This is a feature I wouldn't expect to see used often, as I'm not asking or suggesting Zorin maintain lengthy patch notes for all the software that's part of the distribution (much less all the third party software easily available), but I had a Nobara update yesterday that had a known upstream issue, and the updater communicated that, which I appreciated quite a bit. In Zorin's case, I could have used it when the kernel 6.8 update caused Nvidia driver issues (I was neither the first nor last to come here with problems after that update) and I imagine other upstream changes in the past might've been worth mentioning. This is how Nobara handles it (their updater is bespoke and as a one man show, UI on their own tools isn't super):
I have switched to Linux Mint and donated to them personally out of sincere appreciation for all that they do. Excellent communication and reliable reporting is part of why I switched to them. What you have given an example of here is what Zorin should really strive for, especially since the developers do this for a full-time job. Breaking their word about including the 6.11 kernel with Zorin OS 17.3 was the last straw for me (especially after seeing what 6.12 did for my system; it eliminated all the lag and whatnot I had going on with 6.8, which Zorin was apparently content with leaving users on despite reported lag by others). I need to maintain integrity as a customer and user. I will not subsidize an OS that does not deliver on its stated expectations and/or promises, then does not offer a mea culpa or an effort to make things right (e.g., plugging in 6.11 anyway). However, I remain open to Zorin OS 18 Pro and giving Zorin a chance to re-commit to ongoing, periodic communication, at the very least. What you've shared, @Locklear93, is what we all should reasonably expect of the Zorin Group. Thank you very much.
Whilst I appreciate the issues of lag are disconcerting it isn't really possible to compare Mint directly with Zorin (Core). Why? Because Mint's starship DE is Cinnamon.Team Zorin have to wrestle with an ever increasing resilient straightjacket called Gnome. I've argued in the past that Zorin should do two things, move from Ubuntu to Debian and from Gnome to Plasma but Plasma uses Qt and Gnome uses Gtk, so I suspect this would be harder to achieve the same result in looks and style. That said, I feel Q4OS has nailed it with their "Look Switcher" which cleverly pulls the 'de facto' Plasma breeze themes, together with two of its own alongside two variants of a MacOS theme, and a wide selection of Windows themes from XP to Windows 11 from making a scripted link to Plasma's Appearance normally buried in System Settings.
In addition it is based on Debian 12 bookworm and is a rolling release. I installed at 5.6 and it is now at 5.7. Debian stable 6.1.0-25 was in 5.6 and they don't promote bleeding edge kernels but Debian stable. Now compare that with PCLOS Debian (also Plasma DE) and you get issues with Kernel 6.13 like this:
I also get the same behaviour when trying to upload a video to Vimeo. All I can say is I am glad I don't have the pressure of being a GNU/Linux developer!
This is already present in Zorin, just like you've shown in Nobara here.
When you're installing updates in the Software Updater, you can expand the "Technical description" (under the list of updates) to read a full changelog of what's new in each updated package.
Keep an eye out for it next time you're installing updates in Zorin
I agree 100% with you that Zorin should dump GNOME. I myself made the same suggestion months ago. And I was reminded of Zorin OS, actually, when news broke about the developer of the "Dash to Panel" dropping the project, which was HUGE. It reminds us of the fragility of GNOME and its viability as an OS being held together by extension after extension. Zorin should consider switching over to Debian as its code base and another desktop environment if GNOME is going to continue on its current path. I don't know. But I've tried Debian, and liked it very much. I think the Zorin Group has an unique opportunity to pivot from GNOME to something else altogether. I hope they make the right choice, whatever that is.
I'm not currently on Zorin, so I can't compare the software updater right this minute. However, having to look at every individual package's changelog is not the same as a large, clear notice. You'll note that the issue listed is in pipewire in my screenshot. I haven't selected pipewire or any other package. This isn't a changelog at all; it's a big warning that there's an issue upstream, complete with status, issued by Nobara's dev. What it sounds like you're describing are standard change notes, which wouldn't catch the problem above at all, because there's no issue with the package; the issue is with the repos as Fedora configured them.
Likewise, the problem I mentioned when Zorin moved to 6.8 wasn't going to be in kernel update notes or driver update notes.
