From Windows to Freedom: How Zorin OS Eases the Transition to Linux

Linux Journal
2 months 1 week ago
by George Whittaker

In today's digital landscape, where privacy, customization, and performance are paramount, many Windows users are exploring alternatives. Linux, long regarded as a powerful yet complex option, has matured into a user-friendly ecosystem. However, the switch from Windows to Linux can still seem daunting. That's where Zorin OS comes into play—a Linux distribution meticulously designed to simplify this migration and empower users to take control of their computing experience.

The Windows-to-Linux Migration Challenge

For decades, Windows has been the default operating system for millions. Familiarity with its interface, applications, and workflow creates a comfort zone that's hard to leave. However, concerns about:

  • Privacy and data collection

  • System bloat

  • Forced updates

  • Licensing costs

have pushed users to consider alternatives like Linux.

The challenge? Linux can feel alien. Terminology, desktop environments, file systems, and software management differ significantly from Windows. Many distributions, while powerful, don't prioritize a gentle learning curve for Windows converts. This is precisely the problem Zorin OS aims to solve.

What Sets Zorin OS Apart?

Founded in 2008 by the Zorin brothers, Zorin OS was created with one mission: to make Linux accessible to everyone, especially Windows refugees. Unlike general-purpose distributions, Zorin OS focuses on:

  • Familiarity: Replicating the feel of Windows

  • Ease of use: Minimizing reliance on the terminal

  • Polish: Delivering a cohesive, attractive, and stable experience

Zorin OS 17.3, the latest stable release as of June 2025, represents the most refined iteration of this vision yet.

Zorin OS 17.3 Features That Simplify Migration A Windows-Like Desktop, Out of the Box

Zorin OS 17.3 ships with a default layout that feels instantly familiar to Windows 10 and 11 users. From the bottom taskbar to the start-menu-style launcher, even the system tray icons and window controls mimic what Windows users expect.

The result?

  • Users spend less time figuring out "where things are."

  • The psychological barrier of switching is dramatically lowered.

Zorin Appearance: Customize with a Click

Want your system to look more like macOS? Or classic Windows 7? Zorin OS 17.3's Appearance app lets you change the entire desktop layout and theme with a single click. No tinkering with config files, no additional extensions—just straightforward personalization.

This tool:

  • Helps users ease into Linux at their own pace

Go to Full Article
George Whittaker

[Stable Update] 2025-06-23 - Kernels, KDE, NVIDIA, Pamac, Wine, VirtualBox, PipeWire, Qt6

Manjaro Linux
2 months 1 week ago

Hello community, here we have another set of package updates. This also might mark the end of updates to the Manjaro Zeta 25.0 series …

Current Promotions
  • Find out all about our current Gaming Laptop the Hero with Manjaro pre-installed from Spain!
  • Protect your personal data, keep yourself safe with Surfshark VPN: See current promotion
Recent News Valkey to replace Redis in the [extra] Repository (click for more details) Previous News Finding information easier about Manjaro (click for more details) Notable Package Updates Additional Info Python 3.13 info (click for more details) Info about AUR packages (click for more details)

Get our latest daily developer images now from Github: Plasma, GNOME, XFCE. You can get the latest stable releases of Manjaro from CDN77.

Our current supported kernels
  • linux54 5.4.295
  • linux510 5.10.237
  • linux515 5.15.185
  • linux61 6.1.141
  • linux66 6.6.94
  • linux612 6.12.34
  • linux615 6.15.3
  • linux616 6.16.0-rc3
  • linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51
  • linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54
  • linux612-rt 6.12.28_rt10
  • linux613-rt 6.13_rt5
  • linux614-rt 6.14.0_rt3
  • linux615-rt 6.15.0_rt2

Package Changes (Fri Jun 20 09:13:26 CEST 2025)

  • stable core x86_64: 86 new and 86 removed package(s)
  • stable extra x86_64: 4310 new and 4406 removed package(s)
  • stable multilib x86_64: 52 new and 55 removed package(s)

A list of all package changes can be found here.

Click to view the poll.

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philm

linux-firmware >= 20250613.12fe085f-5 upgrade requires manual intervention

Arch Linux
2 months 1 week ago

With 20250613.12fe085f-5, we split our firmware into several vendor-focused packages. linux-firmware is now an empty package depending on our default set of firmware.

