Zorin OS 17.1 has been released

Hazel123 · Mar 8, 2024

Apparently it's sluggish - which was one thing I found a few years ago.

monkeylove · Mar 8, 2024

jimbo45 said:
Debian is stable been around for ages, has a good active user base (but IMO the "Arch-Wiki" is by far the best documentation around -- and is extremely well moderated too) and works very well indeed. No probs with that -- many other distros including the one I like --Arch Linux are essentially "Debian based" distros.

@SlicEnDicE

Pretty well any Linux Distro with the KDE desktop with dolphin file manager and firefox as web browser should be easy enough for Windows users -- Linux Mint probably even easier and if you still want a mean and very lean desktop try XFCE. The main thing beginners need to know is how to install packages -- greatly simplified these days on whatever system you use --- on debian type distros -- it's usually pacman -S <package name> or apt -install <package name> - which is far simpler than Windows updates, and uninstalling stuff easier too and you run things either in user mode (as per Windows) or in super user mode (su as root or sudo as user with elevated privileges -- admin user). The main configuration files are usually text or xml files mainly based in the /etc folder under root (/). Any text editor can edit those. Networking is usually a doddle on these things and if you want a comparable Hypervisor to Windows HYPER-V then KVM/QEMU is available with a GUI (virtual machine manager) too.

My main daily use is actually a Linux system with Windows as VM's. No performance issues at all. - If I need specific hardware or different languages or want to do other tests I use a WintoGo system booted from a USBC->nvme ssdtype small 2TB adapter which gives me more than decent performance. For extreme Windows gaming types all this is probably academic but using a lean efficient Linux kernel with a Windows VM where a lot of the host hardware can be passed through can yield some pretty decent results these days.

For Windows users with limited knowlege of Linux I'd also suggest Linux Mint or even Opensuse.. I'm essentially against the more commercial organisations such as Canonical and IBM / Redhat getting too involved with their non commercial server offereings e.g Fedora (IBM/Redhat) or Canonical (Ubuntu). They tend also to add a lot of proprietary stuff into the distros which can in some way make it difficult to switch to other distros and you start to lose the myriad of choices and customisation systems you can do with Linux. We don't need more "Windows clones" !!!!!

The current Windows system is tricky enough to deal with already - especially the crazy way the insider builds are being rolled out where even the same build doesn't necessarily contain the same components - depending on where and how you get served the updates.

I'm not sure I'd bother with things like Zorin - although with any Linux it's easy either to get a Live distro or install and run from a USB type device - You can do the same with Windows but running Windows as a "WindowstoGo" system on an external USB is do-able but a lot more finicky -- especially in that it has restrictions that you can't install a bootable Windows from scratch on to an external device or update to a new build.

Cheers

jimbo

That's one major error of such users: they assume that most can run command lines and use text editors. That's not what I see among most Windows and even Mac users.

Meanwhile, the idea of having to move from one distro to another is not encouraging.

Given that, if any, they need to design a Windows clone and make them even better, and "better" means easier to use, e.g., click this or that button, etc.

SlicEnDicE · Mar 8, 2024

monkeylove said:
That's one major error of such users: they assume that most can run command lines and use text editors. That's not what I see among most Windows and even Mac users.

This is exactly the same on Windows as on Linux or MacOS. You don't have to do command line editing at all...but it sure helps if you know a little bit. None of the major OSes are any different in this regard. It is a common misconception that you have to be typing commands in the terminal/shell all the time in Linux. Yes you can do that, but you don't have to. Just DL your package (installer), double click on it, install and run the app. Everything else is already handled for you. For UI tweaking, most distributions has very good UI tools already setup by default. Just drag a few sliders or click a few buttons and you're done.

monkeylove · Mar 8, 2024

SlicEnDicE said:
This is exactly the same on Windows as on Linux or MacOS. You don't have to do command line editing at all...but it sure helps if you know a little bit. None of the major OSes are any different in this regard. It is a common misconception that you have to be typing commands in the terminal/shell all the time in Linux. Yes you can do that, but you don't have to. Just DL your package (installer), double click on it, install and run the app. Everything else is already handled for you. For UI tweaking, most distributions has very good UI tools already setup by default. Just drag a few sliders or click a few buttons and you're done.

That's why I disagree with the point that one shouldn't bother with Zorin and similar.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

The only one I really like is Bodhi Linux - especially for older hardware. Mainly because it’s fast and reliable.

But I do like the programs I have on Windows and an emulator option can be clunky and unreliable. So while it might look nice and work - it limits what I can do or enjoy doing.

SlicEnDicE · Mar 9, 2024

Hazel123 said:
The only one I really like is Bodhi Linux - especially for older hardware. Mainly because it’s fast and reliable.

