Is LM Gnome losing favouritism from Users for Zorin OS ?

[Jay514]

Is the Linux Mint Gnome Edition losing favouritism from users of the new Zorin Core 4 ?

This Review is for Comparison Only & is only a View of the ever changing Linux Distros Available. It is in no way intended to be derogatory towards Linux Mint,
But hopefully a view of what may be to come from the wonderful world of Linux & what may be in store for the future for Mint Users & Linux Users.
A flame war Here will result in the thread being Locked.Please Do Not Flame.

A lot of the reviews on Youtube & around the Web, point to the New Ubuntu based Zorin Core 4 ( the latest Gnome Release from Zorin OS ) as quote -" Even better than Linux Mint Gnome ".
I checked this out, & even downloaded & ran the new distro from a USB thumbdrive, just for my own curiosity.
Aside from the distro being Ubuntu Based & with GNOME desktop, I do not consider the pre-installed Apps to be of utmost importance ( because any user Can install whichever Apps & or Customise their desktop to their needs & liking ).
However, I do believe that any Distro should include a usable selection of Apps , Preferably highly Rated Apps .( Ex = Web Browser, Picture Program,Office, Ect. )
I think Linux Mint Gnome does this well, & Zorin has even went a step further by including Open Shot Video Editor & VLC Media Player by Default .
These extra default Apps seem well thought out, without being overkill.

This is where Zorin Differs From all other Distros = Zorin has went a step further by including some "Speciality Custom Applications" for installing Web Browsers, Also a Look Changer & an Boot Screen Selector.

All in all I found Zorin Core 4 to be a well planned & thought out release, that preforms better than expected & as well as it looks.

Hopefully Linux Mint will come up with some of these implementations as well & we will continue to rise in the ranks

You can check out the Video Reviews for a more detailed look at the speciality Zorin Apps HERE = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jefw39urklw

Have a Good Day

[hinto]

No, it's just another choice. Most of us here chose Mint over Ubuntu (or Mint and Ubuntu and [insert your distro]) for some reason. There's room for all.
-Hinto

[monkeyboy]

This Review is for Comparison Only & is only a View of the ever changing Linux Distros Available. It is in no way intended to be derogatory towards Linux Mint,

Dude, will you really be surprised if someone takes exception to this?

But hopefully a view of what may be to come from the wonderful world of Linux & what may be in store for the future for Mint Users & Linux Users.

Why would Mint give up on a proven and popular format an ape some other release?

A flame war Here will result in the thread being Locked.Please Do Not Flame.

A lot of the reviews on Youtube & around the Web, point to the New Ubuntu based Zorin Core 4 ( the latest Gnome Release from Zorin OS ) as quote -" Even better than Linux Mint Gnome ".

Those are mostly opinion pieces that fall into the "new and improved" category. The real relevance is a year or so down the road when the new OS smell wears off.

I checked this out, & even downloaded & ran the new distro from a USB thumbdrive, just for my own curiosity.

You distro hopper......umm me too.

Aside from the distro being Ubuntu Based & with GNOME desktop, I do not consider the pre-installed Apps to be of utmost importance ( because any user Can install whichever Apps & or Customise their desktop to their needs & liking ).

You got that right.

However, I do believe that any Distro should include a usable selection of Apps , Preferably highly Rated Apps .( Ex = Web Browser, Picture Program,Office, Ect. )

One mans must have app is another pile of.....stuff.

I think Linux Mint Gnome does this well, & Zorin has even went a step further by including Open Shot Video Editor & VLC Media Player by Default .

Preferences, right?

These extra default Apps seem well thought out, without being overkill.

I am sure the Developers of Zorn have preferences which they expressed in their release. Much like the Developers of Mint have preferences they express in their choice of applications.

This is where Zorin Differs From all other Distros = Zorin has went a step further by including some "Speciality Custom Applications" for installing Web Browsers, Also a Look Changer & an Boot Screen Selector.

Those are mostly just other ways of doing the same things you can do in Mint, already.

All in all I found Zorin Core 4 to be a well planned & thought out release, that preforms better than expected & as well as it looks.

Without loading it onto the HD and living with it for a few months all I can comment on is the look, which is ok.

Hopefully Linux Mint will come up with some of these implementations as well & we will continue to rise in the ranks

I would hope that the Mint developers continue with their own agenda and along the lines that brought us LMDE. However I wish the Zorn developers and users all the best.

