Subject header says it all. Zorin OS 17 Pro is the Windows 2000 Professional of Linux. Matter of fact, I'd go as far as saying that Zorin OS is the Linux equivalent of Windows 2000. Like how some say Linux Mint is like Windows 7 or XP, even.
Your thoughts?
Hmm ... I mean this ''is like ...'' is simply a Try to Categorize it. I don't know if this is neccesary. Linux isn't Windows. So it must not be like Windows.
Yes, you can duscuss what would be a good first Distro and Desktop Environment (That's important too I think) for the first Steps on Linux. And there are Configurations that can make a Change/Transition easier because of Layout and Usage.
For that I think Zorin is as good as a Choice for that like Linux Mint. It depends if someone prefer then the Cinnamon Desktop or the configured Zorin Gnome Desktop.
I consider Win Pro 2000 on the NT Kernel to be Microsofts best Windows OS Edition. So I see your comparison as a compliment. 
There are also aesthetic similarities between Zorin OS and Windows 2000.
If one studies both pictures for a moment, the comparison becomes apt, I think.
Would be great if the Zorin Group sticks with this overall design in the future.
Windows 2000 was my dream, but I was too young at the time and PCs were too expensive to afford it. Later I used XP in classic mode.
There is no doubt that Zorin OS pays homage to the former Windows design, but it is not plagiarism. That's because it's what Microsoft abandoned.
Classic mode on XP was my preference as well. 
When I first started with Linux I read a lot about how Mint was made to be that way, familiar to those coming from Windows... But I think ZorinOS is one of the very few distributions that has actually done that.
Maybe in the past it wasn't this way? Mint feels more like XP to me, whereas ZorinOS is more like Windows 7.
And what exactly is the Similarity? Taskbar and Startmenu(-Button)? That You have on KDE or Cinnamon DE too. That is not a Zorin-own Thing. They individually customize it, yes.
The default UI of Zorin OS would be a reference to Windows 10, though it is easy to switch to Windows Classic-like.
But this Layout is on MATE or xfce too, or not?
