Zorin dock launch (ie quick launch) instalation and use
 

Hello Linux users. I'm described as a newbie (which i am) but you've never seen a newbie as new as I am I'll wager.

I installed Zorin 9 OS core as an alternative to Microsoft crap that I'm really tired of, (cost as well as never vending bugs). Yes I know I'll still have bugs with linux but at least the patches and fixes in any Linux distro is for the benefit of Linux users and not to sell more Microsoft crap.

I have evidently been reasonably successful to install the latest Zorin 9 with my desktop environment choice. However I'm used to (and like) the MS so called quick launch bar at the bottom of the XP desktop installation, from which I can place links of any app or web link to instantly go there. Correct me if I'm wrong but Linux has basically the same quick launch function which I can choose from the software center and I've tried to select and install at least 2 named Cairo-dock and Docky for example. I did choose and install those according to the Linux prompts but I notice no change in the "Avant Window Navigator" at the bottom of my desktop, and when i try to drag a web link or app to that bar it either flips back to the link spot i saved on the desktop, or there's no action at all. In other words I am not able to put a link or app on the AWN, which AWN does not serve as a dock launcher at all (except for my Firefox browser icon WHICH IS INSTALLED at the left bar location and does work to quick launch Firefox when I left click on it.

So how do I not only properly install that notorious quck launch app in linux Zorin 9 OS and finally drag or otherwise install my links there?

thanks for any advice or replies.

Try the gnome-tweak tool - it gives you a GUI version of getting a lot of under-the-hood things done. You'll find it in the Software Center.

I think that will work in the Windows mode of the look changer. I'm running only one instance of Zorin 9, and that is in the in the Gnome 2 mode.

Thanks albinard, I did download and install Gnome "full Gnome desktop environment, with extra components" and then searched in software center for things like Cairo Dock for which which I previously saw a review and thought looked good. Managed to install that dock and now have it on the desktop. I have no idea if I could have done that without Gnome because it seems that "quick launch" Cairo dock was available in software center anyway...don't know why I didn't try that before I downloaded Gnome. What do you think?

Followup questions. You say you're running one instance of Zorin 9. I don't understand "instance". Is instance another distro version that you can revert to and if so when and how? I have Zorin 9 installed on a 500gb HD with nothing else (no dual boot). Or do I install other Linux distros alongside my Zorin 9 and use startup boot choices?

Also, with Windows XP I backed up regularly using Easeus Todo Backup to clone a physical HD in case of crash. I always preferred the clone backup because I could never understand how you could recover anything from a HD that was damaged and therefore inaccessible....whether the recovery was on physical media or in a "cloud". It appears I cannot do that physical clone in Linux because I would have to download and install Easeus in Zorin which obviously does not use software the same way as Windows. I looked at "backup" in the software center and it appears you can only use the same HD where Linux is installed, to a "cloud" location. As I said, what good is that if you can't access that cloud because of a HD crash?

Easeus appears to now have a clone utility for the "Linux environment" but I don't know how to download, install and use Easeus in Zorin without corrupting any Zorin (Linux) installation. Any advice for these these questions?

"Instance": just my word for the fact I'm running Zorin 9.1 in one setup only, which means I have the Gnome 2 "look", I've installed some things and not others, and I've messed around with other stuff (killed CapsLock, cleaned icons off the desktop, don't recall what else).

To my surprise, I had to do a lot of that with the Gnome Tweak Tool instead of the terminal, which is the customary way in most Linux distros. In fact, I had already tried the script that works to kill CapsLock in other 14.04 Ubuntu derivatives, but found it rejected. I think it's because the developer has pretty much shielded new users from things they might do to screw up his really well-crafted machine. Gotta thank him for this, but it takes a while to get used to all-GUI operation.

As to backup, I fear I tweak, add, or eliminate distros too frequently to consider backing up anything but data, but I will say that Clonezilla is perhaps the very best cloning device in the business (forget Norton!). You might give that a try, and put your backup on an external drive.

Hope this helps! If not, just keep on asking - I'm glad to help a fellow convert from MS (I switched to Linux-only in 2009, never looked back)

Back to you albinard. Thanks for the encouragement...I needed that. I envy your being able to say you never looked back (re MS convert). But I also hope to say it myself eventually. Presently it's only an ambition for me, not realized because there's just so much I could do (especially with XP...the last and best OS ever to come out of Micro$oft) and I am still trying to determine whether I can do with Linux. As you can see I finally made my first move. You might say that M$oft lit my fire with Windows 8, the worst OS ever. Makes you wonder what BG and company are thinking. A friend of mine who will remain nameless and who is also a M$soft MVP refuses to even install 8 because it's so bad. Only reason he stays with M$soft is he "gets everything free". He also says M$soft "won't listen to their MVP's" who are criticizing M$soft "crap".

Appreciate your suggestion to try Clonzilla. However I have my apprehensions because normally I used Easeus Todo Backup which recently made their (Windows) clone software trialware (whereas it was formally freeware), and replaced it with a Linux friendly version which I thought would be perfect. But when I went to download, install and use it it seems to have corrupted my Zorin 9. That really should not have been a surprise because Linux has it's own proprietary software process which does not work the same as M$soft. In other words I could not even find that download in order to install and use it. My conclusion was I could not use anything not Linux based without special measures, and Clonezilla seems on the same level as Easeus so I did not even try that. Anyway I was under the impression that you could not clone to an external drive with Clonezilla and had to use a so called cloud or DVD media. In any case I don't understand how I can "backup" (clone) my Zorin installation within Linux because of the difference between M$oft and Linux software processes. I'll be glad if you can clarify that.

As for not backing up because of tweaking, changes, etc, aren't you afraid to lose critical special OS and data in case of a crash that you could not recover without a backup? That's what bothers me concerning backups and why I feel I need a physical clone of my most current HD in my desk drawer, not in a cloud that I can't even get to using a crashed "O" hard drive.

I realize I'm probably asking questions that don't make sense to you, so I'll be glad for your patience to respond.