and I am impressed! I've been able to come from windows, find replacements for most of my apps and software making my laptop practical and usable for daily driving and then some. i've picked up some basic customization skills along the way, learned that the terminal isn't so scary (yet still dangerous) as i thought it was lol, and got up and running in no time. an audio and brightness adjustment issue held me back for a bit, but i went out of my comfort zone to try new fixes and didnt give up, which proud to say i finally fixed them both!
thank you to all the regulars on the forum making this slice of the web just as pleasant for new comers as the OS itself. the thing i like most about Zorin is it doesn't overwhelm you right out the gate, settings and menus are simple and even more intuitive than windows in a lot of areas, but when you're ready for more depth that's there too. and you all making tutorials and guides for us is much appreciated! the OS and the forum are a great combo and i can see why Zorin comes so highly recommended for newcomers like me.
thanks and take care everyone