to do it manually as shown in this article? I think that Linux Mint updated to to the latest version through updater, but I’m not sure. I may download it and do it just to play around with Ventoy to see if it will install from a Ventoy drive with no problems.
UI has not been the issue for Linux for years its more a user experience problem. Ever since the Ubuntu and then Mint and so many others. It always comes down to the CLI which most users will eventually struggle with. Many of functions that a click and double click with Windows are quite a bit of faff with Linux. I love the stability of Linux, but after few months of usage, I find myself installing Windows again. Few months later, get annoyed by windows and find myself installing Linux again.
I installed Zorin OS 16.2 on one of my old desktop computers, after your earlier article on that version. It was a good experience for running old games, but a little slower to boot than Mint on the same old computer. Unfortunately, I think Zorin 16.2 defaulted to snaps rather than flatpacks. If Zorin OS 17 still defaults to snaps, then I think that is a significant difference for new users compared to Mint.
I’ve been helping a nonprofit refurb some laptops. I installed Mint on one of them to demonstrate the difference between Linux and Windows 10 on a 3rd gen i3. They mostly use them for various CAD programs. Haven’t gotten a list of the software they use yet but I suspect even if they are using something that only runs in Windows somewhere, chances are they could migrate to something Linux based. The biggest problem in IT is users who are stuck in their ways and users who expect a 10 year old i3 to run CAD software in Windows. Ever try to do CAD with a constant stutter? I don’t see how Zorin OS is any more ‘Windows like’ than Mint, whereas Linuxfx is another story.
Tech Tip: Be careful when choosing keyboard layout. It DOES make a difference. A while back I was installing a piece of software, wasn’t paying attention, it defaulted to UK and I was frozen because I couldn’t find a character it wanted from my US keyboard. Those Brits just have to do things differently.
Most people are forced to use Windows because it (and its packaged apps) are a standard in the professional work environment. Linux is also extremely standard in the pro work environment – on the IT side. Most normie employees don’t interact with that. With Linux, you’ll have to research equivalent apps to use as replacements for your regular Windows apps – and find YT article tutorials to know how to use them. For personal home/mobile use – If you’re concerned about privacy in what you’re using your apps for, and with files stored on your machine and with background logs constantly recording and transmitting of all your activity (the harsh reality) – on your own PC, Linux is a good move away from all that. – but there’s a learning curve. If on the other hand, your only care in the world is the “Look and Feel” of your graphic desktop environment.- and that your desktop looks more cooler than the other people’s around you, then just carry on.
Hi Explaining Computers, I have never used Linux and plan to use Zorin but is it possible to format the drives on Linux because most websites will just install and play around the OS but have not seen drive formatting for such big gaming app Libraries like Steam and what not. Maybe an Idea of a new up coming Vid otherwise there is such Vid on drive formatting using Linux reply with a link. Thank you for this content its pretty educational how to use such OS.
It’s not so simple as you would like to think. Already 10 years I have been looking possibilities to switch from Windows to Linux, however as long there are no simple/user friendly option to use Windows Programs I cannot do it. I have been looking a suitable alterantive to Photoshop (for RAW images) and I haven’t found usable one. Same with a CAD SW. If you just use PC for browsing or Office then Linux is OK, but otherwise it’s very painful or often even not possible to switch.
I would REALLY like to try Zorin. I would love to escape from Windows. Etcher won’t etch. and Rufus turns out a bootable drive that won’t start. Looks like the Zorin engineers went to 17.1 after you made this successful article with 17. I’m a noob at linux so the really simple stuff should be reaally simple. Anything else I might try?
Looks good, I like Zorin, but on my odyssey, I installed Kbuntu and did some stuff I can’t quite remember to give it a tiled menu exactly like in Windows 10, which in my opinion is the best menu system out there, looks fantastic and it’s an easy switch from windows OS. The real annoyance for me is I can’t run Solidworks on Linux and my super expensive HP Zbook CAD workstation can’t run Win11, with an equivalent costing 3k. Windows is now treating it’s customers like cash-cows, I’m not a MS hater, but MS sales and marketing have made a monumental customer relations error with Win11, maybe irretrievable, heralding in a greater adoptance of Linux.
If it doesn’t run the Adobe suite, games and ms Office well, or if it doesn’t run HDR movies and games well then it is not a Linux OS for WIndows users. This is also one of the reasons why Firefox is not for windows users, you need a browser that can show HDR in youtube or for Jellyfin/Plex/Emby. HDR support in general, even if not the best in Windows, is tragic in Linuxes.
I wish I could get Windows 7 or XP to run on my Ryzen 7950x with 128gb I would dwmp Windows 10 in a heartbeat. Never running 11. Linux still isn’t there yet. Which leaves me in a pickle of using Windows 10 for the next 20 years or as long as I can hold out. I had it dual booting to Zorin 16 but that distro install went pear shaped on me and things started breaking.
Will the “Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware and additional media formats” option install the TP-Link/Archer T2U (and newer) Wi-Fi adapter drivers? Those have been missing from the “somewhat similar” option that Ubuntu offers during the installation process. Apparently a subjective act of fealty to their fanatical Debian benefactors.
After making what I thought would be a permanent jump into Linux and formatting my drives to ext4, I found out that my NVIDIA 630gt graphics card won’t be supported by NVIDIA proprietary drivers with kernel version above 5.19. So looking ahead I would either need a new graphics card or stick with the Nouveau drivers, so now I’m back in Windows. Thank you Linux for backwards compatibility, Not ! Was liking the look and configurability of Zorin OS 17 but it’s kernel version is 6.2.0 😢
Zorin OS like other distro disguized in MS Windows, to me aren’t really helping Windows users who want to change system or have a look to linux the fact that it looks like may disturb those that imagine they’ll do the exact same way everything, which isn’t true. They’d better try another distro differently looking that will avoid confusing. After all once you’ve figured out that windows and mouse work the exact same way it’s not so difficult to discover the differences and easyer to memorise them.
Hey Chris, I’ve upgraded my Zorin OS 16.3 to 17 last month, but I face a potential bug that disturb me and my PC a lot — I lose my connection to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth even if both the WiFi and Bluetooth sources are in best performance (tried and tested), but it seems like there’s a patch that can’t even withstand such connections for longer durations and I’ve to reboot or restart my Laptop to regain that. IDK why it’s going on like this, but It’s on a 2017 Windows 10 Laptop with Intel core i3 6th gen. Not so happy with that particular version of Zorin OS (or maybe the device otherwise).
I’m sure that many – like me – are leery of going hardcore Linux because they have lrgacy Windows programs with years of data which are essential to keep using. Micro$oft Money is one of the- a simple but brilliant progra. Can uou do a simple article showing how these can be run, because the method seems opaque. Please!