Ubuntu MATE GNU/Linux Distribution Reflection

[Shemhamforash]

Ubuntu MATE is a distribution of GNU/Linux that delivers 100% of the time in what it enables the end-user to experience. Ubuntu MATE 16.04 LTS was released in April 2016, and is based on Ubuntu Xenial Xerus which is officially supported until April of 2021. The next LTS, scheduled to be released in April 2018, is supported until 2023. Of all the Ubuntu flavors, in my opinion Ubuntu MATE is the most user-friendly and fun to use.

At the startup of the desktop, you are greeted with the Ubuntu Welcome app which has been carefully designed to address all of a new potential Ubuntu user's questions and gives them somewhere to start learning the OS from. It can also be helpful for users of all skill levels by providing links or faster ways of doing things.

Ubuntu MATE is fully loaded with features and customization options. The Software Boutique is Ubuntu MATE's flagship replacement for the Ubuntu Software Centre, you'll still want to install Synaptic though due to it's limited amount of software. Up until recently the Ubuntu Software Centre was the default in most flavors of Ubuntu.

Martin Wimpress, the lead developer behind Ubuntu MATE, has integrated the advanced window manager Compiz with the 0.9 series. Compiz can be activated using the MATE Tweak tool with a single click, switching between window managers is made easy. Additionally, the MATE Tweak tool allows one click selection for changing and saving panel layouts! It features traditional, Unity-like, and Redmond style panel configurations.

To install the window decorator Emerald to use with Compiz on Ubuntu MATE, download and install Compiz Reloaded. Enter the following commands:

$ sudo apt-get --purge autoremove compiz* libdecoration0

$ sudo apt-get install git 
#You really should have this already

$ mkdir -p ~/git/compiz && cd ~/git/compiz 
#Modify to preference for organization

git clone git://northfield.ws/compiz/scripts && cd scripts

./go

Ubuntu MATE offers the highest quality user experience when changing themes, icons, or cursors, As of MATE 1.18, MATE uses GTK3 only.

Ubuntu MATE appears to be slowly becoming more fully featured, and ultimately more seasoned being it's own distribution. Ubuntu MATE is my first recommendation to anyone new to Linux, and I am personally using it on all of my machines now. Ubuntu MATE is a fairly new flavor of Ubuntu, but in my opinion what the distribution has to offer has made it the best Ubuntu based distribution.

Download Ubuntu MATE.