Zorin OS is a standout choice for ex-Windows users because this flavor of Linux tries to be as close to Windows as possible, so heavily customized that it feels more like Windows than Linux. It’s one of the best free Linux variants that actually feels like Windows, so if you have no desire to move onto Windows 11, consider giving it a try.
Even the guys of OMG Ubuntu ... 
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No, but i do expect to be able to get parts for it for at least 10-15 years 
I think people just need to realise that it is both affordable and it is voluntary. Core is so good that Pro is really just a donation with a reminder every couple of years when a new version arrives. I personally wouldn't mind the layout options, but the extra software is actually a turn-off. Perhaps the installer provides lots of options to exclude/include them?
I have just purchased the pro. I'll give it a whirl.
I believe it does offer a Minimal Install option.
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heh, well, i would if i could download it!
It auto-pushes to this mirror:
When i try to go back, to select another mirror, within about 2 seconds it auto-pushes to that mirror (and error).
EDIT: Oh, that's Core, and not using the download link i received via email. Still, if people can't download Core - that's a wee problem.
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I watched a video on YouTube yesterday by the YouTux Channel a scurrilous hit piece titled "Zorin OS is a $50 SCAM" (I won't post the link it can easily be found). This clown did Zorin a great disservice and came close to or did commit slander. He is clueless judging him by his own words. Literally every comment I read in the comment section pointed out he was wrong in what he was saying (I read at least 100 comments out of the 408 comments) yet he doubled down in the comment section and continued with libelous statements. This guy sure has some perverse ideas about how businesses work and a peculiar preternatural hatred of Zorin.
YouTux is pretty well known for posting videos that are on the fringe.
A well-known YouTuber in Germany has also made a nice video about Zorin. Many arguments in favor of Zorin 18 
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Fresh article on the latest milestone:
Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell how many of those people went on to install Zorin OS 18 on their system, let alone fully swap to it. However, it's still impressive that the operating system attracted that much attention from Windows users in the first place.
The downside to that article is the promotion of Etcher. Ventoy is far better as it includes MOK compatibility. I visited a client recently who wanted to install GNU/Linux to replace Windows 10. Sensibly they said that they could not see the point of paying for another year's service for Windows 10 when they would at the end have to replace with GNU/Linux any way, so why put it off any longer. The client said the computer was very slow (an Acer notebook with 4 Gb RAM). Due to another post a few months back where someone had tried to install Zorin on a similar spec machine it was too laggy, so I did not want to risk it and installed LMDE 7 on it. It was a battle and it centralised the EFI text in the BIOS so it took me two attempts to hit the right line to enrol the Ventoy .efi file into the system's MOK keys and then the install went swimmingly.
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Praising virtues, the German outlet also claims, the Zorin OS would offer pre-installed:
Steam Client Epic Games Store Lutris - Open Gaming Platform Heroic Games Launcher itch.io - Indie Games GOG Client
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That is obviously not true. They are available but not preinstalled. The Site itself is sometimes a bit ... how can I say that ... too fast with Facts.
Probably confused "pre-built" with "pre-installed", or it's AI, or both.
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A lot of people misunderstand the Pro version, which I think is totally understandable. It is poorly named and marketed, it could do with a rethink and change of name.
Etcher should be discarded by the Zorin brothers, its practices regarding personal data and lack of privacy values mean it's use should be warned against, not encouraged. The fact that, although alternatives are mentioned as an after-thought later, it seems by the wording of the instructions that you NEED to use B Etcher to install Zorin. That's a huge oversight by the brothers, IMO.
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I agree, it is a huge oversight, and has been since, at least OS 16. I feel like the Zorins run on auto pilot too much. Its not just privacy concerns though, its also the fact that Balena Etcher is well known, to make bad flash burns too.
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I've stated this elsewhere is that it is only useful for the minority of Mac users. Additionally it is interesting how other distros use their own usb creator when it gets installed. PCLOS Debian includes Ventoy.
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Not purely on ZorinOS but Linux vs Windows in general.
But read yourself:
Zorin OS, an excellent Linux desktop, reports that its latest release, "Zorin OS 18 has amassed 1 million downloads in just over a month since its release." What makes it especially interesting is that over "78% of these downloads came from Windows" users.
Now, that's got my attention... 780,000 Windows users don't download a 3.5 Gigabyte Linux desktop distribution if they're not giving it serious consideration. Linux desktop fans download different distros all the time. For them, it's a hobby.
For Windows users? You have to think they are considering making the Linux switch.
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Installation vid Zorin 18 ... on brand new Windows 11 PC, good for noobs
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