Zorin OS what Ubuntu should be!

[vaithy]

I am a Ubuntu guy.. but presently enjoying the Unity in one my paritition but always search for some flexible OS than Ubuntu.. Recently it is always Linux Mint... Reasons are many.. too many of my friends are on Windows and as a friend i have to always answer their calls restore their OS along with installing Linux mint.. it is the only price always asking my friends to pay.. they don't know what dual boot is when they are offerred additional OS which can easily do all their core work in Windows.. For must of my friends are grown up adults so they don't need any game,but need some office suit,multimedia playback music movies and songs..It is not easy to convince them to drop windows forever.. My only request to them is just try for my sake' so they try then pleasantly surprised, then never call me again.. Only one friend return, but that is the hardware failure due to power fluctuation ...Now I found a new distro to offer to my friends.. That is Zorin OS..

Why should you consider it? Here are just a few reasons.

1. Windows like graphical UI
*linxbot.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screenshot.png?w=600&h=375
Much like the Ubuntu base that underlies it, It is designed especially for newcomers to Linux. It has a Windows-like graphical user interface and many programs similar to those found in Windows.

Zorin OS also comes with software including Wine and PlayOnLinux that let users run many Windows programs. The distribution's ultimate goal is "to provide a Linux alternative to Windows and let Windows users enjoy all the features of Linux without complications," in the project's own words.

What this means, of course, is that Zorin OS is a great distribution for those who are comfortable with the look and feel of Windows, but still want to see what Linux is all about. Alternatively, it can be perfect for employees or coworkers who don't like change.

2. It give easy transition to Windows Users
*linxbot.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screenshot-1.png?w=600&h=375
Zorin OS comes with the ever-popular GNOME interface familiar to countless Ubuntu users, but it also offers a number of alternatives direct from the proprietary world. Specifically, the operating system features a unique "Look Changer" program that lets users change the software's interface at the touch of a button.


Menu bar (GnoMenu) is actually twin of Windows 7
All users need do is click on the Windows 7 or Windows XP option, for example, and their desktop looks and behaves accordingly. Premium versions of Zorin OS--targeting gaming and multimedia uses, for example--also include interfaces mimicking those of Mac OS X, Windows Vista and Windows 2000. My 3G network from Nokia %*)) Xpress Music has been recognised . See the bottom panels notification about' BSNL 3 G active'

3.Attraction of GNOME

Those of us who have gotten used to Ubuntu have become accustomed to its default GNOME desktop. For those anxious about the distribution's upcoming switch to the Touch enabled Unity interface, Zorin OS offers an option for sticking with what's familiar.

Also like Ubuntu, Zorin OS comes pre-installed with OpenOffice, Firefox, the Evolution e-mail client, the Rhythmbox music player, the Totem video player, the GIMP image editor, lots of multimedia codecs, and more.

*linxbot.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screenshot-12.png?w=600&h=375
Seamless windows Transition!
4. It's Fast

When speed is of the essence, Zorin OS really shines. Not only is its latest version faster than Ubuntu, its makers say, but it clocks in at a full four times faster than Windows 7. That's pretty impressive.

With the help of Wine and PlayOnLinux, meanwhile, Zorin OS even runs many Windows apps faster than Windows does, the project says. It's also available in more than 55 languages.

5. Not necessary to pay Windows TAX

It come with free and no need to pay windows Tax to M$ slavery empire. You are free man here. As always in the Linux world, you can take the free Zorin OS without committing to it until you're ready. The Zorin OS 5 Core release is available for free download from the project's site. Alternatively, Zorin OS 5Gaming and Multimedia releases each cost 10 euros, while Zorin OS 5 Ultimate is 15 euros from the project's store.

6. Flying with compiz

It is not only preconfigured with compiz but fly with pre-customised option like exploding desktop
*linxbot.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screenshot-2.png?w=600&h=375

*linxbot.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/screenshot-4.png

Magic land of compiz

 

[Krow]

Fantastic post! The OS looks interesting.

Linux Mint looks very pleasant with its green theme. Apart from that, Zorin OS can be a very good alternative to those who are porting from Windows.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

 

[MatchBoxx]

FTW! Cool!
Thanks for sharing bro!