Unfortunately, this coincided with upstream reorganizing the symlink layout of the NVIDIA firmware, resulting in a situation that Pacman cannot handle. When attempting to upgrade from 20250508.788aadc8-2 or earlier, you will see the following errors:

linux-firmware-nvidia: /usr/lib/firmware/nvidia/ad103 exists in filesystem linux-firmware-nvidia: /usr/lib/firmware/nvidia/ad104 exists in filesystem linux-firmware-nvidia: /usr/lib/firmware/nvidia/ad106 exists in filesystem linux-firmware-nvidia: /usr/lib/firmware/nvidia/ad107 exists in filesystem

To progress with the system upgrade, first remove linux-firmware, then reinstall it as part of the upgrade:

# pacman -Rdd linux-firmware # pacman -Syu linux-firmware
Jan Alexander Steffens

[Testing Update] 2025-06-20 - Kernels, Mesa, Steam, OpenGamepadUI, ZFS

Manjaro Linux
2 months 2 weeks ago

Hello community, here we have another set of package updates.

Current Promotions
  • Find out all about our current Gaming Laptop the Hero with Manjaro pre-installed from Spain!
  • Protect your personal data, keep yourself safe with Surfshark VPN: See current promotion
Recent News Valkey to replace Redis in the [extra] Repository (click for more details) Previous News Finding information easier about Manjaro (click for more details) Notable Package Updates Additional Info Python 3.13 info (click for more details) Info about AUR packages (click for more details)

Get our latest daily developer images now from Github: Plasma, GNOME, XFCE. You can get the latest stable releases of Manjaro from CDN77.

Our current supported kernels
  • linux54 5.4.295
  • linux510 5.10.237
  • linux515 5.15.185
  • linux61 6.1.141
  • linux66 6.6.93
  • linux612 6.12.33
  • linux615 6.15.2
  • linux616 6.16.0-rc2
  • linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51
  • linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54
  • linux612-rt 6.12.28_rt10
  • linux613-rt 6.13_rt5
  • linux614-rt 6.14.0_rt3
  • linux615-rt 6.15.0_rt2

Package Changes (Fri Jun 20 09:13:26 CEST 2025)

