Is ZorinOS Ultimate worth it?

Chat about Zorin
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Hello.

I am here to ask if I should buy ZorinOS Ultimate.

I am currently using Pop!_OS on Both my Mac and Macbook Air.

My requirements for a good operating system is:

  • Good Security
  • Fast and Smooth
  • Easy but advanced access
  • Easy transfer using apt pkmg
  • Lightweight (I don't care for any bloatware or games preinstalled)
  • A Mac-type environment
  • A Good Working environment
  • NVIDIA and Intel Support
  • Broadcom WiFi Support

Convince me, why should I pay the money to switch to Zorin Ultimate? It makes a convincing case but I am not sure if its worth it.

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You do get a lot of what you don’t want or need based on your requirements (it comes with a lot of games - remember it is aimed as an all user OS, and that includes kids (and grownup ones too who like gaming!). Basically it puts a lot of apps together that will work without you trying to install separately and having to learn new ways of app install. I do feel they should give the opportunity to support the project through Patreon or some other channel. Core is free as is Lite - only the ultimate versions do you have to pay, but you only get the mac environment on Ultimate. I can’t answer your ‘apt pkmg’ query but as I understand it Pop_OS! is based on Ubuntu so it should work. Don’t know what you mean by Easy but advanced access. Fast and Smooth will depend on a lot of things like your processor and RAM. Lite will be the faster of the too as it uses xfce desktop. Core (which is what I am using) uses Gnome DE. You can always Mac it by downloading Mac themes which has been covered nicely by Aravisian in another thread.

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This is a good a point. I suspect that many who choose Zorin Ultimate are returning users. Those who have had a good experience with Zorin are more likely to want to support the development.
If you were to choose Zorin Ultimate, I think Zorin Ultimate Lite is probably going to get your attention as you say that you are disinterested in games and frivolous packages.
One of the things that Zorin Ultimate does is Exposure. In coming with a large number of a carefully selected variety of packages, it allows you to experience and experiment with apps your normally might not have - which is a benefit.

If you have the idea that Zorin Ultimate runs better or has features that are "Locked' in Zorin Lite or Zorin Core - it does not. Zorin Ultimate contains more packages, that are fine tuned and expertly assembled so that you do not have to deal with install hassles like incompatibility or dependency issues. But it does not contain locked features that you can only get by paying money. Nor does it sport better performance than Core or Lite.
Zorin Ultimate is about Supporting Development to fund further development.

So this being the case... Why rely on anyones mere words? My own experiences with Zorin have been Top Notch. On each and every computer I installed Zorin on, I saw better performance than other distros and less hassle. But anecdotal evidence is not evidence.
If you like Gnome Desktop, you can install Zorin Core. If you like XFCE, you can try out Zorin Lite. And on either, you can install a different desktop environment if you wish. I am running Cinnamon desktop, instead, on my build of Zorin.

If in using Zorin OS, you are then convinced to support the team by choosing Ultimate, I think it will mean a lot more to you than trying it out cold based on someone elses words.

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Forgot about other DE’s Aravisian, good point! Currently I have 4 alternative DE’s I can log into on Core that I have installed in addition to Gnome - Cinnamon, Plasma (KDE), LXQt and Enlightenment (E17).

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Yes, in several attempts, I will admit I never got any other distro to accept alternate D.E.'s like Zorin does.

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Install Core 15.3 and if you like it make a donation, that way both sides win, you and the developer.

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I have used Zorin since 15.0 after much researching of other systems, Zorin outdid most picks and tests for a .deb system. Zorin by far was my most liked.

You have many choices to pick from when it comes to the layouts of the desktop windows. My mother who is 70 years old never used Linux till I showed her how Linux worked.

I was a firm believer of Kubuntu for personal pc’s but found much of the time it was crashing or breaking, I then I tried out linux mint and lubuntu for home users but needed a business touch also, Lubuntu out did Linux Mint by far with the speed and responsive loading.

So with more research and over 50 Linux distros tested, when it came to a Debian system, Zorin got my money for the ultimate version it was also my second Linux OS that I bought for my own birthday gift Redhat was my first.

I even offered to work with Zorin as a distributor and provide my customers an operating system replacement for Windows 10, because many had complaints on it lagging facebook games and many bad updates. My mother now has Zorin 15.2 on an SSD 512GB of her Dell Laptop which I also set up, she uses it for her Facebook games.

So if you really have to question Zorin from another systems like POP OS you must have concerns with POP OS Linux, or you either don’t like what it’s offering.

Zorin ultimate comes packed already with most needed items like, office and a browser and other programs, that you would have to spend time downloading. Don’t get me wrong, I used in the 90’s RedHat Linux but love Suse linux over redhat. to me its more the business and hosting center software, both systems are loaded the same and have a lot of similarities based on its same languages, like Debian has with the many builds from it. remember this, Zorin is built off Ubuntu true, but at the end of all the work you do on your POP OS and Zorin, it’s not ubuntu POP OS or Zorin is built from, its Debian.

Rock on sorry for the long reply, kinda my story behind my experience with Linux and why I choose Zorin.

No matter your fancy, most Linux systems has good security and really don’t need a virus scanner. It takes the person running the Linux of their choice, to know how to manage that security with the built-in firewall or security.

you just have to do a live cd run give zorin a try. for my older Nvidia stuff, Zorin worked best. Windows 10 never picked up my Nvidia cards. My Zorin can do the dual audio process for music production, and voice in opensimulator.org systems such as SecondLife.com
What windows10 can do, I can also do on Zorin.

