Zorin OS 17: Linux for Windows Users

[@dragon2knight]

I just wanted to say thank you for stating that the Pro version is mainly for supporting the devs with some added fluff to say "thanks for the support!". Too many reviewers on YT have been sour on it and they should know better!

[@dannyboots]

I have the Pro premium plus deluxe special anniversary edition it's great so far

[@linuxrant]

I kinda like it to be called, the LITE version, the CORE version and the THANK YOU version...

[@marclamar1905]

I'm old, my computer is old and so is my printer. I followed your step by step instructions and everything went perfect. I can't thank you enough. Couldn't believe zorin picked up my brother HP110 without any intervention from me.

[@ExplainingComputers]

This is great to hear. Modern, end-user-focused Linux distros like Zorin OS are much better than many people want to give them credit for. Enjoy your new setup! :)

[@kennethphillips253]

Not me!

[@stuartreid1064]

Bluetooth thermal printer

[@paulfaruga]

Hi mate. Being a 73 Yr old numpty who has only ever used windows I have found this to be extremely helpful. Its a shame I can only put one thumbs up on it as I must have watched it about 20 times already as I fully intend, in the future, to fully migrate to this system. Thank you once again.😊

[@ExplainingComputers]

Good luck with Zorin OS and Linux! You may find useful some of my other Linux videos, including my "Linux Survival Guide": kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJaniqt4qtGNbMU -- or all the video are listed here: www.explainingcomputers.com/linux_videos.html

[@chrisanckaert]

Hi Christopher, I have an older (2014) 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 video 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 KZbin in HD fullscreen without any dropped frames. Very happy with Zorin!

[@Alan-rt3se]

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.

[@kensmith5694]

New versions of Mint may have you covered on the wi-fi adapter. Improvements tend to spread out in the community.

[@CommodoreFan64]

Give Manjaro a try as they make using an Arch based distro very easy(stick to official builds for the best experience), they don't roll as fast pure Arch so more vetting before things get pushed out, and there Manjaro settings manager makes it easy to install WiFi drivers, along with most other hardware if it's not picked up at boot, same for updating kernels. just make sure an ethernet cable, or another known USB WiFi adapter is plugged in, and connected to the net. Only hardware issues I've personally had on Manjaro is some odd USB Bluetooth adapters, and a Canon printer a client of mine has, but HP, and Brother printers seem to have overall good Linux support.

[@Bareego]

Yeah, also Zorin was the first linux distro that enabled sound over hdmi properly for me.

[@mhavock]

It would be nice if he could actually test some windows apps on it. That is the BIGGEST reason people dont want to switch from windows. A fancy desktop is secondary.

[@kensmith5694]

@@mhavock All well written windows software works just fine under wine. In great many cases there is a native linux version or an equivalent program. It is a question of what you want to do more than a question of which software. Linux comes with a solitaire game and you can watch cat videos so almost all used are covered.

[@namesakeradio]

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 videos 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 video. 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.

[@duncanmackintosh]

which desktop selection on Zorin is like a mac layout ?(i am new from macbook to Zorin).. thanks

[@alastairstaunton7081]

​@@duncanmackintoshThe options are all laid out visually when you open it. No need to worry about names. Just click on the appearance you want.

[@MandrakeDCR]

@@duncanmackintosh If you don't want to learn how to do manual installation thingies - the Pro version includes the central bottom icons and launcher that I like. It's ridiculous cheap for everything you get. I absolutely love it.

[@jimjol9069]

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.

[@DanElgaard9]

ABOUT TIME !!! We haven't seen a single video from you since last year!

[@ExplainingComputers]

You had me going there for a little bit! Happy 2024. :)

[@DanElgaard9]

@@ExplainingComputers (Almost) got you 🙂

[@TigerPaw193]

Ah, but it was worth the wait!

[@DanElgaard9]

@@TigerPaw193 Always 🙂

[@funkadellicd]

I used Zorin Lite on a decade old laptop as my daily driver for months last year - incredible how modern it feels while only using 500 megs of ram at idle, super useful for revitalizing old laptops for light home use.

[@generalawareness101]

I wish we could use our own OS on our smartphones but the corporation doesn't allow it. Notice, I said a singular there.