[grey1960envoy]

I googled Zorin and am certain it has a place within the Linux crowd (and possibly the windoze camp as well) but I also found that IMHO it does try to look too much like windoze. I'm just not keen on this but I did download it and will give my 2 cents worth when I play with it a little bit tonight when I get home.

[sgosnell]

I think the answer to the question posed in the thread title is "No". I haven't heard a huge sucking sound caused by Mint users rushing to Zorn, and in fact I have never heard of it. And I have no interest in it. That may change sometime in the future, but asking leading questions isn't the most productive way to go about things (sort of like what Faux Noise does every day), and Zorn is far too new to even be asking the question in any case. If you like it, run it. If you have an interest in promoting it, disclose it.

[grey1960envoy]

I started it with my trusty USB and found there are a few things I liked right off like the text to speech and some of the other included programs/apps BUT I felt like I was using a M$ system ( just waiting for the BSOD). I think I'll load it onto a friend's computer that needs work and go from there. I doubt if I'll stick with it as I don't care for the thoughts of running this close to a windoze wannabe .

[craig10x]

By the way..just to note...Mint does come installed with vlc media player, i use it quite often to play videos on my computer because i think it works better then totem and mplayer...has better video quality also...

I checked out Zorin..it does have some nice features, but the menu panel emulates either Windows 7 or XP...i think this is done to give people coming from windows, a familar feeling...and compiz is already turned out with some effects...but of course, you can do that in mint also...

I like Mint's menu better then their Windows 7 style one anyway...and it had some things on it i would probably never use anyway..
So, i think it is a very nice ubuntu spin-off...but i still would prefer to run Mint...it (IMHO) is nicer the Zorin to me as far as using as my main system...I did like it better then PinGuy, though...

And the LMDE version of Mint is much more innovative then Zorin...and gets one away from ubuntu base and into a rolling distro...so i would say, overall Mint is much more innovative then Zorin and is going in better directions...

Mint (main edition) is also quite easy for someone coming from windows to adopt to as well...so other then the windows style menu Zorin has, i don't think it really beats Mint in that area either...

[hinto]

The cool thing about Debian/Ubuntu distros is that when you choose Debian/Ubuntu you can make any Debian/Ubuntu distro look like any other Debian/Ubuntu.
Debian/Ubuntu basically provides one-stop shopping with deb mirrors.
The thing that really sets distros apart is boot time/services that are set up and any other custom configuration applications that come with the app. (although some have custom kernels, but those are debs now, too). The main thing, tho that sets a distro appart IMHO, is the forum/irc chatter. I've found that Mint's forum/irc is one of the most friendly and helpful in a world where Debian had the reputation of being one of the most stilted distros.

-Hinto

[Dracirate]

The only thing i like from zorin is the wallpaper

[Elisa]

It's funny that it's not possible to download the classic 32b iso image, just the educational
But still haven't time to test even the educational. But I suppose, any activity, to kick to Win balls, can be useful, now or later...

[Jay514]

Interesting Views.
I think some of you guys misunderstood, that I was promoting another distro or that I was trying to send users towards this new distro.
My intentions are & or were neither. I was simply quoting what I had seen in the video review, which is the topic of the post, & I was curious enough myself, that I took a look at their implementations. I did not say I was giving up Mint, nor do I plan to do so.I was comparing the new features & supposed that it would be cool if we had a few of them as well.
I really like KDE & LXDE desktops as well but I use & have tried many. I am not so much of a Distro Hopper as I am an Distro Player. I like to check them out & see what I like about them, weighing out the differences . The desktop managers (DE's) are what I find most interesting.
And No, I do not think that Zorin looks like Win, Although the Distro does have a few similar features.
If you want Any Gnome Desktop to Look like Win7 there is a package @ gnomelook.org that is strikingly similar called ( Win2-7Pack_v6.2 ).
I have also used that on a Gnome Mint install for a few friends who were MS fans, Just to show them that the Linux Desktop can do the same as Win, Even Better .

Thanks for the input , Have a Good Day

[Jay514]

For anyone curious about the Win2-7 pack @ Gnome Look.org there are some screen shots where I tested the package on Zorin4_x64 Here =

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jay514/

The results should same for any Gnome, & or Mint/Gnome,
Have a Good Day

[grey1960envoy]

@ Jay514

I will say this is an interesting OS for someone switching from M$ as they would feel right at home We need to improve on it a bit however . My friend's computer worked flawlessly with it but my friend asked me " So where is the NEW OS?" He actually didn't notice any real difference except the computer didn't crash when he went online to watch some Youtube !!!

