I have used Linux as my OS for 18 years. I've been using Mint for the last bunch of years. I started with 11 and I presently am using 17.3 on my laptop. Reason being, is because it has long term support. I started using Zorin 9 last September on my desktop. I like it basically because of the GUI. It looks good. The way it has been designed to appeal and make an ease of transition from Windows, I find very enjoyable with an ease of use. It accepts my whole setup and I have had no problems or issues with the things I use. I have a Wacom tablet to arrive on Monday and already know that it will be no problem working out of the box. I have considered loading Zorin on my laptop, but I am only hesitant because of the age of my laptop, lenovo R60.
I tried to use Zorin 12.1 on my Daughters ThinkCentre. It worked great, but I could not get it to load my Daughters version of PhotoShop. She has an older version of PhotoShop which was the free version CS2 Adobe gave us. If I could have gotten it loaded, I could have fixed it to run. I had to go back to Zorin 9. (Really that is the only two copies I had without downloading something else, I was just trying to get her up and going with only 9 running on my stuff to verify that it works.) We chose the release of Zorin we are using because I could get our version of Photoshop to run on it perfect.
I have said all this (I know, long post) because of the one quirk about Linux. As newer versions are released, and changes made in order to include support for advancement in technology, it seems that the older stuff, sometimes, is lost in the shuffle. One release of a Linux distribution, for example Zorin, may not mean the next release will support the same older tech, or in our case, the older Windows program. These things are only a problem with people like me who lives off of grabbing up the computers they use for $40. :lol My laptop was $30. I have in the past built my own rigg, but it is become so convenient and cheap to get the used or refurbished stuff. :-\ Building your own system from the ground up takes a lot of research, time. Within the next three years I have plans on maybe retiring. That will give me more time.
I have said all this to make this point. Right now Zorin is my Linux of choice. I want it to stay that way. It has the Ubuntu repositories. As my version of Linux support runs out in 2019, which means I will need to move to the newer release, if I want to remain internet friendly. At that point I might need to consider picking up a newer refurbished, or used, computer, or build my own. The reason, the newer version may not load or boot up on what I am using now. Which usually turns into a seek and find a newer Linux distro that with work with my stuff. Remember I have used exclusively Linux for 18 years and I have learned a few things. I hate this about this OS, but I also love using it.
I have very few needs which it comes to using a computer, documents, internet stuff, art & photos concerning graphics, which will increase with the Wacom tablet. And I want to get into a little animation.
I love the Zorin OS and I hope this will be a very long term relationship.