[@camerondean6804]

Love Zorin. What I run on my 10+ year-old laptop with very, very few issues. Less headaches than Windows, better performance than Windows (given the laptops capabilities), and lower cost (I bought the version to make a donation to the project). Thank you for the video. Love your videos.

[@jamesdinsmore9022]

We have a stack of old loaner laptops at my MakerSpace for visitors and classes; most with I3 processors and limited resources; and after your last Zorin video I tried and liked it very much to extend the usefulness of these machines.

[@ExplainingComputers]

This is a great use case.

[@watsoft70]

I'm still running Windows 10 on an Phenom x4 processor that is probably way slower than your I3 with only 4GB, generally without any noticeable performance problems. The only bottleneck was the HDD, which once swapped for an SSD breathed new life into the machine. Performance does dip on this and even current lower end machines when Windows update or defender running in the background...when they are not used daily and these services need to catch up. If you want something that runs like a rocket on even older hardware see Christopher's video on installing Chrome OS onto PC hardware. Obviously you are happy with Zorin, but I just thought I'd mention other options.

[@zerocal76]

I'm about to try out Zorin and saw this. Love hearing about old tech being re-purposed or brought back to life w/ software & hardware changes (like SSD swaps)! Cheers to that mate 🍻

[@kevinlsims7330]

@@watsoft70 Linux With The XFCE Desktop Environment Runs Great On My Core 2 Q6600 With 8GB Of Ram And A Kingston 128GB SSD! I Use This Old PC To Serve My Media Via Jellyfin Media Server! I Am Sure 1 Of My Optiplex's With The I7 8700 Would Transcode Better And Use Less Power! But If It Aint Broke Dont Fix It! When It Finally Fails I Will Just Swap Out The Hard Drive To Other Working Hardware!

[@watsoft70]

@@kevinlsims7330 XFCE is perhaps my favourite environment in Linux. I like it because of its no faff or frills approach and its general robustness. But despite wanting to use Linux I still find Windows more reliable, less faff and a better option all round for myself. If you're a mainstream user with ageing hardware and basic needs, then IF (notice that's a big one) it will install, Chrome OS Flex is a snappy Linux based distro that is robust, works out of the box, doesn't require frequent CLI intervention and is more robust that any of the many Linux distros I have tried. It's cool that Linux provides what you want and it has come on massively since I started trying it, but while it works now it's like using a Beta OS and not practical for many desktop users...server side (its original scope) is another ball game.

[@klwthe3rd]

It always makes my day when Chris does Zorin OS videos 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 video. 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.

[@brianwall9592]

I'm about to (finally) switch from M$ myself, so what do you like better about Zorin 17 than Mint, please?

[@kenrock2]

to my understanding Zorin is target to more modern UI windows users, while Linux Mint is mostly for more traditional and familiar UI which has been maintain for the past few years. I have use Zorin before in the past, it was good for couple of months, but started to slow down for unknown reason after few updates later. Boot up and shutdown has been taking much longer than was initial installed. Therefore I always going back to Linux mint, due to its light resources as compare to Zorin. I have 13 years old laptop, and it isn't really that stable running Zorin OS for my system. However this is just my opinion on older Zorin version, maybe this version would be better than older one.

[@kenrock2]

@@brianwall9592 UI, and learning curve is extremely easy. Whatever you know about windows, has almost the same as Zorin OS. The only thing Mint is better than Zorin is light weight. If you are beginner and zero experience in Linux, Zorin OS is the way to go... there is many different UI flavor to choose which you can switch easily if you wish to try on Mac style, Gnome style, Windows 10 style or windows 11 style.. Linux mint is also beginner friendly with almost zero issues, but you are stuck with one UI design layout unless you want to fiddle on 3rd party customization..

[@Bewefau]

doesn't spy on you. edward Snowden use's it.

[@thomasburnett4712]

I recently replaced Linux Mint with Zorin OS 17 Core on an old Mac mini and I’m very favorably impressed with the change!

[@johncundiff7075]

I LOVE your Zorin videos!! I'm a diehard Mint guy, but this is the best case I've seen to change over to Zorin!! Thanks Mr. Barnatt!! Happy 2024!

