Sorry if this question is already answered, but I searched and couldn’t find it. What is the difference between 16.04 and 16.10? I’m running 16.04 but I’m considering upgrading to 16.10. What does 16.10 have that 16.04 doesn’t? I know that 16.04 is LTS and 16.10 isn’t. Thanks.
The biggest change is that MATE in 16.10 uses GTK+3.
Also this:
We start stabilizing the release early by significantly limiting the number of new features. We will choose which features we package into the LTS release, versus which ones we leave out and allow for users to optionally download and use from a separate archive.
Avoid structural changes as far as possible, such as changing the default set of applications, lots of library transitions, or system layer changes (example: introducing KMS or hal → DeviceKit would not have been appropriate changes in a LTS).
Furthermore, we define the LTS to be:
Enterprise Focused: We are targeting server and multiple desktop installations, where the average user is moderately risk averse.
Compatible with New Hardware: We will make point releases throughout the development cycle to provide functional support for new server and desktop hardware.
More Tested: We will shorten the development window and extend the Beta cycle to allow for more testing and bug fixing
Excuse me for my ignorance. I have been on 16.4 for about 3 months now. Can never go back to Windows on my personal PC unless forced to do so, even though I am a MCSE and a Enterprise Administrator at work! I would abdicate for it at work but it would cause problems.
What is GTK+3?
The 3rd version is mostly used for the Gnome Shell project.
So 16.04 version as far as i know is using GTK 2 and i guess GTK3. The nest versions of Ubuntu MATE are using GTK3.
@Community, please tell me if i am wrong 
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GTK+ is the toolkit that is used by MATE and most of its included applications. It’s also used by GNOME (of course) as well as other desktops such as Xfce. (Another common toolkit is Qt, used by apps like VLC and desktops like KDE.)
GTK+ 3 is the latest version (for now, version 4 is in development 
). The upgrade is good partly because it has some improvements, like better scrolling with a touchpad, and partly because it’s the version everyone is using now, so GTK+ 2 will go away soon.
@Tristan_VILLERS: strictly speaking the GNOME Shell itself doesn’t use GTK+ at all — it uses mutter — but GNOME version 3 switched to GTK+ 3 and introduced GNOME Shell at the same time.
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How about one step further and define what a toolkit is? As an old hardware guy, I have an idea and I’d love to hear if I’m wrong.
I believe a toolkit such as GTK+ is used to put all the detail (and event detection, like clicks and keystrokes) on an application program space. When I say detail, I mean everything from scroll-bars to text-boxes to buttons that say “OK”.
As opposed to a window manager (like Marco or Compiz) that does the overview like title bars, borders, moving, resizing, opening, closing, etc.
How close is that?
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But - Mutter is the Gnome 3 windows Manager ...
Ok. I get it. We must make difference with Gnome 3 and Gnome Shell. - Gnome shell is the interface and Gnome 3 is interface, toolkit, libraries, project, etc ... Am i right ?
Thank you, i could understand better now !
This is kind of stories telling - apparently I didn't do it in the good order.
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Thanks! Extremely informative!