Jack Wallen Ranks Zorin OS No. 1, MX Linux No. 10 in Top-10 Usability Reorder
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 9
Jack Wallen Ranks Zorin OS No. 1, MX Linux No. 10 in Top-10 Usability Reorder
1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 9
Summary
Zorin OS topped Wallen’s usability-based reorder of DistroWatch’s current top 10 Linux distros, while MX Linux fell to 10th despite ranking third on DistroWatch by page hits.
The reshuffle replaces DistroWatch’s popularity-style list — led by CachyOS, Linux Mint and MX Linux — with Wallen’s usability ranking: Zorin OS, Mint, Pop!_OS, Fedora, Ubuntu and Debian in the top six.
Wallen said Zorin OS stands out for near-zero learning curve and Windows-app alternatives, while Mint and Pop!_OS score for familiarity, speed and the COSMIC desktop.
Lower down, he put Manjaro seventh, CachyOS eighth and EndeavourOS ninth because Arch-based systems remain less approachable, even when fast or polished.
MX Linux landed last mainly because its Xfce desktop looks older and exposes heavy customization, which Wallen argued can make it less welcoming for Linux newcomers.