[@vendetta.02]

You should be wary of switching to Zorin. Sadly Zorin uses snap, which is a proprietary package format made by Canonical in an attempt for them to control the while linux ecosystem and create a closed ecosystem similar to apple which is locked-off from end users. We should be supporting distros like Mint who use flatpak without snaps.

[@MoultrieGeek]

@@vendetta.02 By default Zorin uses Flatpak and traditional apt packaging. Snapd is installed and remains an option but is not used by any installed application and is simplicity itself to remove. I was a longtime Ubuntu user but switched to Zorin simply to get away from snap and Canonical's world domination plans for mainstream Linux.

[@kevinlsims7330]

KDE PLASMA Is The Distro I Chose Because You Can Make It Look Like Windows 7 With Stardocks Object Desktop Suite Running On It!! Also I Love The Widgets That Show My CPU And RAM Use!! There Are Also Widgets To Control NORDVPN!

[@maxirunpl]

​@@vendetta.02 I would install Linux mint, but the only thing keeping me from doing this is that they doesn't have Intel architecture(x86), only AMD64, and I don't like AMD that much, that's why I'll go with Zorin which has x86 architecture from Intel.

[@cellone710]

​@@maxirunplIt's the same architecture. AMD was the first to create the 64bit CPU architecture, hence the naming AMD64.

[@karstentopp]

Not only for Windows users. I have run Zorin 16 Pro and it simply is just a good, working Linux Distro. It does what's printed on the tin. Disclaimer: I uses Linux since the days of pre-1.0 Kernels...

[@ffieditor]

I love your overviews. they get to the point and show off all the good stuff!

[@PhilipBallGarry]

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.

[@AndyWJP]

A nice feature of the new Linux installers is that it tells you to unplug the USB dongle before rebooting and gives you the time to do it, before you were left guessing when to pull out the USB dongle.

[@Bewefau]

you should always pull out :3

[@easymoney480]

i have been confused many times about why i'm stuck on a loop and turns out i keep booting from the usb. Normally I know when to pull out but not this time

[@lionnotsheep6048]

​Only if you don't like life children and the Lord. I never do such blasphemy. Never waste the cosmic juice. ​@@Bewefau

[@ad1340yt]

​@@lionnotsheep6048 what are you yapping about

[@BenjaminEmm]

Great to see Zorin still going. I remember trying it out in 2017/18 and back then it felt great as well. I'll have to give it another go after many years of improvements!

[@mehmetonurlu]

my linux journey; ubuntu, fedora, arch and now i am going to try out zorin os. Its fun to discover other distros. Thanks for the explanation!

[@greenmoose_]

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 video 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 video!

[@perrymcclusky4695]

Linux has definitely matured over the years, as we can tell with Zorin 17. As always, looking forward to your next video!

[@mikecook317]

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.

[@LubosMudrak]

I have naive hope that the developers who are paid to do a fulltime job will go and try to fix issues in the OS itself and the popular apps for the OS. I don't like relying on two guys who maintain a giant project on weeknds, which seems to be the case of many Linux based operating systems.

[@NettiGaming]

This is why im here

[@MD-sc1jk]

I installed Zorin 17 on My 2011 13" MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM 500GB SSD and a secondary 750GB SSD and I loved it.

[@leemanwrong]

Does all the hardware work?

[@SuperFredAZ]

You are a great teacher! I tried Ubuntu a few years ago, it was OK, but I had difficulty with some of my peripherals. Keep up the great work, I look forward to your videos every week.

[@DylanWilsonYT]

I've been running Zorin OS 17 on my Laptop, it's a great OS for it in my opinion - Nice clean, simple interface. :)

[@michalmason5490]

I switched to Zorin OS over a year ago due to a video 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.

[@zeinsyaka7590]

hi im a windows user but i want to use linux bcs my laptop is old. so can i install windows app in zorin? such as ms office, adobe, etc

[@michalmason5490]

@@zeinsyaka7590 no, but Linux offers reasonable alternatives. There is no Microsoft app store on Linux.

