Time to abandon the Ubuntu code base altogether and switch to Debian?

Chat about Zorin
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There is increasing consensus that the new Ubuntu LTS is rubbish:

With the "age verification" thing happening with it as well, I think it is time to seriously consider abandoning the Ubuntu codebase and "going back to basics" so to speak and have Zorin based directly on Debian rather than anything upstream from it.

Maybe make the switch in Zorin 19?

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For my part I would be agree to see Zorin with a solid Debian base, with Cinnamon DE but I'm open to other DE...

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I would welcome a Switch to Debian, too. There are some Things that could be an Issue like Nvidia Driver Options but maybe Zorin could compensate that.

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I agree with you. Especially since canonical announced AI is coming into ubuntu

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I am a total noob by all standards, but as far I can tell I think we need to move towards Debian. Even more so after the recent Ubuntu security & update troubles. Let the Ubuntu ship burn as it goes adrift, and keep this steady and stable environment as it is up to now for the foreseeable future!

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I completely agree that Canonical's recent decisions with Ubuntu are becoming harder to justify, and the "age verification" thing is definitely a red flag for privacy.

Moving Zorin OS to a pure Debian base would be amazing for stability and freedom from forced Snaps, similar to what Linux Mint is doing with LMDE. However, since Zorin's main goal is to be the ultimate, hassle-free distro for Windows newcomers, the team heavily relies on Ubuntu's newer hardware drivers and massive PPA ecosystem.

Switching the entire codebase for Zorin 19 might be a massive stretch for a small team, but it’s definitely a shift they should start considering if Ubuntu keeps going down this road.

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I would need to find the thread in question, but AZorin (Artyom Zorin) addressed this question some years back.
He had pointed out that they are able to and the infrastructure was already in place, to host their own servers for Debian or to replace Ubuntu.
He had stated that the transition would be a consuming task and preferably avoided unless there was a clear need to do so. This was at least five years ago, though.

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and a lot more work to maintain

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Would be the Question if integrated AI would be a Reason.