Switching from macOS to Zorin OS

Since December 2025, I have been using Zorin OS on my iMac from 2017 instead of macOS.

I made the switch after I read that I would no longer receive security updates to the macOS 13 Ventura.

I didn't wan't to update my computer just to run the latest macOS, so I deceided to switch instead. I had been getting used to learning how to use a few different Linux distributions, and had found out about Zorin a few months before that Christmas from a YouTube channel.

It looks really polished and the really interesting feature for me was it could be made to resemble other OSes like Windows or macOS. That feature does require a purchase of the Pro version, but it was worth it to me, especially as the purchase included free online support. With a computer like mine already being long in the tooth by today's standards, that seemed like it would be needed.

Off the bat I found some incompatibilities, the sound hardware seems to be a sore point in terms of support. It started off not being recognised at all, to being recognised but not working, and that was after a few software updates.

Luckily I had some old USB sound hardware, which worked immediately!

I had bought some time ago a USB sound device called the iMic. It feaures a headphone port and microphone port, at the time the PowerMac G4 I had had no sound in port and the iMic was the solution.

I also own a more powerful device called the PowerWave, it is also USB based and also worked fine with Zorin, but had some line noise and also requires to be plugged into a power point. This device has the ability to turn speakers from a sound system/stereo into computer speakers, and I bought it for that purpose.

One of the first things I tested with Zorin was my printer, I plugged it in and Zorin went online and found the correct drivers for it and installed them! There was no intervention required, it was far easier than other operating systems I had past experience with, even macOS!