[@MicrobyteAlan]

I’ve been using Zorin 17 for a couple of weeks now, very smooth. I even have jelly mode turned on. Thanks

[@ExplainingComputers]

:)

[@klaxoncow]

Wobbly Windows!

[@djrobinand]

The jelly windows look sick

[@parkerbohnn]

Jelly Belly mode?

[@MicrobyteAlan]

@@parkerbohnn The animation of moving windows around

[@Punisher9419]

I'm very much a Windows user but it's always very interesting to see what Linux is up to these days, honestly it looks very nice. If I didn't need the compatability of Windows I probably would be on Linux by now.

[@coronelkittycannon]

me 2, there's always that little app that sends me back to windows.

[@asimms65]

You can have both. I use Windows in a VM for whenever I need it.

[@Punisher9419]

@@coronelkittycannon Yea it's all those little applications I have that I use every now and then or every day that make my life that little bit easier. Like how I have my MPC-HC and MadVR with all the LAV Decoders set up and that. How I have all my games already setup and mods installed. Driver support and so on. You could probably find alternatives on Linux I'm sure but I've spent so many years to get all the ones I already have why start from scratch?

[@Punisher9419]

@@asimms65 I did run Mint alongside W7 years back and I enjoyed it but I just found I used Windows instead all the time so I figured why have Mint at all. I think I just gravitate to what I know and already have everything setup how I like it. Still on W10 and I know I will need to go to W11 at some point if not W12 but I know all my software will go over no problem and work out the box.

[@JCO2002]

@@asimms65 Yes, I do the same, and prevent it from connecting to the internet while using it. Not big on spyware.

[@Rodger_Phillips]

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.

[@GertBoers]

If I'm not mistaken, I may have mentioned it in another of your video's: since I found Ventoy, I stopped using Balena Etcher. You can put multiple ISO's an a single USB stick. (This comment is mainly for supporting the KZbin algorithms. ;) )

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for feeding the AI. :) Ventoy is indeed cool -- I have a video on it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2ikgaKQr7ODr7c But Etcher is clearer and more straight-forward to present in a video, and is also the software that Zorin OS document in their own instructions.

[@iNowHateAtSigns]

Thanks for reminding me, I really need to try Ventoy!

[@dianaalyssa8726]

Ventoy is great when it can be used. Had a case with live test working with Debian 12.2 and not installing correctly, so it might be the case sometimes you still have to use Baleena/Etcher. Granted I have an ISO for 12.4 maybe that works. I love Ventoy though can still use the stick after and add more ISOs.

[@klwthe3rd]

Balena Etcher is a great product. I have used it since learning about it from this video. Not everyone wants to use Ventoy.

[@terrydaktyllus1320]

Ventoy and Balena Etcher are not the same thing. Ventoy simply boots ISO images into a "pseudo real" filesystem that, in turn, may allow some read/write access through the use of RAM disks. It essentially provides "temporary" OS environments so you can try out live CDs or run a diagnostic CD in the event of a computer failure. Balena Etcher writes an actual filesystem and contents to read-write storage media which is ultimately designed as more permanent solution. Ultimately, your use cases will decide which of the two you need, but I certainly use both of them very regularly.

[@222inverter]

great video Chris!...I've also got Zorin OS 17 Pro...I tried the Beta first then upgraded with a fresh install.. thanks for the work you do...keep up the great content.

[@EmirKATIRCI]

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.

[@_indrid_cold_]

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.

[@parkerbohnn]

Windows 11 has bugs and critters that can infest your computer's hardware.

[@watsoft70]

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 videos 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. Going off topic: I like the idea of a repository and a software centre, but only if I can find every piece of Linux software there. This convenience falls down when you need to find something that doesn't exist in the distro's repository, then it's either downloading an installable package from a web-page or it's off to the command line to follow randomtrade-off's

[@shinto29]

Mad. I didn't even know it was developed in Ireland, only down the road from me.

[@klwthe3rd]

Yeah i never knew that either about it being based in Ireland. Wicked kewl.

[@Green_House]

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 ! ! !

[@ExplainingComputers]

Glad to hear that you have a positive experience of Zorin OS.

