Zorin is based on Ubuntu and the Core edition is the standard version that includes all the apps you’ll need in a regular desktop. Three of these, namely Core, Lite, and Education, are offered as free downloads. Zorin is available in multiple different editions. It does so thanks to its custom Zorin Appearance app that tweaks Zorin’s Gnome desktop environment to make it resemble Windows in both form and function. The distro pitches itself to first-time Linux users that are used to the ways of popular proprietary operating systems, namely Windows and macOS. Its developers wanted to make Linux accessible to regular users and they did this by introducing familiarity in the user interface. The Zorin OS project began in 2008 with the sole intention of making Linux user-friendly. Older computers will struggle to run anything but the Lite version. Looking for something to start with? Here’s our list of the best Linux distros for beginners. Nitrux is available for 64-bit computers only, but can also boot on older machines with the Legacy BIOS in addition to the newer EFI machines. However, the lack of a dedicated documentation section is a downer. The distro has an active community that you can interact with on all the popular social networks. All the AppImages are launched in a firejail sandbox, which makes Nitrux more secure out of the box than your typical desktop Linux.
In fact, Nitrux plans to switch all its graphical apps to AppImages eventually. The distro also supports and encourages the use of AppImages, which makes it straightforward to install additional apps. It ships with a healthy dose of apps for all kinds of desktop tasks.
Nitrux has even customized some administration apps to make tasks such as firewall and backup approachable for inexperienced users. It offers a couple of layouts for the desktop to allow users to make best use of the available screen real estate. The distro leverages on some of the most stable and well-respected open source projects and builds on them to create a distro that suits the sensibilities of new Linux users.įor instance, instead of building a custom desktop environment from scratch, Nitrux relies on KDE Plasma’s famed malleability along with some redesigned components to simplify the workflow for new users. If you are just taking your first steps in Linux, you should begin your journey with Nitrux.