Zorin OS is an outstanding operating system. It’s equal parts performance, simplicity and elegance. But the developers understood the full version of their platform wasn’t quite as usable on older or lesser-powered hardware. To fix that they created Zorin OS 16 Lite.
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This new release features the Xfce desktop with as much polish and useability as you’d expect from the developers of Zorin OS. Zorin OS 16 Lite edition can run on hardware that is as old as 15 years. This is quite the departure from what Microsoft has done with Windows 11.
Although you won’t get as much eye candy as you do from the full release, what you do get is a speedy, reliable platform that is well-themed and includes plenty of features to make this operating system as flexible as any. You’ll find Flathub integration, Taskbar window previews, Firefox with telemetry disabled, a new sound recorder app, fractional scaling for high-rez displays, kernel 5.11, all wrapped up in a very Windows-like layout. If you don’t like the Windows layout, you can opt for a rather ChromeOS-like desktop.
If you pay for the Pro edition, you’ll find additional desktop layouts such as one that resembles macOS or the classic GNOME 2 interface. Another really helpful feature is a built-in database that can detect popular Windows installer files. If such a file is detected, the system will suggest you install the app from a recommended source. You’ll also find a redesigned Zorin Appearance tool that makes it easy to tweak the interface to your exact needs. And if you’re new to Linux or Zorin OS, you’ll find a convenient Tour application that can help guide you through the basics of using Zorin OS 16 Lite.
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So, if you’re a Windows user looking to migrate to Linux, and you have an older machine around to experiment on, download and install Zorin OS 16 Lite and see just how simple Linux really is.
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