I have been using Zorin for months now. I am 90% happy with it (which = 100% happier than I was with 'current' Windows!). It seems to me that the little things that trip me up with Zorin (I'm so not a geek!) are far less than the struggles I would have with Windows PAIN$.
The people responding to this forum have been GOLD and have helped my through questions and comments. Kudos to all.
Yet I wonder if a lot of the 'someday (maybe?)' things that I would like for Zorin to be blessed with (more plug & play?) will only happen if Zorin user numbers increase thus highlighting desired upgrades as well as pulling in resources from new, and hopefully more experienced, people.
Achieving such a feat in light of so many different 'flavors' available for Linux OSs seems daunting? Are 'we' (few, we band of first users) the limit of what Zorin is capable of attracting? Certainly this forum is superior to any other (linux) that I have looked at.
While the forum is not heavily populated, the users number in the millions.
The number of users of Zorin OS has increased dramatically over the course of several years. Very dramatically.
There are many distros out there. Many cater to specific user needs. As such, in Linux we have diverse variety - that there is not One Distro To Rule them All.
I'm not thinking that Zorin would be 'top dog', more as an attractive and useful alternative, especially to Windows. Glad to hear that Zorin OS use has increased 'dramatically' during the last years.
I really could be quite wrong in my perceptions...
But I see Zorin OS being named and recommended on Gaming Sites and on Reddit. I see Zorin OS Lite referenced on the XFCE forum.
I see a lot of GnuLinux Pop-Tech articles quickly report developments and releases of Zorin OS.
I have even seen Zorin OS listed on computer manufacturer sites.
And... I have seen it listed with the other major players on Youtube videos (that like to compare Distros against each other in rather funny ways).
Zorin OS seems to get a lot of the same attention as Linux Mint does.
I really do not think Zorin OS qualifies as "up and coming"; It is arrived.
And there can be an underbelly to cling to on this topic. More users means more reports, feature requests among a more diverse crowd with different users having different opinions about what should on an OS. It can mean higher expectations. That can be a lot of stress for the developers.
We witnessed a bit of this with Zorin Direct Release Upgrade Feature.
Another big name Zorin Product Zorin Grid remains to be released and is highly anticipated.
And users are already getting louder and louder about the temporal gap between the major LTS Ubuntu release and the following Zorin OS LTS release.
I mean... Users were asking about Zorin OS 17 within one Week of the release of Zorin OS 16.
This likely means that to maintain their hold, the ZorinGroup must hasten the development and release process.
Thanks for the excellent insight Aravisian!! Its fabulous to hear that Zorin is ON the scene as well as being appreciated too. Zorin has impressed me like no other OS and I am personally rating it higher than Windows. (though I did like XT and 95 while they lasted.)
One thing I want to make very clear is that without this wonderful group of people here, I would have probably not been as able to use Zorin like I do. Yes I have a LOT more to learn and embrace, but considering that I come from the very comfortable easy use of Windows, its not surprising that I would appreciate a touch more less 'geek' expectations from Zorin's use. I do expect some of that will happen as time goes by.
(I use the term 'geek' as high praise for those who so well understand computers and programs so as to make the reality of Zorin possible)
