Zorin 15.x is based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS which has reached end of life for security updates on 31 May 2023. When will the direct upgrade option for Zorin 15.x be available?
The lack of any news from the team is a cause of grave concern for users who have committed to Zorin 15.x and made numerous customisations. Specifically, it would be good to know if the team has abandoned the direct upgrade option for Zorin 15.x.
Looking forward, this does cause further concern for the direct upgrade option for Zorin 16.x whose end of life is April 2025, less than two years away. Will users who have committed to Zorin 16 be left in the lurch as Zorin 15 users are now?
Many thanks for the news, Hackets. The Zorin team originally promised, in no uncertain terms, that there will be a direct upgrade option for 15-to-16 and that this was in final testing in Q1 2023. Now it appears we will have to wait for 15-to-17, with the 15-to-16 direct upgrade unceremoniously dropped, it seems, without even a peek from the Zorin team.
I have lost all confidence in the Zorin team for providing a direct upgrade path for Zorin 15 users given their track record of slipping and the ample opportunities to keep the community updated. I would also question their capability to provide an upgrade path for Zorin 16 users to Zorin 17 and higher from this track record.
The team needs to provide better communication with their community on the goings-on, even if they have run up against some challenges, and what their plans are. The lack of information and communication does not inspire confidence.
If anything, it may encourage users to move to another distribution that has a stronger track record of seamless upgrades which practically all other major distributions provide without exception and without exceeding the EOL support dates. I count myself among these and will seriously consider moving on if we don't hear from them in a few weeks.
I am not sure what counts as "Official". During the development of Zorin 15 and 16, the ZorinGroup needed to restructure and prioritize several things including the Direct Upgrade option. We know of this due to the ZorinGroup having notified us.
But if not everyone saw or knew of that; then that series of notification was not effective.
I agree with much of what you say here. Some of these, I have been just as critical (dare I say harsh) in addressing the ZorinGroup on these questions directly.
To the point that I often crack that I am sure the ZorinGroup has a dartboard in their office with my face on it.
They have stated clearly that they are painfully aware of the disparity in releasing DirectUpgrade path and the time it is taking. While Pop_OS and Ubuntu lack a Pro Version, Zorin OS does have one. ZorinGroup does not create the Zorin OS Distro as a side project or hobby. This is their Full Time employment.
And this factor increases the complexity of the task.
In spite of this, the ZorinGroup has retained my confidence not by the things they have said, but the results that they produce. orin 15 reflected how feedback was listened to and introduced new things. Zorin 16 went above and beyond... I can honestly say that Z16 blew me away.
I am, however, going to link your post directly as it bears reading.
I understand the Zorin team is committed to the product - I don't have any concerns with that. What I do have a concern with, regardless of their commitment, is their communication with the community and by that, I mean just the occasional, simple posting especially on important matters such as 18.04 LTS end of support impact on current users.
The part in my other posting regarding "official" posting was in relation to the response by Rolltide101x that Zorin 15.x will continue to be supported by Zorin until the EOL date April 2028 for 18.04 LTS. At present, I don't know if I am receiving any core or security updates for my Zorin 15 installation, and the extent to which my installation is vulnerable or not vulnerable, as the case might be.
If there is no extended support for core and security updates until April 2028 or until the (now) Zorin 17 direct upgrade, whichever comes first, then I would have significant concerns with continuing to use Zorin 15, as anyone would. This IMO is a sufficiently important matter for the Zorin team to make the occasional posting.
As I noted, this does not inspire confidence for the Zorin 15-to-17 direct upgrade. This may slip, as it did with the much-touted 15-to-16 direct upgrade, and may likely be managed in the same way - with silence. And will we then be greeted by a comment that we will then need to wait for the Zorin 15-to-18 direct upgrade and so on?
A little tongue in cheek I know but you get my meaning.
I do get your meaning and I can Officially state that the Security Updates for Zorin OS are on the same scheduling as they are with Ubuntu. Zorin OS does not cut off the updates prior to the bases EOL.
I make Linux themes. Though I just updated one yesterday, I have not made a new on in a while. I do not have a set Deadline to produce any.
When I make one, I announce it. But I have also learned (the hard way) to not announce an upcoming theme until I am ready to release it.
A good example would be the Macchiato theme, which to this day; I am still struggling to get working properly due to its rather unusual set up.
The ZorinGroup is no different in a certain regard on this: They want the Full Confidence that their product will work stably and reliably.
That being said...
I can say with full confidence that the ZorinGroup has diligently been working on the Direct Upgrade path for Zorin OS with high priority and I have full confidence that all users will enjoy the fruit of that labor before very long.