Impression: LXQT Lubuntu may become Ubuntu Mate rival

Cuppa n' Brew
1

There was no particular reason for installing Lubuntu 24.04 as a VM. Nevertheless I did that. Years ago I was not impressed by LXDE and Lubuntu at all. Now I was pleasantly surprised. LXQT Lubuntu allowed all of my favourite desktop tweaks out of the box. Most impressive was that it allowed to tweak QT theme's colour scheme in GUI and install GTK themes! Lubuntu is capable to run as QT, as GTK application. Next to that Lubuntu interface seems to be familiar, hence, intuitive. And yes, Lubuntu is light on resources.

And I thought that I could live with LXQT Lubuntu if I had no chance to use Ubuntu Mate any longer.

8 Likes
2

Thank you for pointing out what appears to be a workable migration path, if such becomes inevitable! :slight_smile:

3 Likes
3

I had tried LXQT and didn't care for it, but I admit that was years ago.

My order of progression if Mate ceased to exit would be Cinnamon, Xfce, and then KDE.

Cinnamon is the most gnome2 like after Mate to me. I find Xfce harder to configure and KDE bloated. Not sure why but that 90% of KDE software starts with a K bugs me. I guess I am getting to be that crotchity old man that lives down the block. Let's hope we never have to make those choices.

Regardless everyone has different opinions, I hear there are people that actually LIKE gnome 3! I find that rather astonishing.

That's what's great about Linux, you have choices.

4 Likes
4

Are we concerned about UM going away or are you all just doing “what if” scenarios?

3 Likes
5

I’m not concerned. I just responded to the post.

2 Likes
6

For sanity's sake, and peace of mind, everyone should have a general idea of what their emergency exit path would be "in case of fire"! :slight_smile:

4 Likes
7

On a secondary machine I have the Trinity Desktop Environment loaded on openSUSE Tumbleweed.

From what I understand, TDE is a fork of KDE 3.5 and thus is analogous to MATE and GNOME 2.

TDE will be my desktop of choice should MATE cease to exist.

Otherwise, I have also played around with Xfce quite a bit in the past and, hidden in the settings, it has a “GNOME 2” preset panel layout. It’s good, but misses the “Settings” menu so just “Applications, Places”. That doesn’t feel right to me.

GNOME Flashback (Metacity) has the same falling point (no “Settings” menu).

8

I'm not sure I see that, as TDE relies on Qt3 which hasn't been supported for some time (current version is Qt6), and whilst the MATE desktop started with GTK2 (also unsupported, thus was maybe ~equivalent), it was ported to GTK3 which is still in maintenance mode (current version GTK4) and thus does receive some support.

I do see MATE as in a better position than Trinity.

I've hum'd and har'd about responding to this thread, whilst I'm on the Lubuntu team, as no doubt many on this site will know, but on this site I'm representing Ubuntu or Ubuntu-MATE and not Lubuntu!. I'm aware of talk at various levels about the need to create a documented flavor removal processes, some teams struggling with lack of contributors thus flavor teams being difficult to reach at critical times, I had a question asked of me (from Ubuntu Release team member) relating to Ubuntu MATE 24.04.3 ISO which took me ~20 mins to notice/respond to, but Martin Wimpress had already responded within ~2 mins so far faster; to me that reflects well on Ubuntu-MATE.

To me, be it I'm logged into a MATE desktop session, Xfce desktop session, or LXQt desktop session on my current Ubuntu questing system, it's still a Ubuntu system to me that I'm using. The desktop maybe tweaked by different teams (or I have GNOME from Ubuntu Desktop team on this box too) but the system is still Ubuntu.

If the Ubuntu-MATE team was to close up, I could still use the MATE desktop, as much of what I get comes from upstream Debian sid anyway. If Xubuntu closed up, again as most of that also comes from Debian sid I'd notice little difference there either (if you watch, you'll regularly see Xubuntu devs talking about uploads to Debian sid on Xubuntu [IRC] development channels; update there & the one upload benefits both Debian and Ubuntu!; which MATE team members have done too). Of the desktops I've mentioned; I'd notice the biggest difference if Lubuntu closed up, as the Ubuntu repositories regularly have newer package versions than are uploaded into Debian sid, plus the [Lubuntu] team makes more Lubuntu specific changes (compared to Xfce/MATE) in my opinion anyway.

