I got fed up with Windows for the last time a month ago, and thought I'd give linux another try. With Zorin, there is no turning back. Just a few things can't get to work (like Logos 10), but I in order to not go back to Windows, I will just use within Android.
My minor question is how in the world do I change the categories and what app is in what category within the Zorin menu? All the things I've read and tried seem way overly cumbersome. Surely there is an easy way to create a new menu and make an item be in the categories I choose?? Or, do I need to think outside the box - is there a way to just have the start default to the All programs where I don't even categorize them at all - I just ignore all the categorys.
What do the rest of you do? Again, minor I know. But a tad frustrating too.
I do not think that user workflow and organization is ever a minor thing.
On GnuLinux in general, there are two GUI applications that can customize and manage the appearance and categorization of the application menus
Alacarte
Menulibre
I seem to have a general preference toward Menulibre since it does bring a bit more functionality and is easier to see those functions within the app.
Any new application that a person uses can look daunting or complicated.
They all have a learning curve.
I would still consider using Alacarte or MenuLibre to be quite easy and straight-forward.
Zorin OS includes a menu editor by default in the app menu labeled as Main Menu
Have you used this application yet or have you been following guides on editing .desktop files?
Thanks for the tips. Yes, I have tried the Alacarte, but this will not let me make changes. I'm sure it is something I'm doing wrong. And the .desktop file changing seems a little cumbersome to me (I need to get back up to speed with using the terminal). I will try that Menulibre. Until then, I simply saved the icons to desktop and organized them the way that makes sense to me. That'll keep me satisfied for now.
But I am loving Zorin. I really almost don't even know I am on Linux at times. I had loaded Red Hat and various other distros back in the day, just playing around. But I didn't have the time or willingness to make my mane system. But Zorin . . . . for instance, I was able to print! Back in the day, this would have been an afternoon (for me) to get the printer to talk with Linux. And the speed I was able to get up and running was incredible. I got a new (used) laptop . . . dell 5580 . . . it came with windows. For a second I thought I'd keep windows on and dual boot, but then I just dreaded all the windows updates, etc, so just make zorin THE system. Loving it. Lots to learn, but this 62 year old geezer is loving it.
In my Case it is german. But with that you can adjust the Categories and add or change Programs for it. When You click on the Categories on the left Side You see on the right Side which Programs are in each Category.
One of the few good things that I will grudgingly admit Windows Vista had was the search functionality in the start menu. This got even better in Windows 7.
Every since, I have barely looked at the start menu, if at all. All I do is press the Windows key, start typing the program I need to launch and Enter.
This works exactly the same in Linux, so I never bothered looking at how to customize this as I never look at it for more than two seconds. And when I notice that I use something often enough, I create a keyboard shortcut for it.
