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# System prepended metadata

title: ZorinOS Core Vs Pro Mythbusting and FAQ

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# ZorinOS Core Vs Pro Mythbusting and FAQ
By [**@HowToRush**](https://telegram.dog/HowToRush) and **Neil Wolfkid** from the unofficial [ZorinOS Telegram Group](https://t.me/zorinosgroup)

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## MYTH: ZorinOS Pro features are exclusive
Every Linux GUI OS/Distro shares a lot of common things, the GUI itself from ZorinOS Core and ZorinOS Pro are nothing but just some extensions and modifications away, like the special Dock included in ZorinOS Pro can be obtained manually using a ZorinOS Core install:
```
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-zorin-dash -y
```
(or by following [this link](apt://gnome-shell-extension-zorin-dash) and then selecting "open with AptURL")

The Windows 11-like layout is also easy to recreate, either by simply moving some elements, or if you also want the menu, installing ArcMenu, enabling it, disabling the stock Zorin menu (Either through extensions or the Taskbar settings), and simply selecting the "Eleven" layout in ArcMenu's settings

## MYTH: Included Pro Software is Paid/Proprietary
Zorin's software store, Flathub, Third Party repositories and/or websites like Github are all great sources to get included programs of the Pro version, as an example: Krita, which is available on the Zorin Store/Software Center. Same for Barrier; used for sharing your Keyboard, Mouse, Passwords and more between several devices.

## FAQ: Why bother buying ZorinOS Pro if it's "exclusives" aren't exclusive?
Because some people dont like bothering with having to set things up, ZorinOS Pro is marketed towards people searching for a Windows Ultimate alternative, with a bunch of neat features that come preinstalled for people not experienced with ricing; It also supports further development of the OS directly.

## FAQ: Where do I get a free ZorinOS Pro ISO/Image?
**There's no legal way to obtain it for free** and trying to do so is ***very harmful*** to the ZorinOS Development Team, as it's a very small team of very passionate people and that ZorinOS Pro is their way to obtain a good amount of money to keep developing ZorinOS *(... and to eat)*

By pirating it, You're also going to risk your privacy and security by allowing untrusted code at possibly kernel level; ***Which could lead to your device being rendered unusable or your data being compromised.***

## FAQ: Wait, why would it be harmful? One pirated copy wont hurt...
The problem with this philosophy is that there are tons of people who think the same, tons of people who think they're alone in this and that are willing to pirate, making the ZorinOS Development Team lose a lot of potential money to fuel their project while the pirates still think they're doing no harm at all.

## FAQ: Why can't I donate instead?
Because donation wasnt as effective as buying a ready-to-use premium operating system, So both sides of the coin enjoy the inmediate product of the spent money.

Think about it: you spend some money, you get a better version of ZorinOS and the developers get money to keep making things better every iteration!

## FAQ: PFFFT, Linux should be FREE! not paid and evil!!!1!
ZorinOS is a project made by a tiny team of developers and it requires funding help to keep being alive, We're not talking about **huge distros** like Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu which are all made and/or supported by huge companies like Red Hat or Canonical.

And anyways, Everything in ZorinOS Pro is available for Core, Just not installed by default, and a little more work is required to set it all up.

## FAQ: Is there a Tutorial for setting up Pro layouts on Core?

~~Not yet, though we're planning to make that sometime soon:tm:.~~
[Look at this!](https://hackmd.io/@TGRush/By_jagiDY)