If anyone was worried about Ubuntu MATE closing up; they can still use Ubuntu with the MATE desktop, just as Xubuntu users could still use Ubuntu with Xfce desktop, etc.

To me Ubuntu MATE is really just a Ubuntu system used with the MATE desktop on it anyway.

7 Likes
9

I do get a little concerned as I see UM drop down the DistroWatch list. When I first started using UM, it was in the 70s but has dropped to 89 despite some decent positive press about it. At the same time, DistroWatch is tracking 333 different distos so we can still say it’s in the top 3rd. Additionally, with that many to chose from, I am pretty sure I would be able to find one I like.

:slight_smile:

1 Like
A look at Ubuntu MATE web traffic stats
10

This wasn’t something I was aware of – good to know.

MATE though is my preferred DE and I will not change unless it ceases to exist. However, just in case the unthinkable ever happens, I have some outs.

I also still have my i3 configurations saved just in case. :slight_smile:

3 Likes
11

We could say that GTK has a rival: Qt.

It's interesting since LXQt was born from the LXDE maintainer being dissatisfied with GTK 3.[1] I've used both at some point - simple and lightweight.

What I've found is that Qt-based desktop environments (like LXQt, KDE) seem to do a good job at making sure GTK apps feel at home. Ubuntu MATE does a good job too by shipping the necessary configuration. Can't say the same for some 'bigger' desktops (-cough- Ubuntu, GNOME 3) where Qt apps use a generic 'default' theme and look out of place theme-wise.

7 Likes
A look at Ubuntu MATE web traffic stats
12

5 posts were merged into an existing topic: A look at Ubuntu MATE web traffic stats

13

Given how more and more of the desktop seems to be ignoring the Gnome 2.x\Mate Desktop in favor of Gnome, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned.

Gnome’s gambit to force all GTK apps into becoming Gnome apps is working. At some point we’re not going to have much of a desktop because there will be no consistency, just an assortment of apps that all look like they belong somewhere else.

So yeah, people are looking. I’m already saving up for a MacBook Pro. If I’m going to be forced to use the OS X desktop I may as well use the actual one and not Gnome’s horrible knock off, at least I’ll get the benefit of the Apple Silicon unified memory and access to certain commercial apps that refuse to port to Linux in addition to the video editor I originally planned on buying another Mac for.

2 Likes
14

I hear you. I am a graphic designer and I just can’t use Linux as my main PC because the software just is not good enough. At the same time, I just can’t bring myself to using Apple products either so for now, I am using Windows for my Adobe products and Linux for everything else.

1 Like
15

I have to say, I installed Linux Mint on one of my other laptops and have been playing with it. It’s pretty slick. I can see why it is so popular.

16

Which desktop, Cinnamon, Mate or Xfce? Standard (Ubuntu) or LMDE (Debian)? I used the Mate standard edition for about a year but eventually came back to Ubuntu Mate which I still like better , which I keep on an old laptop and I never left the forum, which is the best.

I will say I made a Mint Cinnamon USB drive for a friend (along with an Ubuntu Mate one) that is considering installing Linux instead of updating his Win10 computer. To make sure the installation media was correct I booted it and it found and put in my Brother printer on boot. That is unusual.

1 Like
17

Cinnamon. To be honest, tho, so far I can’t see any real advantage over MATE.

3 Likes
18

The only thing I really liked was the larger panel. When I went back to my MATE, I simply went to panel properties and increased the size. As Inspector Clousseau would say, “Problem solv-ed”

19

Just a thought... what if there was a MATE-like experience, but under a Qt desktop? (Be it LXQt or KDE?) With the polish of Ubuntu MATE?

I mean, my home desktop is KDE under a dual panel arrangement. I have a dusty to-do list that maybe I should try making an applet that mimics the "Applications, Places, System" launcher.

I'd echo @bornagainpenguin concern. If I was an investor, I pick Qt (Qt Widgets). They still preserve the traditional metaphor (menu bars, toolbars, system tray, themes).

6 Likes
20

Well, then Lubuntu definitely deserves a bit of your attention.

2 Likes