[Jay514]

Thats Groovy.
It worked Very well with my tests & integrates nicely with the defaults that were pre-installed with Zorin. The only issue I found was setting the Emerald Theme Manager to the correct settings, Before I done that, It did not look as good as afterwards. Basically you have to go to the menu (after win2-7 pack installs & you have breadcrums set up ) then find the Compuiz Emerald Icon, Load it to the SYS tray, then config the Manager, set to emerald, Reload. Also if you Manually set the Menu & Taskbar Color themes previously, it all seems to work better together.
So far the persistence usb install I tested looks the closest to the real thing IMHO, & I have seen a lot of XP Packs, Ect. for Linux that did not work as well or preform as expected. Anyway I like it & will show all of my friends what Linux Can Do Better,
Rock On

[Aging Technogeek]

I tried Zorin, in fact, I tried it, did not care for it, and later gave it a second chance. I still have it installed in Virtualbox and play with it from time to time, but it just does not impress me as an improvement over existing Debian/Ubuntu based OS, especially Mint. To me, it feels too bloated with everything imaginable loaded by default.

I hav etried quite a few OS derived from Ubuntu and/or Debian and, for the most part, I prefer the lighter distros - Crunchbang, Peppermint, and a new one I just found, Saline OS (Debian stable base with Xfce desktop).

Mint will stay as my primary OS for the foreseeable future, but it is good to keep up with what's new out there.

[ibm450]

installed it and love it, and to be honest, who cares if it has a little to much windows feel to it, i found the lay out alot more functional and practical

it feels so much more responsive then mint gnome, dont know why, it just does.

is this distro (zorin) tweaked up or is it in default 10.10 make up with all of the extra eye candy installed?

this has become my 3rd personal favorite distro of choice and have installed it on my laptop and main home desktop pc (removed LMDE off both machines in place of this)

LM9 KDE
LM10
ZORINOS

[grey1960envoy]

I tried Zorin, in fact, I tried it, did not care for it, and later gave it a second chance. I still have it installed in Virtualbox and play with it from time to time, but it just does not impress me as an improvement over existing Debian/Ubuntu based OS, especially Mint. To me, it feels too bloated with everything imaginable loaded by default.

Bloated is exactly the thing I found with it as well.

I hav etried quite a few OS derived from Ubuntu and/or Debian and, for the most part, I prefer the lighter distros - Crunchbang, Peppermint, and a new one I just found, Saline OS (Debian stable base with Xfce desktop).

Thank you for a new OS to check out

Mint will stay as my primary OS for the foreseeable future, but it is good to keep up with what's new out there.

I see me using LMDE for the present and near future but there are always possibilities

[andrew5859]

I was just checking out the website for Zorin......it's not all that appealing. I've been using Mint 9 KDE for about a year now, I've become very comfortable with it and its ease of use and functionality.....mind you, I have a dual boot system with Windows 7 on the other side and rarely use it. I've been a Windows person since the times of WFW 3.11 and progressed through the ranks of it ascension through now. Granted, Windows is nice, but there are still to many flaws and vulnerabilities with its coding....in some cases, to much bloat and garbage that slow its overall function and stability. With Mint, you don't have that. Zorin just presents to much of what I don't like about Windows....to much clutter.

Just putting in my opinion....stick to what you know works best, to me, that's LM. To Boo and Clem....my hats off to you, keep up the great work....cheers

Andrew

[helterskelter]

ITS LINUX! -by Windows users.

I was unimpressed by the apparent lack of reference to its Linux roots,yes there is a small mention of LInux but its as if they wanted to avoid mentioning Linux.

But YES it is LINUX,as is MINT,Ubuntu,Mepis,PClinuxOS,Debian,Red Hat.etc.etc.

Hands up who thinks Mepis is losing favouritism (sic) from Users of PCLinuxOS,or is Ubuntu losing favouritism from users of Mint.

It doesnt matter.

What DOES matter is Windows losing favouritism from users of LINUX.

eddie

[Jay514]

You do have a good point there Helterskelter. I guess if we can get all the MS fans to check out any Linux Distro & show the distros to others , we can make more Linux Converts