The topic Zorin OS finally showed me why some people leave Windows behind is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
I’ve been using Windows for many years now, but I wasn’t too sure about installing it on my main computer. So I decided to install Zorin OS as my first Linux distro on a 16-year-old HDD instead. I have to admit that the experience has been better than I expected, and the more I use it, the more I like it. I realized the Zorin OS gave me enough of the things I was looking for to keep using it instead of going back to Windows. The differences I found were enough to keep me interested for now.
The first thing I got into when I tried Zorin OS for the first time was customization. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on all these customization options. I went to:
After that, I chose a nice background to give it my own personal touch.
After that, I went to Zorin Appearance and changed the desktop layout. I wanted to leave my Windows comfort zone and went with a layout where my apps would be centered. I can choose from four styles in the Zorin OS Core, but there are more on Zorin OS Pro.
I also made some changes to the clock so now I can see the weekday, month, date, time, and seconds. These may sound like small changes, but as a longtime Windows user trying Linux for the first time, they made Zorin OS feel a lot less intimidating. This is just the tip of the beginning when it comes to customization, but it was enough to make Zorin OS feel like something I could actually make my own.
The speed in Zorin OS has felt surprisingly great, especially since I’m running it on a 16-year-old Samsung HDD, so I expected things to feel slower than usual. Instead, everything felt smoother than I expected when I used it for everyday tasks. Everything went smoothly while doing basic tasks like browsing, updating tasks, and photo editing.
I really felt the speed difference when I tried GIMP on Zorin OS. On my Windows 11 Pro laptop, which has an Intel Core i9 and a 4K display, naming a file was painfully slow. I didn’t time it, but it took too long for something as basic as file naming. When I named a file in GIMP using Zorin OS, the process was instant. After using Zorin OS for a while, I started thinking more seriously about using Linux more often.
Chrome has also felt smooth so far, and I haven’t experienced anything freezing on me on Zorin yet. Hopefully, everything will keep going great as I install more apps and see how far I can push Zorin OS. This gave Linux some extra points because if it had been slow, then there’s a good chance I would’ve bailed on it.
One of the first things I was worried about was whether I could still use my apps on Linux. I knew I could swap Microsoft Word for LibreOffice, but I’ve already created my library of docs in Word.
I didn’t have to switch after all, since I just decided to access my docs in Word using Chrome. Once that happened, I felt relieved that the possibility of having to go through a transfer process was gone. I signed in to my Microsoft account, and I saw all my files. It may not be as fast as having the app on the taskbar, but it’s a workaround I’m willing to use. After this, Zorin OS kept feeling like an option without having to go cold turkey on Windows 11.
A Windows user could argue the point of setting up your world on Linux when you have everything set up in Windows. You have certain apps installed and pinned to your taskbar, which saves you from remembering yet another username and password. That click gives you instant access to what you need.
That convenience saves you from having to get those login details you’re going to need to use the web version of the app if you can’t use the exact one on Zorin OS.
Just because I have everything set up in Windows, that doesn´t mean I can’t slowly move everything over, little by little. Of course, it’s going to sound overwhelming if I try to do it all at once.
However, during the time I’ve been using Zorin, I’ve gotten along just fine in using multiple apps by using the browser version. I haven’t decided to leave Windows 11 because of all the features I’ve come to like in Zorin OS, but they have been more than enough to keep me coming back. Plus, I can’t ignore all the benefits I’ve experienced on Zorin OS, such as the speed and customization. I may not use all the options regularly, but it’s nice to know they are there.
I’m not saying I’m leaving Windows any time soon, but from what I’ve been able to enjoy in Zorin OS, you can bet that I’m going to use it a lot more. I knew I could enjoy more customization features on Zorin from what I’ve read. But there’s nothing like a firsthand experience to really give you the details you can get when reading.
The customization feature that is currently my favorite is choosing from different desktop layouts. So if I ever get bored with one, I know I can switch to another.