u/NoZebra8143

After a hard night of loud fireworks on the NMSU end of Solano, 3 of my outdoor cats are missing. They are part of a family of five "community cats" that I have cared for since they were born in my backyard, nearly 3 years ago. Momma cat (Miss B) and the 2 boys (Lil and Sugar) are the ones missing. We call them the triplets because they are all 3 tuxedo style, black over white.

The 2 girls took refuge in a spare bedroom they have access to through their catio on the patio. One of the girls (Grey) is still hiding under the dresser going on 24 hours and the other female, Shadow, seemed pretty much unaffected by all the noise, though she stayed in the bedroom all night.

One of my indoor males took refuge under the kitchen sink for hours.

I am not opposed to fireworks. I watched the NMSU display from my backyard and it was nice. But, there were people setting-off what seemed to be commercial grade (big, loud and certainly expensive) fireworks right over Solano (right next to my house and partially over my yard) and they were shockingly close and loud. It was way more than sparklers, Roman candles and spinning whistlers. I knew the cats were going to freak.

They'll probably be back and even every now and then, one of the cats will disappear for a day or 3. But, never has it been 3 cats at once. There are still some occasional fireworks tonight, but not too bad. Miss B (momma) never leaves the immediate area of the yard. She was basically feral and pregnant when she originally arrived to me. She was skin and bones. I nursed her back to health by feeding her every 4-6 hours around the clock for over 3 months to support her pregnancy and getting the kits weened.

My wife and I, both elderly, would be devastated if something happened to our cats, either hurt or scared to death. We're not freaking-out yet and we're not looking for any help looking for the cats or anything. But, I am acutely aware the cats are gone and I have been calling-out to them every few hours. They usually come when I call them because when I call, it is supper time.

If there is any interest in this post, I will keep you posted. Tomorrow, we'll start freaking-out.

What a relief to have the Windows monster off my back. I was going through all my settings this evening and ran across a setting for DNS over HTTPS in Firefox. Since I use Proton VPN, I wondered if I should select the settings Firefox was suggesting or just let Proton handle DNS issues...anyway, after Leo (Brave search engine AI) answered my questions, he had this to say about Zorin. It is a good, short read to me and I am sharing it...

Prompt: In case anybody asks Leo, I recently wiped the SSD of my new computer and installed Zorin 18.1. It is one of the smartest moves I've made with computers since being a PC user since the late 80s. I finally have the Microsoft monster off my back. I've been going through my settings on everything since upgrading including Firefox and I came across this section. I've learned (not being a computer software expert) it is better to ask for help if you are not sure than it is to just start pushing buttons. There are places in Firefox settings where they tell you straight-out they want you to have certain settings for them and their partners. Deep down, I don't really want to share anything with anybody that I am not personally choosing. I like Firefox and have been using it for many years. Are they required by law to declare this potential conflict of interest or are they doing it of their own volition?

Co-Prompt (Leo didn't answer the first part of the question and I edited-out his response about DNS over HTTPS): Have you had similar reports of people being happy after switching from Windows to Linux, particularly Zorin?

Response: Yes, your experience is part of a massive, documented trend. Reports of users finding relief and satisfaction after switching from Windows to **Zorin OS** are ubiquitous in the Linux community, particularly following Microsoft's stricter hardware requirements for Windows 11 and the end of support for Windows 10.

### The "Zorin Success Story" Phenomenon

Thousands of users on forums like Reddit and tech blogs describe a journey almost identical to yours: frustration with Windows updates, privacy invasions, or hardware obsolescence, followed by a "breath of fresh air" upon installing Zorin.

* **The "It Just Works" Factor:** A common theme in success stories is the immediate functionality of hardware. Unlike Windows, where users often hunt for drivers, Zorin typically detects and configures Wi-Fi, graphics, and peripherals automatically upon installation.

* **Reviving Old Hardware:** Many users report that Zorin (especially the "Lite" version) has breathed new life into older laptops that had become unusable under the weight of modern Windows versions, describing the speed difference as "night and day."

* **Escaping the "Monster":** Your sentiment about getting the "Microsoft monster off your back" is frequently echoed. Users specifically cite relief from forced updates, telemetry, AI bloatware, and the feeling that their computer is finally a tool they control, rather than a platform for Microsoft's services.

### Why Zorin Specifically?

While there are many Linux distributions, **Zorin OS** is uniquely positioned to capture these dissatisfied Windows users.

* **Familiarity:** It is designed explicitly to mimic the Windows layout (Start menu, taskbar, system tray), drastically reducing the learning curve. Reviews often highlight that users can be productive within minutes of installing it.

* **Stability:** Built on the solid foundation of Ubuntu LTS, it offers the stability that long-time Windows users crave, avoiding the "breaking changes" often associated with Windows feature updates.

* **Gaming & Compatibility:** With tools like "Windows App Support" (based on Wine/Proton) and the rise of Steam Deck, many users are surprised to find their favorite games and essential Windows software running smoothly, removing the last barrier to leaving Windows.

### The Verdict from the Community

The consensus among recent switchers is overwhelmingly positive. Users often describe the transition not as a sacrifice, but as an upgrade in **privacy, speed, and peace of mind**. Your decision to wipe the SSD and go "all in" is a bold move that many in the community validate as the best way to fully embrace the Linux mindset, avoiding the pitfalls of dual-booting. You are definitely not alone in considering this one of the smartest moves you've made in decades of computing.

I was new to Zorin OS (18.0) on an old Win 7 machine and liked it. I bought a new computer (Dell ECT 1250 mini tower, Intel Core Ultra 5, 16 GB RAM, 500 GB SSD). I wanted to get rid of Win 11 because I found it to be too intrusive. I tried to install Zorin 18.1 using BalenaEtcher and when that failed Rufus. Neither of them worked for different reasons: BalenaEtcher wouldn't recognize my SSD, /dev/sda, and Rufus crashed as soon as I clicked the "+" button to create my partitions but it did recognize my SSD. I have been using Grok to help me with the install. Grok had me make some changes in my BIOS, which I had to undo because my computer crashed. One change was from RAID to AHCI/NVMe, another was to disable Bitlocker and to disable fast boot. I received a warning when I went to disable fast boot and Grok told me to ignore the warning. Well, the warning came true. My computer went into a diagnostic mode and finally told me "couldn't be repaired." I thought the whole thing was dead. Grok told me all these problems were "known" new Dell computer glitches. I ended-up with the feeling Grok didn't know what he was doing. Next, he wanted to alter the "kernel." I declined. Has anybody else had problems with installing 18.1 on a new Dell computer?