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Zorin 15.2 bugs - busy pointer and resume from sleep

ArchPrime

Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:41:47 pm

Hi, I am a brand new Zorin user and forum user, but a quick search did not identify much directly relevant discussion in existing posts, so I hope this is the right place to raise these issues.

I am finding a couple of disconcerting features with Zorin (other than the normal issues with getting 'mainstream' software to work that most Linux users seem relaxed about):

1 - Resume from sleep does not seem to work - mouse pointer moves around lock screen, but computer is otherwise completely unresponsive to input - except via the power button. it is possible to resume from screensaver, though the fingerprint reader seems to no longer work by then (it works only when first logging in after powering up) - so user password must be manually typed each time.

2 - Mouse busy pointer only works with a few things - with most time consuming processes (particularly things involving internet access) the mouse pointer behaves as if nothing at all is happening once an icon is clicked - so the system feels like it is being very unresponsive, and user is prompted to keep on clicking, assuming that the first several click attempts all 'missed' somehow. Then suddenly several copies of whatever it was appear.
This is not helped by the propensity of critical system dialog windows to appear *behind* an app they might be holding up in come way (for example prompting for permissions to be granted before ap can continue).

I suppose that is more than two things strictly speaking - but would it be fair to call any or all of them bugs? If so, how do I best report them, and realistically how rapid and responsive are the developers at dealing with things like this?

Wondering if my next move should be to try another OS. I am trying to set this old laptop up for my 8 year old daughter - and not wanting every trivial (for Android or Windows users) new thing she wants to do on it to translate into a Quixotic IT research exercise on my part.

Swarfendor437

Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:34:42 pm

Sadly, Toshiba is one of those manufacturers that aren't Linux friendly. My other comment in respect of your current install seems very minimalistic. You state the HDD as being 155 Gb in size with free space of 132 Gb - this at first glance looks like a bad install - I would have used the manual method of partitioning that I have outlined in the official manual. I would also suggest that in view of the Laptop specs you try Zorin Education 12.4

https://sourceforge.net/projects/zorin- ... o/download

Try in live mode first and see if it is more responsive than 15.2 was.

Failing that I would advise you take a look at:

MXLinux 19 (32-bit) https://mxlinux.org/mx19-features/

AntiX 19 : https://antixlinux.com/about/

Sparky Linux: https://sparkylinux.org/

;) :D

ArchPrime

Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:29:24 pm

Thanks Swarfendor437

Will look into those options.

One thing I am reliably informed will be a benchmark for success for any OS (by my daughter) is the ability to run the latest online kids games.

Am I completely out of luck and just making a rod for my own back by persisting with anything Linux related? Would I have more luck with some Chrome or Android for x86 variant (I suspect lack of a touch screen would be a problem)

Aravisian

Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:07:07 am

ArchPrime wrote:Am I completely out of luck and just making a rod for my own back by persisting with anything Linux related? Would I have more luck with some Chrome or Android for x86 variant (I suspect lack of a touch screen would be a problem)

My opinion on this one would be to Try OS's. Out of luck? Probably not. But only trying out AND troubleshooting can help you learn that answer.
Right away, I would recommend you try out Zorin 15.2 LITE, not Core and see if you get a better performance out of Lite.
I cannot support that just yet with hard evidence, but I have a sneaky suspicion about some coding I found in Gnome recently...

Swarfendor437

Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:32:23 pm

ArchPrime wrote:Thanks Swarfendor437

Will look into those options.

One thing I am reliably informed will be a benchmark for success for any OS (by my daughter) is the ability to run the latest online kids games.

Am I completely out of luck and just making a rod for my own back by persisting with anything Linux related? Would I have more luck with some Chrome or Android for x86 variant (I suspect lack of a touch screen would be a problem)


Online kids games - ones that run in a browswer? That will depend on Flash being present I suspect. Or kids games that are installed on the machine and then Internet connection - that one might be tricky - would need some examples. ;) :D