[@davesmith8101]

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 watching your videos for years, subbed.

[@Bareego]

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.

[@Ian-q7r]

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 KZbin productions. 73, Ian

[@haralddunkel7654]

Impressive video. Reading the title I was concerned this might be yet another "hey windows user, you should give Linux a try". Instead it is a very comprehensive description of a mature Linux distribution, useful to everybody interested in computing.

[@energyideas]

Going to send some money to Zorin, even thou not loading at this time. Important to support nonWindows efforts. Thanks for the video.

[@srvuk]

This is the best demonstration of how truly tempting it would be to switch over, with it looking and feeling very much the same as your desired layout. The ability to install side by side Windows makes translation easier by being gradual, allowing for full climatization before making the big leap.

[@mythicalentity]

Definitely going to try it out. Love how their start menu looks :)

[@Sonya_Makepeace]

I would love to see 80% of the world using Linux within 5 years. I'm done with Microsoft, and Adobe. Linux distro's have such beautiful interfaces.

[@terrydaktyllus1320]

I don't think it's relevant how many people use Linux - I know that 3% or 93% desktop usage would not change how I use it. For "Joe Public", the vast majority of them really couldn't care less what OSes their computing devices run because it's all about the applications they can run. if you asked "the person in the street" if they know that their Android phones run (at their core) an OS called "Linux", most wouldn't care and even fewer would bother to look Linux up on the Internet when they got home. There seems to be this perception that "the more people that use Linux means that more proprietary applications would get ported to it". I think that might have been true a decade ago but everything has moved to The Cloud now and so many applications are "cross-platform" through browser access anyway. Adobe is usually quoted as an example for their products to be ported to Linux - but they can just turn around and say "Install Windows if you want to use our products". Windows is virtually free these days anyway, there's no reason for Adobe to port to Linux. And even if a company ports their products to Linux, then they''ll probably start to do it when there's say 30% Linux desktop penetration, rather than 3% now - and by the time 30% of users are on Linux, they'll have learned to get around using commercial applications to do what they need to anyway - why would 95% of users need Photoshop if they've already learned to use GIMP, for example? But, yes, the main appeal of Linux is you have choice and you can have the interface that works for you - absolutely.

[@ОсликИа-я2ы]

Looking pretty means nothing if GUI has no tools Windows Explorer have been providing for over a decade already. For example, an option to open terminal in current folder is somewhat rare among DEs, what kind of a joke is this? Hell, even not being able to go to a specific higher level folder by clicking on it in path to current folder or even provide a shortcut to '/' root directory in the left navigation panel.

[@ОсликИа-я2ы]

So I'm not surprising Linux devs can't do good DEs - they just simply don't even understand basic Windows user needs

[@Bassquake76]

Probably not really possible as there's too many different versions which confuses the average user.

[@terrydaktyllus1320]

@@ОсликИа-я2ы "Looking pretty means nothing if GUI has no tools Windows Explorer have been providing for over a decade already." Then you have two options: 1. Stay with Windows and be happy, or 2. Be proactive and contact the developers of those GUIs in Linux that you don't like and tell them why you don't like them. Your choice... now, would you like a piece of cheese with that whine?

[@legojenn]

Thank you for the demonstration. I'm most comfortable using Mint and Cinnamon and plan to continue using them. Should something change that makes the current OS impossible or unenjoyable to use, Zorin looks like a great alternative. It's always great to see what other distro developers are doing.

[@ExplainingComputers]

I am in exactly the same position. I use Linux Mint Cinnamon as my daily driver. But if they did not exist, I would be running Zorin OS. :)

[@petrov8086]

There is an LMDE 6 edition of Mint as well. Detailed review and comparison with standard Mint is here: /watch?v=kGlwg_oH9Tg

[@privateagent]

On Mint, the themes and configurations are not as well polished as on Zorin.

[@Majikai33]

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 video 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!

[@ExplainingComputers]

Great to hear. Zorin OS is certainly a much easier transition from Windows than Ubuntu. I wish you the best of luck with it.

[@nodak81]

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.

[@privateagent]

Ventoy really is amazing. The whole open source community is, unlike corporate spying on people's lifes.

[@alap1983]

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.