I've also been thinking just now of the ever increasing demand for faster kernels which are aimed at "the latest and greatest hardware". Perhaps that is my problem. Icve had my current motherboard for quite a number of years now and don't want to upgrade for the sake of it. My hat goes off to those distributions still supporting 32-bit machines in preventing e-waste. Then in addition to this there is the ever growing demand for more energy required for newer equipment. Not all of us use computers for gaming. I can't help but think the kernel is now being driven by hardware being developed for that other OS, a case of keeping up with the Jones's. nVidia CEO is just as bad blaming EU and UK not investing/upgrading graphics. Whatever happened to ”GNU/Linux. Breathing new life into old machines."?
[32-bit distributions:
Alpine Linux
antiX (no systemd)
Damn Small Linux
Debian
Devuan (no systemd)
MX Linux
NixOS
Porteus
Sparky Linux
Q4OS
(GParted)]
If You should need a newer Kernel, You could add the Debian Backports and install a newer Kernel this Way.
I would support at.
Instead of Plasma they could try Budgie. This is GTK and comes relatively near to the Gnome Look - at least better than Cinnamon. The bad Part of switching the DE would be that all their Efforts in the Zorin Gnome Extensions would evaporate. So, I can understand that they don't want throw away all this.
I totally can understand that perspective if that's what is the case with the Zorin Group, internally. But GNOME has been going in a direction that has increasingly become non-viable, whether or not folks realize it (yet). And the more I learned about GNOME over my year of distrohopping, the less I liked it. Zorin OS would be best served by either going with another desktop environment that's not held by shoestrings or having its own desktop environment (although I know that'd be a big task for the developers currently, given their small size of two people).
I wouldn't be against this. They'd have to do some customization internally to make sure the themes actually make sense from a color perspective. Right now, when switching to non-dark themes, the colors get mixed up some and they don't make sense or make it hard to enjoy the UI and OS (example: leaving the power button symbol blacked out even after switching to a theme and then changing the option to force dark mode; it basically makes it invisible, and that's ridiculous).
No, I don't need a newer kernel. I think newer kernels are for high-end spec gaming machines. I've already solved my PCLOS Debian glitch by dropping to 6.12. I just need to remove 6.13 and prevent it from reinstalling.
The 6.12 kernel and above give AMD users a big boost, it's a shame some distro's are behind. LTS (long term support) is also aimed for server usage.
Now i don't say a rolling release is the best, it can break. But reading this forum, pop os on reddit and ubuntu forums LTS based distro's can break too. So in the end why stick with a LTS based system if the stuff can break in a "stable" "outdated" system ? I have endeavour os running on 2 of my systems, there is not a single update i miss and my systems runs very fast and stable!.
In the past I reported on the forum that kernel 6.8 was lagging the system alot. I installed the pop! os kernel (6.9.xxxx) to fix it. If i use Zorin os i expect a fix from the zorin team. But they keep relying on that old 6.8 kernel which most new users (gamers) can have issues with.
Kernel 6.8.x + nvidia drivers under 555 has lag issues alot in wayland. Upgrading to a higher kernel will fix it. My acer notebook runs the 570 driver with kernel 6.13.7 and wayland and really has not a single issue. Just saying, old software is not always good.
The ZorinGroup has acknowledged many times that sometimes a newer kernel is needed than the base Ubuntu supplies.
In fact, this led to the oft-misunderstood statement about Zorin OS coming with an equal kernel to a higher Ubuntu base.
Feedback like @Michel's or @Omnimaxus are important so that the ZorinGroup knows what to look at and consider.
So, too, we cannot assume a higher kernel is always better - as this can often make things worse.
I often compare the kernel to a large mass of hardware drivers. But in reality, the kernel is much, much more than that.
Since i have endeavouros installed on both of my systems i did not even touch my main notebook where Pop! OS is installed on for gaming. The notebook i used the most now is over 13 years old and it's running very fast and very stable. I got hooked behind that notebook because of all the options i got to customize and i love to play around with it. In gnome i can't even do that...
That said, if a 13 years old notebook has zero issues with Kernel 6.13.x with a old ATI card installed....i would not even see a problem for all other users with better hardware.
I disagree, I don't think they should switch from Gnome DE. I find the look and feel of Gnome much more appealing than Plasma, or other DEs. It's a big part of what makes Zorin attractive. Also there is the look of applications to consider, there are many apps that use GTK, and together with Gnome they make for a more visually unfied experience, which is one of the things that made me favor Linux over Windows. Gnome also looks to be less cluttered than KDE.
