I am a certified Zorin newbie who somehow managed to successfully install 18.1 Pro on my Asus laptop but: (1) there is no "caps lock" lite on the keyboard so hopefully there is a Linux software solution to display its status (2) the initial desktop installed apparently contains very few helpful icons/buttons so the only method to power down is pressing the power on/off button. Will the GUI provide a better way to either: (a) - sleep (b) - restart (c) - shutdown ? (3) Github is often mentioned online for software solutions but appears to be a site only for developers (I think). If true, are only source code solutions available for the rest of us ? If so, does that mean that the source must be first downloaded and then compiled to executable fmt ?
Thanx.
Bewildered Bob
ps: which online tutorial is recommended to provide needed basic stuff to use Zorin effectively ?
In the Zorin start menu you find the buttons for shutdown and others, and also in the quick settings of the Zorin taskbar (e.g. click on the speaker).
You can also take a look at the keyboard shortcuts in the settings app. There you can see which shortcuts are set by default or you can use own ones.
I haven't used Zorin since I accidentally wrote over my Zorin 15 installation, only VMs in order to author the Unofficial Manual for Core versions of 17 and 18 (and 12 and 15 before that).
Core is basically the same as Pro, it just doesn't have the extra Siloftware and Zorin Appearance themes.
That depends on the Project. Some offer .deb Files, AppImages or Flatpaks and Snaps. But yes, there are Projects where You have to compile the Program by Yourself. Normally there should be Instructions offered there.
And then You can find the Option where You have to download the Github Content and use an Install Script what You execute and then the Program gets installed.
If I understood your message correctly you wanted to press the power button in order to shutdown or see other options. You can do that by going into settings -> Power -> Power button behaviour at the bottom of the page.
If that's what you wanted then... enjoy~!
Also you can press SUPER (meaning, Windows key) to shutdown, sleep, and other stuff too.
Welcome. Could you provide a screenshot of your desktop ? What kind of "layout", apparence have you chosen?
The Default one provides Zorin menu where you could find needed buttons ...
But i guess, you also could have a look of the "Gnome Desktop paradigm" - this is the desktop used by Zorin but they "costumed" it to look a bit like "Windows". This desktop use extensions to change this look and feel. Zorin provides some of them and you can activate in "Zorin Apparence" or install "Extensions" from software manager - but if you're new in GNU / Linux, use it with CAUTION !!!
Unfortunately SUPER key does not provide any of those options for me. Instead the desktop shrinks in size and a "search bar" appears at top. What am I doing wrong ? Thanx
Looks like you using the default "Gnome desktop" proposed in Zorin Apparence, isn't it ?? Go to Zorin Apparence and choose another one (with task bar etc)
You're not doing anything wrong, This is actually a feature inspired by MacOS' Mission Control called "Activities Overview" but it basically works 1-1 like Windows.
All you have to do is press Super and start typing.
To do "shutdown, sleep and other stuff too" you just write "shutdown", or "sleep" as if its an application that you're searching for.
(btw searching for files actually works on Linux lol)
If you wanna have Super do the start button windows thingy you can open Zorin Appearence -> Interface -> Left Super Key -> Zorin Menu
On the old forum I posted about how it was possible to create and put a power button on the desktop, and it worked. Not sure if it would work now though!
Or - if it is too complicated for you to create an own launcher and you want a faster access to the shutdown menu, you can use a gnome extension to put a shutdown button to the taskbar/topbar.
To do this, nstall the gnome extension manager
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager
then open it and go to tab browse to search for the extension and install it.
Zorin 17 users can use this gnome extension instead, the other ones are not supported on Zorin 17:
In the extension's settings you can disable everything except the Power Menu and then in the normal taskbar settings at tab position move the right box to a position you like.
It appears that my initial install of 18.1 Pro may not have included a launcher since I can see the contents of Main Menu but cannot "run" any of the items shown. But this omission does not make sense since a launcher is obviously needed. There is an option to install Pandora Launcher but the result is definitely not for a newbie like me. Isn't there an EZ way to install a functional Zorin OS that can be used to learn more abt it? Thanx.
I'll say, try it again in live usb and try to mange, change, set Zorin as much as you can. Take some notes. It is very safe way to try it out. Or, you could install Zorin in Virtualbox or Virt-manager (virtualisation) - but this is not the beginner's way.
When you first start Zorin, you should have a classic task bar, desktop, launcher ...
You are talking about "main menu". In that menu you can edit launchers, but not run them. But you can run the launchers from the zorin menu (Z icon) or the app grid or taskbar.
Can you perhaps post a screenshot of your desktop with the menu which doesn't work?