[@ditzydoo4378]

Zorin OS 17 may just be the new OS for me since I currently have an older Laptop with Windows 10 Pro. Thank you for sharing. ^~^

[@alexhudspeth1213]

Ubuntu Jammy is just ridiculously stable and smooth on legacy hardware, I'm glad to see it get (what's the word, forked?) into other versions. This old laptop would be in the bin by now if it weren't for Ubuntu and it's kin. Another excellent video!

[@CommodoreFan64]

It looks like Ubuntu is going to be raising CPU hardware requirements in the near future, and dropping support for older X86-64 bit CPUs that don't support V3, so don't count on your statement being true forever. So do have a non Ubuntu based distro for when that day comes, and you have not upgraded your hardware. I find Mint DE(Debian Edition), and Manjaro official builds are good choices.

[@alexhudspeth1213]

@@CommodoreFan64 You've got me going down the X86-64 V3 rabbit hole, thanks! I'm on an I5-5300, I'll see where I land.

[@CommodoreFan64]

@@alexhudspeth1213 it's a bit technical, but do Look up Brodie Robertson, as he did a video on it not too long back, going into way more detail than I can in a comment, and it's a bit of a ways out, but the day is coming, and stuff like this is why for a long time I've called Canonical/Ubuntu MS/Windows of the Linux world. Edit: the Thumbnail is titled Begon Pre Haswell CPUs(it was 2013 when Intel released Haswell chips), which means CPU's older than just shy of 11 years as of my comment, and I feel there still plenty of good systems out there older than that with some simple upgrades like SSD/RAM, and maybe a super budget AMD GPU if it's a desktop that can still be good for daily task on Linux.

[@alexhudspeth1213]

Broadwell, so hardly legacy. I was a little loose with the term, lol.

[@samuraiwarriorsunite]

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.

[@bOOmbOOmProd]

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.

[@kuumaroshtheundyingfury6843]

I just switched to Zorin 17 from Windows 11. Running it on a Lenovo Legion 5 laptop i5 10th Gen with 32GB DDR4. I'm testing apps like Lutris + Wine and so far the process has been quite smooth sailing.

[@privateagent]

Funny, I've been using Windows since 3.1, way before 3.11 for workgroups.. Finally got tired of Microsoft and I'm proud to say that I haven't yet used Windows 11. Unfortunately my daily job forces me to use Windows 10, but I do the coding on Mint. This video got me thinking into installing Zorin for my kid's laptop to introduce him to Linux. Fingers crossed!

[@BrawlStarssuperstar]

For me, this is the best operating system I've been using it for three years and I'm happy

[@Leahi84]

Looks really interesting! Definitely going to try it out. Thank you for switching to dark mode. I never use light mode, as it hurts my eyes really badly.

[@petewarby7158]

Without doubt, yours are the best tutorials on KZbin by a country mile. Thank you.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for your kind feedback. :)

[@Antonio-fl3nr]

Nice to see you again, Chris. As always, an inviting Linux review. I'm between this and Mint. Both are excellent.

[@alanthornton3530]

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.

[@RoboNuggie]

Thank you Chris for an interesting video - I'm not a Linux or Windows user, but I can see the appeal.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for your support. I must return to FreeBSD on this channel. :)

[@burnvirus]

I have been using ZORIN OS 17 PRO, I love it. I highly recommend to anyone 🙂

[@rv6amark]

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!

[@RobGibbonsW]

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.

[@djrobinand]

As someone who tribooted Windows, Zorin and Promox, I can agree with Christopher that Zorin is Linux for Windows users.

[@vaviloffx]

«However, for anybody with ability to scroll» - cried tears of joy from the very beginning of the video. Also, nice to see that not only MInt now carries the burden of make it easier for people to convert.

[@DukeNukem2417]

Zorin, Zorin....didn't they have an advertising campaign involving a blimp flying over Silicon Valley and the Golden Gate Bridge? All seriousness, great video. I've never used Linux, but it looks fascinating.

[@wikwayer]

Thank you for the review I'm glad to see that Linux has matured enough to reach 4 percent of the PC users although text editing, photo editing and video game are working fine now, I hope to see better video editing for the future

[@Noodles.FreeUkraine]

How about DaVinci Resolve?