  • testing core x86_64: 13 new and 15 removed package(s)
  • testing extra x86_64: 140 new and 152 removed package(s)
  • testing multilib x86_64: 13 new and 13 removed package(s)
:: Different overlay package(s) in repository core x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- linux-headers-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51-2 6.1.141_rt52-1 linux61-rt-headers 6.1.134_rt51-2 6.1.141_rt52-1 linux612 6.12.33-1 6.12.34-1 linux612-headers 6.12.33-1 6.12.34-1 linux614 6.14.11-1 - linux614-headers 6.14.11-1 - linux615 6.15.2-2 6.15.3-1 linux615-headers 6.15.2-2 6.15.3-1 linux66 6.6.93-1 6.6.94-1 linux66-headers 6.6.93-1 6.6.94-1 linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54-2 6.6.93_rt55-1 linux66-rt-headers 6.6.87_rt54-2 6.6.93_rt55-1 :: Different sync package(s) in repository core x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- libnghttp2 1.65.0-1 1.66.0-1 :: Different overlay package(s) in repository extra x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- inputplumber-git 0.58.6.r1.g6927752-1 0.58.7.r0.g33fb129-1 linux-acpi_call-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-bbswitch-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-broadcom-wl-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-nvidia-390xx-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-nvidia-470xx-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-nvidia-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-nvidia-open-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-r8168-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-rtl8723bu-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-tp_smapi-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-vhba-module-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-virtualbox-host-modules-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux-zfs-meta 6.14-1 6.15-1 linux510-zfs 2.3.2-1 2.3.3-1 linux515-zfs 2.3.2-5 2.3.3-1 linux54-zfs 2.3.2-2 2.3.3-1 linux61-rt-acpi_call 1.2.2-45 1.2.2-46 linux61-rt-bbswitch 0.8-44 0.8-45 linux61-rt-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-44 6.30.223.271-45 linux61-rt-nvidia-390xx 390.157-44 390.157-45 linux61-rt-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-23 470.256.02-24 linux61-rt-nvidia 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux61-rt-nvidia-open 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux61-rt-r8168 8.055.00-6 8.055.00-7 linux61-rt-rtl8723bu 20240303-27 20240303-28 linux61-rt-tp_smapi 0.44-38 0.44-39 linux61-rt-vhba-module 20250329-3 20250329-4 linux61-rt-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-1 7.1.10-2 linux61-zfs 2.3.2-6 2.3.3-1 linux612-acpi_call 1.2.2-56 1.2.2-57 linux612-bbswitch 0.8-54 0.8-55 linux612-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-55 6.30.223.271-56 linux612-nvidia-390xx 390.157-56 390.157-57 linux612-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-56 470.256.02-57 linux612-nvidia 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux612-nvidia-open 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux612-r8168 8.055.00-34 8.055.00-35 linux612-rtl8723bu 20240303-55 20240303-56 linux612-tp_smapi 0.44-54 0.44-55 linux612-vhba-module 20250329-17 20250329-18 linux612-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-3 7.1.10-4 linux612-zfs 2.3.2-8 2.3.3-1 linux614-acpi_call 1.2.2-24 - linux614-bbswitch 0.8-24 - linux614-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-24 - linux614-nvidia-390xx 390.157-23 - linux614-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-23 - linux614-nvidia 575.64-1 - linux614-nvidia-open 575.64-1 - linux614-r8168 8.055.00-24 - linux614-rtl8723bu 20240303-24 - linux614-tp_smapi 0.44-24 - linux614-vhba-module 20250329-22 - linux614-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-3 - linux614-zfs 2.3.2-11 - linux615-acpi_call 1.2.2-4 1.2.2-5 linux615-bbswitch 0.8-4 0.8-5 linux615-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-3 6.30.223.271-4 linux615-nvidia-390xx 390.157-4 390.157-5 linux615-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-4 470.256.02-5 linux615-nvidia 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux615-nvidia-open 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux615-r8168 8.055.00-4 8.055.00-5 linux615-rtl8723bu 20240303-3 20240303-4 linux615-tp_smapi 0.44-4 0.44-5 linux615-vhba-module 20250329-4 20250329-5 linux615-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-4 7.1.10-5 linux66-acpi_call 1.2.2-133 1.2.2-134 linux66-bbswitch 0.8-130 0.8-131 linux66-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-131 