 

[Prime_Coder]

Ubuntu and Linux Mint were my favourite linux distros. But only recently I´m feeling that I should move to a different distro. Now I will jump on to this Zorin OS.
BTW, Xandros and Linspire were also good alternatives for switching from Windows to Linux! When I first used them, I felt like I am using the same Windows OS with some different theme.

Thanks for sharing this much interesting information on Zorin OS!

 

[abhijangda]

Zorin OS really looks interesting. Good post!!

 

[Liverpool_fan]

Damn I thought it uses KDE. Interesting desktop though. Thanks for posting.

 

[Skud]

Have heard of it, but never really seen it in action. Mint is elegant, but this one looks damn interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[ss max]

looks cool , i am used to ubuntu and i like it to .

 

[Prime_Coder]

The only thing which made me to prefer Linux Mint over Ubuntu was all the softwares and audio -video codecs were given in the Linux Mint!

Now lets see how much we will like this Zorin OS distro after using it.

 

[Garbage]

Thanks for the review OP.

But I have always hated it when people want Linux to be a *Windows*. Ubuntu is going by Linux way, why would anybody want it to another Windows? If they want Windows, then better stick with Windows. Period.

 

[Rahim]

Honestly this post came as a big surprise considering how rarely bro vaithy post's here

Fantastic and a comprehensive review of the distro.

 

[sygeek]

Thanks for posting, nice review.

 

[vaithy]

First of all, I personally thanks all the commenters who are either FOSS/GNU/Linux advocates or just a new pies from windows Land..

Damn I thought it uses KDE. Interesting desktop though. Thanks for posting.

It uses bottom panel like mint, it is not easy to make windows =7 looks like without touching some features of kde..

Thanks for the review OP.

But I have always hated it when people want Linux to be a *Windows*. Ubuntu is going by Linux way, why would anybody want it to another Windows? If they want Windows, then better stick with Windows. Period.

My respect to Mr. Stallman as a greatest Leader of FOSS movement wouln't deminish, if I or somebody has different views on a subject..
See , In a single room four friends gather, and one order coffee,other tea,third Milk,
and fourth man order Boost.. so if they all like different drinks, but maintained their friendship it is O.K.. But if some one shouted, How dare you ? I order coffee, but you ask tea.. Do you know Coffee is beter than tea.?'
.what will happened in the end? either not a single one leave that room unharmed or all of them admitted to a Hospital.. Pick your choice..
Do you know there is no such thing as 'Linux PC. PC means windows. that is how the monopoly made windows only choice... that is where windows users came..Our duty is convert them without made them sacrifice there functionality and comfort zone..
You and I can work in Linux without even touching windows for many days in our house.. But what about our or your work place..? there Linux is like a criminal haunted by FBI..Mention something about Linux you'll be marked as 'Naxalite sympathesiers'

Honestly this post came as a big surprise considering how rarely bro vaithy post's here

Fantastic and a comprehensive review of the distro.

thanks Rahim!! actually I want more post in the open source section, Two factors prohibit it, One is time another is quality of post.. One thing posting about BSNL is very easy, because work experience give me the necessary feeddback..But about Linux, I am still thinking, my post has notexplained how much functionality zorin OS has..It is half cooked meal

Have heard of it, but never really seen it in action. Mint is elegant, but this one looks damn interesting. Thanks for posting.

just add windows 7 UI to mint, this is Zorin OS .name derived from the sole developer Mr.Artyom Zorin

 

[Garbage]

My respect to Mr. Stallman as a greatest Leader of FOSS movement wouln't deminish, if I or somebody has different views on a subject..
See , In a single room four friends gather, and one order coffee,other tea,third Milk,
and fourth man order Boost.. so if they all like different drinks, but maintained their friendship it is O.K.. But if some one shouted, How dare you ? I order coffee, but you ask tea.. Do you know Coffee is beter than tea.?'
.what will happened in the end? either not a single one leave that room unharmed or all of them admitted to a Hospital.. Pick your choice..

Do you know there is no such thing as 'Linux PC. PC means windows. that is how the monopoly made windows only choice... that is where windows users came..Our duty is convert them without made them sacrifice there functionality and comfort zone..