[@privateagent]

Yeah about the 4%.. I'm also on the 4% of un-va%%ed in my country. It's good to be apart of the sheeple.

[@wikwayer]

@@privateagentwhat country is this 🤣

[@dondywondy]

Another great video! 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 videos. Thank you very much!

[@colinmscott]

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.

[@Chris.Brisson]

I tried Zorin OS 17 yesterday. I immediately got bogged down trying to access my Windows PCs on the network so that I could easily transfer files. Someone commented that this is relatively easy to do on Mint, so I'll try Mint today.

[@Noodles.FreeUkraine]

Can you elaborate? I had immediate access to my network devices and transfers were no problem at all.

[@Chris.Brisson]

@@Noodles.FreeUkrainefor years I've had multiple Windows 10 PCs networked on my LAN for file sharing. My Zorin PC could see my QNAP server, but it could not see my Windows PCs. I googled for a solution, but answers were not readily available, and I didn't feel like going down a rabbit hole. I wonder if this might be related to my use of a PIN rather than a password to log into my Windows 10 PCs. I remember such an issue was time-consuming to uncover back when I started file sharing on my network and had trouble connecting. I had to revert each PC to password use. After establishing a connection, I could then reimpose the use of a PIN whilst maintaining a connection.

[@MetalMugger]

You should've showed off the jelly mode! It's absolutely adorable, all the windows flutter like jelly whenever you move them! 🍮

[@TheLinuxWarrior]

Wow another great video. As always. I am running Zorin OS 17. Pro on my Surface Pro incuding the touch funktion. It works great. And yes I payed for it , why not support such companies for their works ? Thumbs Up and more of these. Greetings from Germany.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for this. :)

[@privateagent]

Danke für Ihre support

[@Chaosxinc]

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.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Great to hear your feedback on Zorin OS. :)

[@Chaosxinc]

@@ExplainingComputers I've been tossing everything I can at it just to see if can handle it today. Old games, new games, emulators. I'm very impressed it by it. Tried a few office utilities too just to make sure it can do that stuff for when I need it.

[@stevenemert837]

Thanks for this video! Based on it, I installed Zorin on a 13 year old i5 laptop, putting it on a 500 GB SSD. The PC with this OS is very usable for this semi-neophyte Linux user.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Great to hear! :)

[@giannistsolebas6962]

Yet another awesome video, 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 video about how you manage to maintain your systems so neet and clean. Which are your secrets? The other days I was watching one of your silent pc build video 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!

[@mikefinn2101]

Thanks Peter great video might try it for the wife. This will really help those who use Windows go to Linux, really enjoy your channel immensely.

[@mssippijim]

Of all the Distros I've tried, I think Zorin is my favorite all around.

[@keithwesley2471]

Zorin so far appears really great! I can access all the drives which I created on Windows along with many of the files.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Yes, Zorin OS can access drives formatted and used by Windows. Data access will depend on the file types -- but you can certainly access all common document (word processor and spreadsheet), image, audio and video files in Linux applications.

[@TemporaryTemporary-y2j]

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.

[@tigerscott2966]

I will try Manjaro Vulcan soon... There are not many words I can use to describe Linux today... I showed my PC with Xero Linux to a young lady that uses Windows where she worked... Her very words were: "Why wasn't I told about this?" That explains it all...thanks.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Nice. :)

[@OldBuford]

If theres any channel 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.

[@zetsuboushinjiruu9350]

Thank you sir for this video, now with this OS. I can revive some of our old laptops. I've learned so much from you😊

[@Lizard_of_Linux_Lane]

Cool demonstration, thanks for continuing to spread awareness of Linux.

[@Praxibetel-Ix]

Good morning! Zorin is one of my favorite Bond villains. I'm sorry, I had to. 😆

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for your support. :)

[@Praxibetel-Ix]

​@@ExplainingComputersYou're welcome! ❤️ I see you caught our latest bot visitor. I was fixing to email you about them, but I see no need now! They had a very amusing URL on their profile.

[@CCoburn3]

Perhaps as a follow-up, you can do a video 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 video 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.

