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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Zenclora is a high-performing, beautiful OS.
- Based on Debian, this distro uses a tweaked GNOME DE.
- You can download and install Zenclora for free.
Typically, when I think of Linux distributions that are built for those without experience, I think of Linux Mint, Zorin OS, elementaryOS, Ubuntu, and Pop!_OS. It's rare that I would consider an unknown distribution, especially one that doesn't include a GUI frontend for the package manager.
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But there's always room for change, and Zenclora makes a good case for itself.
What is Zenclora?
Zenclora is a Debian-based Linux distribution that uses a customized version of the GNOME desktop, a unique package manager called Zen, and also includes the usual Debian packages (such as the APT package manager).
Zenclora enjoys the stability of both Debian and GNOME to create a desktop operating system you can depend on.
But what sets Zenclora apart from the never-ending list of Linux distributions?
- It includes a kernel optimized for performance.
- There's zero bloatware.
- Its GNOME desktop looks like a combination of KDE Plasma and elementaryOS.
- Simple, user-friendly commands for installation.
- It's 100% open-source.
- Built for gamers and average users.
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Out of everything, it's probably the Zen Package Manager that makes Zenclora special. Yes, this is a command-line package manager, but that shouldn't put you off. With the Zen Package Manager, you can find available packages to install with the command:
zen list
The developer is always adding more apps that can be installed with Zen, so at the moment, the list is somewhat limited.
If you're a gamer, you can get Zenclora ready by installing the gaming-pack like so:
sudo zen install gaming-pack
The above command installs Lutris, Wine, Winetricks, gamemode, mangohud, vulkan-tools, mesa-drivers, Spotify, and more. It's an impressive feat, to be sure. Once you've run that installation, you can then install Steam with the command:
sudo zen install steam
You're now ready to get your game on.
One thing I did notice is that some apps (such as Spotify) do not honor the desktop theme or window decorations, and after installing the gaming-pack, GNOME Software came along for the ride. With GNOME Software, Zenclora feels a bit more complete, as you can install anything you need from within a GUI.
Huzzah.
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One thing I did was install Flatpak support with:
sudo zen install flatpak
With both Flatpak and GNOME Software added, I felt more than happy about suggesting this distribution to new users. I would love for the developer to consider adding these two bits by default, so Zenclora could be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of skills.
Hip, hip, hooray; we have GNOME Software now available.
You can also update Zenclora with the command:
sudo zen update
Not your average GNOME
Before I start in on this, know that there are Linux distributions that go even further with the GNOME tweaks. That being said, Zenclora has customized GNOME with a well-curated set of extensions, including Apps Menu, Dash to Dock, Places Status Indicator, and User Themes. Of course, I'm not convinced that's all it took for the Zenclora developer to achieve the custom look. For example, the rounded corners of the top bar are typically made possible with the Panel Corners extension, but that's nowhere to be found.
The App Menu GNOME extension in action.
I looked all around the OS and Desktop settings and was unable to discern where the changes were made. Even so, I really appreciate what the developer has done to create a beautiful take on GNOME that should be easy for anyone to dive in and use.
Performance
Although the developer doesn't list exactly what is done to the kernel, they do say this:
"Zenclora OS applies kernel-level tweaks and disables unnecessary kernel features to boost overall system performance. These optimizations result in a snappier, more responsive experience compared to a default Debian installation."
I can attest that Zenclora is zippier than most Debian/GNOME-based distributions I've tried. Yeah, it's fast. Apps install and open very quickly, and the OS boots in seconds.
I did my typical speed test by installing Ollama, pulling the llama3.2 LLM, and running a couple of queries. I was pleasantly surprised at the success of Ollama on Zenclora. For a system that only had 3GB of RAM and two CPU cores, the Ollama AI burned through queries like the OS had three times the resources.
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I had Ollama answer the question "What is Linux?" and then create a Python GUI application for accepting user input and writing it to a file. Even the more complex query ran quickly (and successfully, I might add). In a couple of minutes, I had my GUI Python app ready to go.
Would I really recommend Zenclora to new users?
Honestly, yeah, but that would come with the caveat of having to install Flatpak and GNOME Software. Once those two bits are available, Zenclora becomes as easy to use as many of the fan favorites.
Even with that caveat, I found Zenclora to be an absolute delight to use. Although I'd appreciate knowing the specifics as to how the developer achieved the look and performance of this Linux distribution, I'm just happy to know that it exists.
If you want to try Zenclora, download the ISO, burn it to a USB drive, install, and enjoy this user-friendly Linux distribution.
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