When I first received the email announcing Zorin 17, I could not wait to install it and kick the tires. I have tested Zorin in the past, but to be honest, I have never used it as a daily driver. I am not comfortable using any Ubuntu-based Linux Distros. Zorin OS is based on Ubuntu and is easy to use and understand if you are comfortable with Ubuntu-based distributions.
Zorin OS comes in two different downloads. When you click the download link, the main page will display the Pro or the paid versions. The paid version of Zorin OS is $48.00. You have to scroll down the page to find the FREE version. What is the difference between the paid and free versions? You can watch my YouTube video, where I give you the breakdown.
I installed Zorin 17 as a virtual machine using Virtual Box. I set the virtual machine to use 8 GB RAM and 25 GB of storage. I fired up the OS and thought of a snappy new OS with many great built-in features. I found a sluggish system that made using a computer a bad experience. Would it run better on a bare metal box installed? Maybe I did not try to install it on a bare metal box.
For my full review of Zorin 17 OS, please check out my YouTube video to see how it handles programs. Even the FREE version is packed with tools and features, but it may be over-bloated for what a Linux OS should be.