[@arkay56]

Completely agree. I want to switch to Linux but have always held back because I have an old version of quicken 2000 that only runs on Windows. Some people say it will run on WINE some don't. I'd love to see a video of Zorin / WINE working harmoniously.

[@artmcteagle]

Have you tried installing Windows in a virtual machine? Chris has done some useful videos on this, as well as dual boot which is another option.

[@Wol747]

@@arkay56Yes, that’s the problem for many. I have tried to make my legacy programs run in various ways without success and I just can’t afford to lose years of financial and personal data. It was bad enough getting old things to run on W10 but I managed it and now W11………………?

[@CCoburn3]

@@artmcteagle People load Zorin OS to get away from Windows. Running Windows on a virtual machine or dual booting would defeat the purpose.

[@CCoburn3]

@@arkay56 Frankly, I’d like to see WINE run on ANY Linux distribution. I’ve never gotten to work. But I have faith in Chris. If anyone can explain how to get it to work, it’s Chris.

[@vinellgg4c644]

Years ago, as I passed from Windows to Linux, I tested several Linux Distros, including Zorin OS. I opted for Linux Mint with Cinnamon desktop and it is enough for my needs. The basic version of the Zorin OS is too limited and should take a paid pro. But I will test Zorin OS 17.

[@Colin_Ames]

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.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Glad to hear that is worked out in the end. Linux printing and scanning is indeed much improved in recent years.

[@privateagent]

I like to pretend my GTX 670 is modern compared to my 1999 Geforce 1 DDR, but it isn't. 😁

[@Colin_Ames]

@@privateagent 😀

[@Priscilla.H]

I also changed recently the OS of my PC and it runs much faster and more safe than currently i used. Thanks to my tech genius dad that we both discovered this hidden gem.

[@mijalic1]

Thank you for your time and effort to make this video and share your knowledge with us. Greetings from Croatia.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Greetings from the UK! :)

[@dmiracle74]

Zorin is looking better with each release. It is looking great! If it wasn't for me enjoying Linux Mint Debian Edition. I would give Zorin another look. I will probably check it out anyway. I like looking at the improvements in the various distros.

[@parkerbohnn]

That Zorin OS 17's a gut burger.

[@agostinhomatos321]

Zorin OS is one of the few linux distros that come with full screen preview of running applications as default, which is the aero mode in windows since windows 7, something I value as a productivity tool. It is also standard in linux KDE desktop and in Gnome with the extension Dash To Panel.

[@sbc_tinkerer]

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 watching this video on my Mac. Have a great week all!

[@ExplainingComputers]

Greetings! I've never said it was Windows-like visually, only that it is a good distro for those wishing to migrate from Windows (ie more operationally).

[@sbc_tinkerer]

@@ExplainingComputers Mis-interpretation on my part. Apologies. I did see on the website that the Pro version has a Mac like appearance choice in addition to Windows (2 choices) and Guh-nome, amongst others. Worth a look since Linux has lately been disappointing me. May restore my faith.

[@youenjoy8468]

Wow, this is a great OS. Thank you for the comprehensive review, as always!

[@ltnicekiwi4534]

Ahh, so happy the YT algorithm finally decided to show me your videos again, I've missed you!

[@ExplainingComputers]

Glad you are back! I've kept on posting every Sunday. :)

[@rakesh.a.c]

Daily driving zorin for the last 3 years now. This is everything pop os promised + more stable

[@gregcampwriter]

Zorin OS was on my shortlist of distros to adopt when I left Windows, but I went with Mint. Other than some extra customization available on Zorin, the two look very much alike.

[@Robbie-mw5uu]

Yeah the difference between Zorin and Mint is basically Zorin is more modern while Mint has an old school look.

[@iandron7119]

Thanks Christopher, excellent video. Happy New Year to you!

[@Kw1161]

Thanks Chris for another excellent review. Zorin 17 looks really polished and worth a look. I assume it is only for X86 chips. I guess I’ll have to try the pro version on my Miniforum computer since my scrolling privileges were taken away…😂😂! Have a great 2024 and week.🎉

[@michaelwright2986]

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.