this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I'm using ZorinOS and I really like how simple it is and I want to support the project. If I upgrade to the Pro version then I get more desktop themes/options.
But I understand what you mean. I could just install for example Debian with KDE desktop and have more customizing options for free.
ALL of the listed features from zorin pro have free alternatives, unless you really want microsoft office, screen sharing, adobe premier, etc... just stick with the free version and find free viable alternatives. Libreoffice, kdenlive, etc. How did you land on zorin to begin with? Most new users are recommended to use fedora, ubuntu-gnome, and linux mint. To me, just looking at zorins website they do not share the most basic principles of the linux space (being free and open source). I highly recomend switching, if you could run
This will output the name of your display manager like gnome, kde, etc. The version of zorin you are running is more than certainly using a popular one. Just find a distro that uses the same one. And your user experience will be almost exactly the same. Zorin might have some QOL features but definitely not anything you couldnt implement yourself.
Feel free to reach out here for more help if you run into any brick walls. You already dual booted your pc so i have faith that you have a pretty good grasp on what you are doing. If time is a factor and you just need a distro that "works" stick with what you have, and find FOSS alternatives for zorin. Best of luck
As far as I know Zorin is FOSS, for what it's worth. It's mostly just bundled FOSS software with some slick themes and accessibility features, plus a few in-house system apps which they do seem to provide sources for.
They mention that it's open source on their website but they don't mention FOSS probably because the libre/gratis distinction is confusing for people.
Zorin itself is foss but paying for features like themeing and software Is imo against the spirit of linux, they should, (again imo) release zorin pro as the default and simply accept donations. Like most distro maintainers. Even more frustrating, is the advertised features are just normal features and software readily available for free on other distros being paywalled. Its very likely that a user could get all of the listed features on the free version without paying. I also misread the website, ms office and adobe premier are not even what is included. In fact they do not list the specific names of the alternatives that they use in the pro version. I would bet that the pro version Has all foss software that is being hidden behind the price tag. I will do more quick research and edit this comment if that is the case.
Edit: Yeah i nailed it, its all foss software available through most package managers or flatpak heres a list.
Additional Software Included in Zorin Pro: Office & Productivity:
LibreOffice: A comprehensive office suite compatible with Microsoft Office/365 documents: https://www.libreoffic...
Scribus: A desktop publishing application: https://sourceforge.ne...
Graphics & Multimedia: Krita: A powerful, open-source image editing and painting software: https://krita.org/
Inkscape: A vector graphics editor: https://inkscape.en.so...
Blender: A free and open-source 3D creation suite: https://www.blender.org/%E2%80%8B
GIMP: A free and open-source image manipulation program: https://www.gimp.org/d...%E2%80%8B
Evince: A Gnome document viewer: https://apps.gnome.org...
Foliate: A simple and lightweight e-book reader: https://flathub.org/ap...%E2%80%8B
Kdenlive: A non-linear video editor: https://kdenlive.org/e...%E2%80%8B
FreeCAD: A free and open-source 3D design application: https://www.freecad.or...
LibreCAD: A free and open-source 2D CAD software: https://wiki.librecad....
Darktable: An open-source digital photo management and editing tool: https://www.darktable....
Being able to sell FOSS is one of the freedoms "free software" refers to.
Honestly though I think the thing that struck me the most and I found kind of scummy was their "value statement" where they were advertising the OS by comparing it to the prices of the proprietary software is includes alternatives to. You misreading the website wasn't an accident, they designed it in a deceptive way IMO.
If they were more honest about it, I wouldn't have any problem with them charging for the convenience of having everything pre-bundled. Of course you could set everything up yourself, but Linux is notoriously finnicky. People want a complete experience, they want support. They want the slick branding.
Yeah fully agree, i just wasnt willing to outright call them scummy. If anything the 50$ price tag should drop to ~20$ since the software they are packaging is not even their own work.
I see it as a donation rather than a real "pro" version as a single terminal command can transform "lite" to "pro"