6.30.223.271-132 linux66-nvidia-390xx 390.157-128 390.157-129 linux66-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-71 470.256.02-72 linux66-nvidia 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux66-nvidia-open 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux66-r8168 8.055.00-22 8.055.00-23 linux66-rt-acpi_call 1.2.2-39 1.2.2-40 linux66-rt-bbswitch 0.8-38 0.8-39 linux66-rt-broadcom-wl 6.30.223.271-39 6.30.223.271-40 linux66-rt-nvidia-390xx 390.157-38 390.157-39 linux66-rt-nvidia-470xx 470.256.02-27 470.256.02-28 linux66-rt-nvidia 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux66-rt-nvidia-open 575.64-1 575.64-2 linux66-rt-r8168 8.055.00-9 8.055.00-10 linux66-rt-rtl8723bu 20240303-31 20240303-32 linux66-rt-tp_smapi 0.44-13 0.44-14 linux66-rt-vhba-module 20250329-3 20250329-4 linux66-rt-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-1 7.1.10-2 linux66-rtl8723bu 20240303-87 20240303-88 linux66-tp_smapi 0.44-130 0.44-131 linux66-vhba-module 20250329-9 20250329-10 linux66-virtualbox-host-modules 7.1.10-2 7.1.10-3 linux66-zfs 2.3.2-5 2.3.3-1 opengamepadui-git0.39.2.r0.g5109fba7-20.40.0.r0.gb70cf77f-1 powerstation-bin v0.6.0-1 v0.6.1-1 powerstation-git v0.6.0.r0.gb5981fd-1 v0.6.1.r0.gb1928ba-1 zfs-dkms 2.3.2-1 2.3.3-1 zfs-utils 2.3.2-1 2.3.3-1 linux615-zfs - 2.3.3-1 :: Different sync package(s) in repository extra x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- abseil-cpp 20250512.0-1 20250512.1-1 docker-buildx 0.24.0-1 0.25.0-1 freetds 1.5.2-1 1.5.3-1 fwupd 2.0.11-2 2.0.12-1 fwupd-docs 2.0.11-2 2.0.12-1 giac 2.0.0.3-1 2.0.0.4-1 glab 1.60.1-1 1.60.2-1 gopls 0.19.0-1 0.19.1-1 inputplumber 0.58.6-1 0.58.7-1 kube-linter 0.7.3-1 0.7.4-1 libblastrampoline 5.13.0-1 5.13.1-1 libzypp 17.37.5-1 17.37.6-1 libzypp-docs 17.37.5-1 17.37.6-1 mesa 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 mesa-docs 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 mkinitcpio-utils 0.0.4-2 0.0.5-1 nccl 2.27.3-1 2.27.5-1 opencl-mesa 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 orca 48.2-1 48.3-1 osbuild 151-1 152-1 osv-scanner 2.0.2-1 2.0.3-1 oxc-language-server 1.1.0-1 1.2.0-1 oxlint 1.1.0-1 1.2.0-1 proton-vpn-gtk-app 4.9.6-1 4.9.7-1 protonmail-bridge 3.20.0-3 3.21.1-1 protonmail-bridge-core 3.20.0-3 3.21.1-1 python-cattrs 25.1.1-1 25.1.1-2 python-fakeredis 2.30.0-1 2.30.1-1 python-proton-vpn-api-core 0.42.4-1 0.42.5-1 python-pytorch 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 python-pytorch-cuda 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 python-pytorch-opt 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 python-pytorch-opt-cuda 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 python-pytorch-opt-rocm 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 python-pytorch-rocm 2.7.1-2 2.7.1-3 rclone 1.70.0-1 1.70.1-1 reaper 7.39-1 7.40-1 release-plz 0.3.135-1 0.3.136-1 ruby-iconv 1.1.0-3 1.1.0-4 ruby-mail 2.8.1-5 2.8.1-7 ruby-mime-types-data 3.2025.0603-1 3.2025.0617-1 ruby-rbtree 0.4.6-6 0.4.6-7 ruby-rdiscount 2.2.7.3-6 2.2.7.3-7 vulkan-dzn 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-gfxstream 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-intel 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-mesa-layers 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-nouveau 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-radeon 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-swrast 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 vulkan-virtio 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 wasmer 6.0.0-1 6.0.1-1 zed 0.191.5-1 0.191.6-1 zypper 1.14.90-1 1.14.91-1 :: Different overlay package(s) in repository multilib x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- steam 1.0.0.82-3 1.0.0.83-1 steam-installer 1.0.0.82-3 1.0.0.83-1 :: Different sync package(s) in repository multilib x86_64 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PACKAGE 20250619 20250620 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- lib32-libnghttp2 1.65.0-1 1.66.0-1 lib32-mesa 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-opencl-mesa 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-dzn 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-gfxstream 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-intel 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-mesa-layers 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-nouveau 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-radeon 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-swrast 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1 lib32-vulkan-virtio 1:25.1.3-3 1:25.1.4-1