Yeah, that's Ubuntu with a Bodhi twist. Just like Mint has its own little things.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

It’s faster than Mint though

Having said that, I haven’t used it for a few years. But it made netbooks quite nippy.

SlicEnDicE · Mar 9, 2024

Hazel123 said:
It’s faster than Mint though Having said that, I haven’t used it for a few years. But it made netbooks quite nippy.

Did you use the 32bit version?

Josey Wales · Mar 9, 2024

There are so many Distro's to choose from, Currently I am running Arch Linux on My NUC. I am old school and Prefer PClinuxOS but I can't get it to run on the NUC. It will install but will not connect or see The Net.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

SlicEnDicE said:
Did you use the 32bit version?

I did but have used the 64 bit as well. I think they are about the only one that still do a 32 bit version.

Some linux I really dislike - Puppy linux (awful and my brain doesn't compute), Arch - mentioned above - I don't understand. Debian - not as easy as they say and had multiple install problems. The Ubuntu ones at least have a simple installer that works.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

Mint XFCE - ok but looks a bit dated and can be a bit sluggish on older hardware at least. Ubuntu - just don't like the look of it. The only ones I'd use again would be Bodhi and Mint XFCE probably.

I might put bodhi back on my 10" netbook (which is in very good condition) now Windows 11 23H2 doesn't work properly on it. And is of course, rather slow with only 2GB ram.

cereberus · Mar 9, 2024

Saying use Linux is like saying speak Scandinavian. Danish, Norwegian, Swedish (and Icelandic?) are all similar but not the same.

I just love it when thread is about a particular version, people bombard thread about one of the zilion other Linux variants.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

SlicEnDicE said:
Thanks Jimbo, but I don't need a lesson in Linux. I've built tens of difftent distros from source code and scrap bits including making my own package mangers. It's not a problem for me at all.

I was just frustrated about Zorin marketing. I wanted to know what special I get from paying the fifty bucks, but apparently it's just the same free stuff as any distro can grab, except some more advanced apps comes bundled directly with the installer. Most of the tools I wouldn't use anyways...

I think it's convenience. It's hard to find a list of included "apps" but there is nothing you can't just install yourself - the convenience factor is them speeding it up as it's all there already and their selection to cover a wide range of uses. And to support the development.

Incidentally, one video review made clear that the £48 cost is not a one off. It is just for that version. When the next version comes along, you can't just "upgrade" - you need to pay the £48 again for the new version.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

There is an "incomplete" list here

Which applications are bundled with the Zorin OS 17 Pro distro?

Zorin OS 17 Pro was just released. After going through their website and reading numerous articles about it, I don't see the details of a prominent marketing point documented anywhere, namely a li...

unix.stackexchange.com

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

You need 4gb usb to install the Core and Education versions and 8gb usb for the Pro version (from their website). You also have to give them your email address and sign up for newsletters before you can download the Core version (which I'm just doing) but it does say you can unsubscribe later.

Just edited this post for correction.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

Minimum System requirements:

1 ghz dual core processor
1.5 gb ram
15gb storage (core) 40gb storage (pro)
1024 x 768 display

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

So I've burned it to a usb. Install is stuck in a loop. It gives you options to try or install or various ohter things on the list and says use tab and enter to select. Tab doesn't work, but it's on the "try and install". Enter doesn't work either. At the bottom it says automatic boot in 10 seconds but just restarts the countdown in a loop. This is what frustrates me about various linux installs.

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

Someone else had the same issue. The suggestion was turn of fast boot or secure boot in bios. I did that (only had quiet boot) and it made no difference.

Infinite loop trying to install core

Yes, I powered off and switched between different USB connections PC specs: I7 4930K, 32 Gb RAM and nvidia 1050 Ti Maybe should I review bios settings?

forum.zorin.com

Hazel123 · Mar 9, 2024

Seems to be a common problem despite wide ranging hardware.

neves · Mar 9, 2024

Currently 8th on Distrowatch in Top 100 Linux Distributions (Operating Systems). Not bad i guess...

But the Windows monopoly is still way to high - Desktop wise (be it custom made or OEM prebuilds). The majority of people who only heard about Linux or barley tried it - have a really flawed perspective on modern days Linux . Be it they're stuck with that image of Linux from late '90s - mainly used for servers and configured with a CLI (Command Line Interface = like Win CMD/Terminal or Power Shell) or they already had a Linux Sux mindset before even trying it - and thus, they were only looking for stuff to bitch about (didn't really give it any chance - like they did with Windows - even engnoring some of its flaws focusing on the stuff they liked).