Live data from Hacker News

Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

techrepublic.com

21–30 of 60 posts

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#21

> Since it's based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 ...ok, can someone explain why anyone should bother with this when Ubuntu 20.04.3 already exists? What does it do so much differently that makes it "fun, productive, and rock solid"? As far as I can tell from this marketing copy, it's just Ubuntu with specific set of preinstalled packages and maybe a special theme. Honestly, there are so many of these "OS"s that I kinda want to ju…

The ultimate explanation is that none of these distros are necessarily competing with one another. I use Ubuntu on my media server, Arch on my desktop, Debian in my cloud instances, BSD on my router and I play with NixOS on my dev machine. You could argue that it doesn't matter since they're all POSIX-based, but typically someone doesn't go through the trouble of releasing their own disk image unless they're doing so…

> but typically someone doesn't go through the trouble of releasing their own disk image unless they're doing something novel.

That's what I'm saying though, what is novel about this? So novel that it made sense to make a new distribution for it?

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#22

> Since it's based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 ...ok, can someone explain why anyone should bother with this when Ubuntu 20.04.3 already exists? What does it do so much differently that makes it "fun, productive, and rock solid"? As far as I can tell from this marketing copy, it's just Ubuntu with specific set of preinstalled packages and maybe a special theme. Honestly, there are so many of these "OS"s that I kinda want to ju…

Please do that. It would be incredible.

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#23
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they? What does "fun" mean here? "Beautiful"? "Easy to use"? These are all subjective terms at best. I can call Motif beautiful and no one can say I'm wrong.

Because Motif is objectively beautiful :)

Beautiful is never objective, it is “in the eye of the beholder.”

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#24
post #3

> Since it's based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 ...ok, can someone explain why anyone should bother with this when Ubuntu 20.04.3 already exists? What does it do so much differently that makes it "fun, productive, and rock solid"? As far as I can tell from this marketing copy, it's just Ubuntu with specific set of preinstalled packages and maybe a special theme. Honestly, there are so many of these "OS"s that I kinda want to ju…

Ubuntu is based on Debian, another Linux distro, and was still a huge step forward. Building on the current best in class to create something better sounds like a sensible idea.

I don’t know about that… Recently I installed Ubuntu on a laptop, said “meh” and then replaced it with the stock Debian stable which has been working flawlessly. (Also, I feel like I trust Debian more than Ubuntu, although I’d have hard time explaining exactly why.)

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#25
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ubuntu is based on Debian, another Linux distro, and was still a huge step forward. Building on the current best in class to create something better sounds like a sensible idea.

In what ways? That's all I'm asking. If you build something you think is so different from what it is based on that it deserves to have its own name+OS, then why can't you be bothered to say what it is that makes it different? Instead we get useless words like "fun", "beautiful", and "easy to use".

Debian has a rule that precludes the distribution of non free software by default. They also select older versions of software than you might like due to their release cycle.

That includes stuff like firmware for peripherals. So distributions further down the chain tend to include that stuff, so if you prefer to be on the cutting edge and aren't a purist about your distribution, you pick something else.

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#26
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Zorin is like ChromeOS w/o Google. It's pretty, comes with the stuff you* want, "just works" It's UI is actually quite nice for older users who you don't want on ChromeOS. *You is the "average" normie user, not you (or me) specifically.

> You is the "average" normie user, not you (or me) specifically. Ok, I disagree with this characterization of users, but whatever. Why is it better than stock Ubuntu? What in the hell makes it so special that adding another distro to the 300 already out there seemed like a good idea?

[deleted]

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#27

> Since it's based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 ...ok, can someone explain why anyone should bother with this when Ubuntu 20.04.3 already exists? What does it do so much differently that makes it "fun, productive, and rock solid"? As far as I can tell from this marketing copy, it's just Ubuntu with specific set of preinstalled packages and maybe a special theme. Honestly, there are so many of these "OS"s that I kinda want to ju…

Not everybody wants to setup Ubuntu to be the way ZorinOS comes out of the box?

Surely this concept is not so foreign to you in 2021, after questions like yours have been rehashed on HN thousands of times.

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#28

> Since it's based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 ...ok, can someone explain why anyone should bother with this when Ubuntu 20.04.3 already exists? What does it do so much differently that makes it "fun, productive, and rock solid"? As far as I can tell from this marketing copy, it's just Ubuntu with specific set of preinstalled packages and maybe a special theme. Honestly, there are so many of these "OS"s that I kinda want to ju…

I think Linux users believe they have choice when in actuality its the same shit just repackaged in a different way again and again. Sure there are innovations that happen between distros, with some having novel philosophies, but its not as often as users would like to think

Re: Zorin OS 16 is what a Linux desktop distribution should be

#29
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ubuntu is based on Debian, another Linux distro, and was still a huge step forward. Building on the current best in class to create something better sounds like a sensible idea.

In what ways? That's all I'm asking. If you build something you think is so different from what it is based on that it deserves to have its own name+OS, then why can't you be bothered to say what it is that makes it different? Instead we get useless words like "fun", "beautiful", and "easy to use".

Did you read this article? Or visit ZorinOS’ website?

Or do you somehow believe that only a 5 word motto should explain everything to you?

Post reply on HN