You and I can work in Linux without even touching windows for many days in our house.. But what about our or your work place..? there Linux is like a criminal haunted by FBI..Mention something about Linux you'll be marked as 'Naxalite sympathesiers'

I really don't want to convert this thread into some Linux Vs. Windows thing. So, I hope this will be last post offtopic.

You completely lost me. Sorry but I really didn't get analogy between 4 people drinking in a room.

And believe me, the place where I work is not at all like you are imagining. I mostly work whole day SSH'ing Linux and Solaris servers. And being a *nix guy is cool. And it has been my experience in EVERY single project I worked in.

Finally, my point of previous post was, don't tell people that this is "Windows" showing Linux. Tell them this is Linux, otherwise, even after trying thousand years, people will still remember Windows, not Linux.

I hope I was clear.

 

[vaithy]

Finally, my point of previous post was, don't tell people that this is "Windows" showing Linux. Tell them this is Linux, otherwise, even after trying thousand years, people will still remember Windows, not Linux.

I hope I was clear.

Perhaps I misunderstood your post..You are the luckiest guy than us who are practicing linux in underground...In my office only my computer has dual boot, but no body knows because I make windows to be boot in firstwith timing 1 sec entry in the grub loader..for any ordinary user they don't see any different, for me pressing the arrows keys continuosly before the boot loader screen appear and before completion of POST.

the users that I am targeting is grown up and they know Linux is not windows but they wanted same functionality, same UI,because not only they , their whole household which known to windows only have to be converted...

If the target audience is gamers, I simply said goodbye to them.. but if they are web users or office goers, than I introduce to them open office and firefox..In the case of ZORIN OS it give chioce to users.. try the menu'look changer' which give you a choice,win xp,vista look , Gnome classic.
Freedom of CHOICE itself is greatest asset of GNU/Linux and FOSS movement. this is the most important message that I delivered to the windows users...

sorry if I posted some off topic subject..
with regards,
vaithy

 

[Liverpool_fan]

To be precise, the people who want Windows functionality, and if a distro imitates that, they will always find that Linux a "cheap" copy, and they'll only like it only till the first point of failure.

Most people don't understand the value of Free Software and it's really sad. But that's beside the point.

In my opionion, we shouldn't care what they want. A user should adjust to the new operating system, just like he adjust while moving from a car to a motorbike or vice versa. Look at Mac OS X, they do things their way and so successful they are. And if users can switch from XP to 7, they can switch to Unity/Gnome 3/KDE/Xfce anything.

Our interfaces are now striving to be innovative and I find that brilliant. At this point of infancy of Gnome Shell and Unity, they might be not everybody's cup of tea but a year or two on, that'll be certainly fixed.

Though I agree with you the freedom of even building interfaces mimicking OS X and Windows is great but if you ask me new users should be experienced with a new interfaces than mimicking a current one. Though in practical terms, there should be fine balancing in adjusting to user needs and users adjusting to your interface.

 

[vaithy]

Actually I want to review Pinguy OS along with zorin OS, somehow lost the screenshots along with pinky, Due to frequent power failures,and UPS not working..It has some real potential of alternative to Mint..In distrowatch it has more ratings than Zorin..

How about LXDE distro?

Zorin just released the Zorin Lite OS.

Artyom Zorin has announced the release of Zorin OS 5 "Lite", a Lubuntu-based distribution featuring the LXDE desktop environment: "The Zorin OS team is proud to release Zorin OS 5 Lite, the lightweight edition of our operating system designed for Windows users using old and low-specification computers. We have released this version ahead of schedule. This new version of Zorin OS Lite is based on Lubuntu 11.04 and uses the LXDE desktop environment, which brings new and updated packages. Many program changes were also made to increase size efficiency and to improve the overall experience. Most notable in this release is that it can now fit on a CD. We have removed WINE, VLC, a few games and other programs to save space and included them into our new and exclusive program, the 'Zorin OS Lite Extra Software'." The release announcement. Download: zorin-os-5-lite-32.iso (660MB, MD5).

Courtsey: Distrowatch .com

with regards
vaithy