1M Downloads of Zorin OS 18

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Download link and ISO size

  • Original blog URL 404’d; commenters shared corrected blog and direct ISO links.
  • ISOs are large (≈3.5 GB Core, ≈7.5 GB Education) and downloads were slow, leading to suggestions for mirrors or torrents.

Why Zorin is attracting attention

  • Seen as an Ubuntu LTS–based distro with a polished, Windows‑like experience: preconfigured GNOME, deb + snap + Flatpak, and low‑friction defaults.
  • Strong marketing, a slick website, and “looks and feels like Windows 11” messaging are viewed as key to capturing non‑power users worried about Windows 10 EOL.
  • Some Linux users consider it a good “on‑ramp” for family members (e.g., grandparents) because it feels “least strange” coming from Windows.

Design, theming, and Pro upsell

  • Historically offered multiple “look changers” (Windows, macOS styles); now more of this is in a paid Pro edition (~$50).
  • Debate over value: some say $50 is reasonable for consistent theming and UX work; others say it’s mostly shallow theming on stock GNOME and not worth paying for.
  • Several note that the site emphasizes “professional” design and productization, including opaque marketing copy for a bundled “creative suite.”

Small spin‑off distros vs big bases

  • One camp argues that “gift‑wrapped” Ubuntu derivatives with tiny teams fragment the ecosystem, introduce obscure bugs, and lack long‑term capacity; they’d prefer users install Debian/Ubuntu/Kubuntu and share themes or config scripts.
  • Others counter that out‑of‑the‑box UX for specific user groups is real value, and that basing on Ubuntu LTS keeps maintenance manageable.

Branding and credit (KDE Connect → Zorin Connect)

  • Zorin forks and rebrands KDE Connect as “Zorin Connect”; some see this as confusing and “stealing credit.”
  • Defenders say renaming helps non‑technical users understand its purpose (“connect my Zorin”) even if it obscures upstream docs.

Trust, business model, and GPL concerns

  • Slick marketing and being a for‑profit company make some wary; others note commercial distros (Ubuntu, Red Hat) have long existed.
  • One commenter alleges Zorin has previously refused timely source release and polices sharing of paid ISOs, calling them “grifters”; others question or downplay this but don’t resolve it. Status of GPL compliance remains unclear in the thread.

Context: Windows and broader desktop OS fatigue

  • Many comments frame Zorin’s success within frustration at Windows 11 (ads, AI features, hardware requirements, UX regressions) and, to a lesser extent, perceived rot in macOS.
  • Several users report renewed enthusiasm after switching to Linux (variously Zorin, Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.), while others remain skeptical of “year of the Linux desktop” claims and of download counts as real market share.