I've preferred the mate desktop for years now. Overall it's the right balance between features and usability. There's just one thing that annoys me almost every time I use the computer.
The file requester window.
Scenario, you are in a program, any program, and you select save as off the file menu. A window pops up with the current or last directory accessed and a suggested file name already populated and highlighted.
In nearly every other OS, since the name is highlighted, you can just start typing to replace it with a new name.
But in mate, you actually have to mouse up and re-highlight the name before you can start typing in that name field.
It's a little thing, but I do wish the default behavior could be changed. It breaks the flow and seems an unnecessary step. If the name is already highlighted, that should be where keyboard input goes. Right?
Other than that small annoyance, I love the desktop and it will continue to be my favorite.
K.
I confirm your observation. As far as I can judge, the reason of such the behaviour is that Save as... dialogue window does not automatically receive focus. The focus remains on its parent window. And yes, that is unexpected and inconvenient.
Actually, I do not have to reselect highlighted file name. It is enough to click on Save as... dialogue window header/title bar to bring the focus to it. The selection does not go away and typing replaces the selection now.
Update: there is a workaround which allows Save as... dialogue window to gain focus by default, i.e. without clicking. Just select menu item System > Preferences > Look and feel > Windows and mark Select windows when the mouse moves over them checkbox.
