Ubuntu MATE 16.04 LTS is released

[lah7]

Ladies and gentleman, it's official.

Today marks the first official long term support release (LTS) of Ubuntu MATE. Many papercut bugs have been addressed, and the Welcome experience gets a shiny new look along with the Software Boutique to simply the installation of many of your desired applications.

Featuring 3 years support for Ubuntu MATE and 5 years for the base (Ubuntu), this release is great for users with production machines who desire a stable system that they can rely on.

• Release Announcement
• Downloads

Raspberry Pi users: See the 16.04 announcement for you.

Ubuntu MATE 16.04 LTS has not just been in development for 6 months. Ubuntu MATE 16.04 LTS has been in development for nearly 2 years. Since the project started in June 2014 this release, this our first official LTS, is what we’ve been working towards. This was the goal we had firmly in our sights every step of the way.

I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to Ubuntu MATE over the last 22 months. None of this would have been possible without the countless contributions from the amazing Ubuntu MATE community. I can’t thank you all enough for what you’ve helped create. I only hope this release makes you all proud.

-- Martin Wimpress, Ubuntu MATE Project Leader
@Wimpy

[mrtribute]

This is the first ubuntu(based) LTS since ubuntu 8.04 that feels like an unconditional gift to the world. Somehow I think Canonical lost the “ubuntu” notion and started to focus on other things. With ubuntu MATE the warm “Linux for human beings” feeling is fully back. Thanks for all your love and hard work!

Although I haven’t really used 16.04 a lot I have a very positive feeling that this is the freest and most user friendly desktop OS ever created, without artificial lock-downs. A new reference, not just for Linux, but for desktop computing. This is very important in a time when the desktop is under serious threat of a mobile makeover.

[jgknight]

Agreed! I installed Ubuntu MATE and I instantly felt more at home than I did with Unity, like how it used to feel back in the older days of Ubuntu. I was also able to find a theme that makes it look more like 10.04’s icons/colors Still miss the orange/brown sometimes though.

[wally333]

When will on-line upgrade from 15.10 be available?

I’ve 32-bit Ubuntu-MATE on a lame laptop and its breathed new life into it. I’d much prefer to upgrade instead of wipe, which would be my fallback position.

sudo do-release-upgrade says: “No new release found”

Do I need to change something in apt-sources?

I have notify me of a new Ubuntu version: For long-term support versions
set in Software & Updates.

Just before posting this, I changed the setting to “All New Releases” and now its offering the 16.04 upgrade.

I’ll post this just in case anyone else that wants an on-line update is chomping at the bit to get it started.

[anon42388993]

Try th -d switch

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Upgrades#Desktop_.2F_GUI_Upgrade-1

[avd238]

It;s about the upgrade from 14.04 -> 16.04… Been waiting for this!
If I use sudo do-release-upgrade -d it will disable all third-party sources, right? But this is ububtuMATE so mate-related third-party sources are essential. Basically is it safe to do upgrade with the above mention command? Thank you.

[lah7]

Disabling third party sources is normal. You won’t need the Ubuntu MATE Development PPAs in 16.04 as you did in 14.04. Otherwise, after the upgrade, re-enable/update any third party sources you have in Software & Updates.

[Josele13]

I have installed Ubuntu Mate 16.04, I love the possibility of configuration having this desk, you can change everything, I put Mutiny and I see great, it goes fast and stable, the only fault is that on the left bar put your hard disk partitions and first you have to mount it and then open a total of 3 beats when Unity is done by pressing once. plus my computer I will install 5 more computers, for my family.