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philm

Plasma 6.4.0 will need manual intervention if you are on X11

Arch Linux
2 months 2 weeks ago

On Plasma 6.4 the wayland session will be the only one installed when the users does not manually specify kwin-x11.

With the recent split of kwin into kwin-wayland and kwin-x11, users running the old X11 session needs to manually install plasma-x11-session, or they will not be able to login. Currently pacman is not able to figure out your personal setup, and it wouldn't be ok to install plasma-x11-session and kwin-x11 for every one using Plasma.

tldr: Install plasma-x11-session if you are still using x11
Tomaz Canabrava

How to Create a Simple IP Blocker Script Using iptables and Fail2Ban

Techmint
2 months 2 weeks ago
The post How to Create a Simple IP Blocker Script Using iptables and Fail2Ban first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides .

Today, I’m going to show you a simple but effective way to automatically block suspicious IPs using a small script

The post How to Create a Simple IP Blocker Script Using iptables and Fail2Ban first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides.
Ravi Saive

Unlocking Japan’s Tech Future: Insights for the World from the 2025 Tech Talent Japan Report

Linux Foundation
2 months 2 weeks ago

This week, while in Japan for a sold-out KubeCon + Cloud NativeCon, I had the great privilege of presenting our latest research to an audience of leading Japanese technology companies. As someone who has long admired Japan’s reputation for precision, quality, and innovation, it was especially meaningful to share insights that could help shape the country’s digital future.

Hilary Carter

Elementary OS 8: Where Privacy Meets Design Simplicity for a Better Linux Experience

Linux Journal
2 months 2 weeks ago
by George Whittaker

In the world of Linux distributions, many projects aim to strike a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and security. Few, however, have achieved the level of polish and principled focus that Elementary OS brings to the table. With the release of Elementary OS 8, the developers have doubled down on their vision of an operating system that champions privacy and design simplicity without compromising usability. This article takes a look at how Elementary OS 8 prioritizes these values and why it deserves attention from privacy advocates and design enthusiasts alike.

A Fresh Take on Privacy: Built into the Core

Privacy isn’t just a feature in Elementary OS 8 — it’s a foundational principle. The developers have carefully considered how user data is handled at every level of the system.

AppCenter: A Curated, Privacy-Respecting Store

Unlike many popular app stores that may include proprietary apps with invasive tracking, the AppCenter in Elementary OS 8 focuses on open-source, privacy-friendly applications. Every app available through AppCenter undergoes a review process to ensure it adheres to the platform’s guidelines: no ads, no tracking, and no questionable data collection practices.

What sets AppCenter apart is its pay-what-you-want model, which allows users to support developers directly, eliminating the need for ad-supported or data-harvesting monetization schemes.

Flatpak Sandboxing

Elementary OS 8 ships with first-class Flatpak support, enabling apps to run in isolated sandboxes. This technology ensures that applications can only access the data and hardware resources explicitly granted by the user. For example, a note-taking app installed via Flatpak won’t have access to your microphone, camera, or sensitive directories unless you allow it.

The adoption of Flatpak aligns perfectly with Elementary’s privacy goals, as it provides clear boundaries between apps and the rest of the system.

Zero Telemetry, Transparent Feedback

Elementary OS 8 does not include any hidden telemetry or automatic data collection. Unlike some mainstream operating systems that quietly transmit usage statistics, crash reports, and device identifiers back to central servers, Elementary’s philosophy is that your data belongs to you.

When feedback is requested, such as through the optional Problem Reporting tool, users are clearly informed about what data will be sent and must opt in consciously.

Go to Full Article
George Whittaker

[Testing Update] 2025-06-19 - KDE Frameworks, Nvidia, Pamac, Xorg, Wine

Manjaro Linux
2 months 2 weeks ago

Hello community, here we have another set of package updates.

Current Promotions
  • Find out all about our current Gaming Laptop the Hero with Manjaro pre-installed from Spain!
  • Protect your personal data, keep yourself safe with Surfshark VPN: See current promotion
Recent News Valkey to replace Redis in the [extra] Repository (click for more details) Previous News Finding information easier about Manjaro (click for more details) Notable Package Updates Additional Info Python 3.13 info (click for more details) Info about AUR packages (click for more details)

Get our latest daily developer images now from Github: Plasma, GNOME, XFCE. You can get the latest stable releases of Manjaro from CDN77.

Our current supported kernels
  • linux54 5.4.295
  • linux510 5.10.237
  • linux515 5.15.185
  • linux61 6.1.141
  • linux66 6.6.93
  • linux612 6.12.33
  • linux614 6.14.11 [EOL]
  • linux615 6.15.2
  • linux616 6.16.0-rc2
  • linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51
  • linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54
  • linux612-rt 6.12.28_rt10
  • linux613-rt 6.13_rt5
  • linux614-rt 6.14.0_rt3
  • linux615-rt 6.15.0_rt2

Package Changes (Thu Jun 19 09:57:54 CEST 2025)

  • testing core x86_64: 12 new and 12 removed package(s)
  • testing extra x86_64: 1231 new and 1237 removed package(s)
  • testing multilib x86_64: 5 new and 7 removed package(s)

A list of all package changes can be found here.

Click to view the poll.

Check if your mirror has already synced:

8 posts - 7 participants

Read full topic

philm