Introduction
It's become abundantly clear that Microsoft is doing everything they can to squeeze every penny out of its customer base. I have been a Microsoft user all my life but I am finding it harder to defend using it any longer. I, personally, have experienced how the changes they are making are impacting the IT field. Customers are trying to deploy new PCs but cannot login with a local admin account and must tie it to a personal account. The laundry list of vulnerabilities and issues that have been coming out with newer patches, including breaking the WinRE environment. Deploying features in the background without telling people. I have even gone as far as using the Chris Titus tool for Windows to disable all the telemetry and tracking bullshit that comes with it.
All of these things have really pushed me to finding a better solution that gives me more autonomy and control. Enter Linux Zorin. This operating system is a Ubuntu-based Linux distro that has boasted as being the best Windows-to-Linux OS available.
Obviously I didn't want to completely jump ship without knowing what I was getting into so I needed to test it out. So I grabbed a laptop that I don't really use and installed it as a dual-boot option. After installing it, I can honestly say I can see myself using this more and more as time goes on. The aesthetics are amazing, giving big Mac vibes but Windows functionality. You are immediately given options for customizing your layout, software to install and the best part? No subscriptions right out of the gate.
Zorin does have a paid version of the OS at $49.99 at the time of writing this, but so far I have been able to do everything I need with the free version. But what does any cybersecurity enthusiast want with a new Linux OS? Install all the cool shit! I easily spent the next hour or so installing all the hacking tools, drivers, and other software I could need. The only thing that I have run into so far that I need to get a plan for is a replacement for OneDrive. I use OneDrive religiously for syncing files across all of my devices.
As of right now, I think my best answer is to make the most of my NAS that I intend to build. The way I see it, as long as I use a file storage system that is compatible with all my devices, I can access anything I need to. What about when I'm away from my home network you might ask? I have TwinGate installed on a Docker container on my main PC. This will allow me to essentially VPN to my home network and access my NAS even when I'm away from home!
Results
So far, I have loved everything about this OS. The next step is going to be moving anything I need on that laptop's Windows OS to the cloud and completely wiping Windows 11 and using Zorin as the primary and only OS. From there, with some more test driving, I might actually install it on all of my machines and finally break the chains of a Microsoft subscription and tracking.
Here are some of the alternatives that I will be using for things you might be wondering:
- OneDrive → NAS or use Syncthing for peer-to-peer file syncing. Or MEGA which offers a free tier for cloud file storage.
- Microsoft Office → Luckily Linux already comes with LibreOffice which is honestly not a bad alternative for what it's worth!
- Email → Me personally, I have a Gmail account (the next thing I wouldn't mind getting away from) but I also have my Zoho email which I can access from the browser.
- Browser → Speaking of browsers, I have already implemented using Brave instead of Chrome or Edge. It's a Chromium-based browser but I do like that it has more privacy-based features out of the box and you can sync with other devices.
- Microsoft Teams → I don't really use Teams in my personal life but I do have Discord and honestly that should take care of anything that would do.
- File Explorer → Zorin comes with a built-in file management system that is very familiar to Ubuntu/Debian-based OSs that is easy to use and manage.
- Antivirus → I haven't installed it yet, but the plan is to use ClamAV. It's 100% free, actively maintained, catches Windows malware and works silently with no bloat.
Conclusion
It has been an awesome experience testing out Zorin and I am excited to see what other features and uses I can find. Can't wait to share more of what I learn and do with it!