this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2025
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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for non-techie users that want to switch it's great. Yes the updates are slow and few/far between but I mean if you go the paid route you get tech support and a few other software packages/themes.
I think for people who just want to keep older machines going and simply want to do work and browse/stream it's fine. beyond that? good luck. I've heard that upgrading it is worse than Ubuntu and it's based on Ubuntu so...
But Zorin has pretty good PR so that's what's going for them. Honestly though if you want a new user on linux that isn't comfortable with it just yet I feel there are better options that "just work" like Bazzite or Mint.
Zorin is less about it just works and more that its feel is closer to windows for people looking to switch but arent ready to dive head first into unfamiliar waters. I used Zorin at my first distro for about a year as I got comfortable then just switched to Ubuntu and installed dash to panel and arc menu myself. It was a good OS for getting used to things
If it lessens the impact of switching operating systems, and holds them in long enough to get comfortable with Linux, alternatively provides just enough Windows-like veneer to be comfortable enough then it is still a win.
So essentially, a bunch of them are going to try this and be disappointed and then go on to shit all over Linux as a whole...
Or perhaps dip their toes enough to look into distro-hopping.
Some of them might. But I wouldn't put too much faith in them, though.
What level of faith do you require from people trying out the OS? What damage is done?
That's not my point. My point is, they try Zorin, they don't like it, and now they go on about how much Linux sucks as they run back to Windows. I highly doubt many of them will bother distro-hopping. As far as must users will be concerned, they tried Linux and it sucked. They're almost definitely not going to want to spend more time redoing their system a bunch until they find one they like, nor are they going to want to spend the time with dotfiles getting it the way they want.
If they did research on other distros before installing Zorin, they probably wouldn't have gone with Zorin...
They're riding a bandwagon, not setting their own path.
I don’t understand this attitude. I did a bunch of research, used Ventoy to try out five different distros and went with Zorin. I think Zorin is a very good intro to Linux for noobs. It’s a pretty polished experience and would say if Zorin doesn’t convince complete noobs to switch, then they likely wouldn’t have switched. What other distros might I ask, were you thinking they’d have chosen instead?
I agree. If Zorin lowers the bar for entry enough that some will continue on and perhaps hop to another distro if they outgrow Zorin, then it’s a win. Desktop Linux isn’t going to win everyone over - Apple will pick up some and most will stay on Windows either way.
There will always be a lot of people trying a product out, figuring it’s not for them for whatever reason, and revert back. I don’t see a solution that will retain those people. Change is difficult for a lot of people.
For the Zorin org, even those who shelled out for the Pro edition and jump back to Windows, that income still goes to devs that are working to maintain the Linux ecosystem.