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Hello Kevin,
I can answer your question this way. I purchased Zorin. Have used it without any issues for a few years now. When the next version comes out that we will have to pay for, I’m going to get that one too. I use Lite btw, I personally like that better.

You have to remember, you’re asking a bunch of people who use, enjoy, love Zorin if you think it’s worth $40. Heck Yeah it’s worth it. lol

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I purchased Ultimate edition recently not cause of the extra goodies (which I need to play with) but as a thank you to the developers for such a clean and solid OS. Previous a Mint user.

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Amen.

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I think it is worth supporting the developers of Zorin OS. I choose to pay for zorin os ultimate even though I have never used installation support or even used half the bundled software. I pay because I like the product being offered and I want to support Zorin Os. I understand not everyone can afford to provide financial support for a product like Zorin OS. I pay so that others who cannot afford to pay for the Zorin OS can still use other editions.
We need to support open source software (assuming we can afford to) and innovation financially. People can’t work for free and I have seen many projects in my 20+ years of using Linux and open source die off because the developers had to choose between feeding themselves or offering free software. These are my reason to choose zorin OS ultimate. I am only speaking for myself.

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If you are unsure then install one of the free versions to try out and then if you are happy then support the project by buying the ultimate edition. That’s what I did.

I used the education edition as it has Veyon to monitor class room PCs. And decided to buy it to support the distribution.

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What I can say about zorin Lite is that (Stable and lightweight) I don’t care how hard it is to use, we have internet we have Google, solutions are everywhere. I’m used in Gnome DE, I didn’t expect that zorin Lite will be using xfce. I just installed it because Google told me that it is lightweight and based in Ubuntu 18.04, I don’t know how to use it at first, because it is completely different from gnome! I like tinkering on my system so I get used to it in 3 days, in addition I’m not familiar with Deb pkmgr because I’m a RPM based guy, you’re using PopOS which is based in Ubuntu, so it will be pretty easy for you to adapt the OS

I am using the Zorin OS lite and I support zorin by reading and provide feedback on this forum when I’m free!

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I have paid for it. I say yes simply due to supporting the developers of a great project.

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:roll_eyes:

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Hi - Newby here. I have a laptop in the closet on some distro of Zorin, and I like it. Last time I had it on it was so behind on updates that there wasn't enough drive space to handle them. My need for that laptop ended and it's been in the closet for a couple years.

Fast forward. I've got a newer laptop that I'm thinking of loading a new distro on. Thinking about Ultimate. Now for my questions.

  1. I'm guessing Zorin OS 16.0 is due out any day. Should I wait for it or start with 15.3? (It looks like the countdown expected 16.0 to be out by today, so I have no idea how long "any day now" might acutally be.)

  2. If I buy 15.3, do I have to pay for 16.0?

  3. Is it usually fairly easy to upgrade from an older major release to a new one?

And finally.

  1. One of the main things I hope to do is to get Steam running on this laptop to play LegoWorld with my 7-y-o grandson. I think this machine is more powerful than others I have available for it. Do I need Ultimate to run Steam?

(I spent a little time doing some searches, and haven't really found many answers. Hopefully I'm not asking bloody obvious questions that are answered in a zillion places! Please forgive me if I am.)

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Thanks so much 337harvey!

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If you don't have a brand new top of the line computer from 2021, Its my opinion that you should wait until Zorin OS16 releases. OS16 will release soon, and it just makes sense to wait if you can.

I too agree that supporting the dev's should always be a good option. If you like what the dev's are doing, and you like the software their producing, why not support them? I myself bought two different distributions of Zorin OS, 9, and 12, when I bought Ultimate editions.

Plus the benefit I got from that was, already loaded with apps and neat games, and the special access to direct support I got from the Zorin dev's by doing so. But yes, you don't have to buy if you don't want to. Like Mr. Harvey said, there is Core and Lite.

And yes, Steam can be installed on all Linux distributions. It can be found in the software center, just log into your Steam account once installed and launched. Also, you don't need to have Wine directly installed on the system for the games to run.

Steam now uses Steam play, which is an integration with the Proton compatibility system. All you have to do is right click on your games, go to properties, then click on the compatibility category. Then tell the games to force use Proton.

Now, youll see a list of Proton versions, which version of Proton works right with the game, greatly depends on the game. So try each one in the list until you find the Proton version that works correctly with the game, launches it, and runs it without crashing.

I can provide you help further down the road, when you are ready to do all this. I am a gamer, I use Linux, so I been around the block a few times in this area.

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If you are going to manage 120 desktops then you'd want to get involved in Zorin Grid.

Also, buying Ultimate give you instalation support from Zorin.

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(short answer) to be honest, it isn't really worthy.
(long answer) it is if you like things out of the box (not having to play around customizing things and installing things) and want to support the zorin team. thing are better integrated with the system compared if you would install them afterwards yourself.

other than that, you can make every linux distro look like mac. I personally bought it and don't regret it, it isn't limited to one user/pc so you can install it everywhere, anytime, as many times you want to. I also support the team with a minimum monthly contribution. I have to find out how the upgrade process is, if I need to re-purchase the ultimate version or not