Ubuntu Based Zorin OS 12 Linux Could Be An Open Source Windows 10 Alternative Many Are Looking For

It should be safe to call Windows 10 a "great" OS, but we can't ignore some maddening aspects of it including its data mining features and frustrating Windows Update mechanism. More than ever, the latest batch of Windows releases has clued the world into the fact that alternatives exist, and we're not just talking macOS. Free alternatives exist, such as the Ubuntu-based Zorin OS.

Some Linux distributions make their goal of catering to those familiar with Windows clear, and Zorin OS is no exception. The GNOME-based desktop is designed to mimic Windows in some key areas, such as by having a taskbar at the bottom, and the main system menu located to its left. The clock and other system tray icons can be found towards the opposite end of the taskbar.

Despite the fact that Zorin can be downloaded and installed for free, what it brings to the table is beyond impressive. The distro is based on a stable source, Ubuntu, but there are plenty of customizations presented throughout to make Zorin stand on its own. In fact, the desktop optimizations are downright gorgeous.

The features list of Zorin is too great to list here, but even if you're planning to give the OS a try, it's worth hitting up the release page below to make sure you don't miss anything, because there are many neat features that might not seem obvious at first (such as the ability to reply to friends right from a notification pop-up).

The "Universal Search" bar is also great here, allowing you to search for things on your PC, or online, including the weather in a certain city, or answers to a math question. The distro even supports touch displays, so if you have a tablet or touchscreen, you can take advantage of different gestures, such as a 3-finger pinch that opens the Activities screen.

If you enjoy Zorin so much that you'd like to support it, an "Ultimate Edition" is being sold for €15. It's not clear exactly all of what's included in this version, but the download page mentions 20 included games, different desktop layouts (to mimic GNOME 2, Unity, or macOS), video wallpapers, as well as premium support.

If you haven't given Linux a try in quite some time due to it being too complicated of a transition, Zorin looks to be catered squarely at you. Depending on your tastes, you might just come to believe it has even better aesthetics than Microsoft's expensive (in comparison) Windows 10.