Discontinuation of Zorin Os Lite

A bit better communication?

  • For a very long time, users have legitimately questioned the ZorinGroups lack of communication

  • For a very long time, users have legitimately questioned the ZorinGroups exceptional delays.

Zorin Core is worked on and released, then work started on Lite and it is released after, so reducing to just Core does not reduce the development time.
Zorin Grid was proposed four years ago. Two years ago, the ZorinGroup tentatively stated that they hoped to release it in 2022.
The Zorin Direct Upgrade option lagged behind for years. At no point did the ZorinGroup release any Roadmap, nor did the choose to update their User Base until heavily pressured to make a comment.
We have to push and beg and plead for tidbits of information.

These are valid and legitimate concerns for a user base to have and the users showed exceptional forgiveness and patience during years long waits.
This is not an act of cruelty by ungrateful wretches.

  • The straw that broke the camels back. It is the decision made that follows a series of ZorinGroup decisions that adds into user discontent.

Zorin 17 brought a lot of significant changes. It was a lot for the user base to assimilate. Many of these changes were of known contentious issues within the GnuLinux community as a whole. For example, the adoption of Wayland as a default and the promotion and replacement of Flatpak over APT. They are big deals, and after reeling from that, we got hit with, "Oh by the way, in a sideways announcement, we are dropping support for other desktops, too."

This does not mean that the user base should ever be expected to not voice discontent or protest a move made by the developers.
Remember that the developers only and sole reason for developing is to provide for the user base. The user base is not providing for the developers. We do not serve them, they serve us. Without a user base (customers), the developers have nothing.
Not everyone protests the decision. You don't. This does not mean that those that do are somehow wrong because you are not unhappy.

The ZorinGroup introduced the Lite edition in 2009 With Zorin OS 2, fifteen years ago. That is a decade and a half. If Zorin OS Lite was in itself, some kind of financial burden or time constraint, it would have been a problem a long time ago. Not after Zorin OS grew in popularity and revenue.

Importantly, when the ZorinGroup raised the price for Ultimate (later Pro), they doubled the price. They justified this decision based on Pro including Lite Pro.
Will the price of Pro be lowered to account for the lack of Lite Pro?

Zorin OS Lite was changed from LXDE to XFCE. There was no "drama."
Zorin OS Ultimate was changed to Zorin OS Pro. There was no "drama."
Zorin OS Pro stopped providing the Ultimate Games. There was no "drama."

What differentiates uhh... "drama" and reception is how significant a change is and how the users are affected. Are we to shut up and be silent when we are affected by decisions made for us and our behalf? Zorin OS is a project for the Users. They are not doing it for their health.
Why are we here? Shouldn't we all go back to Microsoft Windows, bow our heads and accept our lickings?
Let's just all do away with this GnuLinux foolishness and take our medicine.

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