Ubuntu MATE 17.04 Beta 2 is out!

Announcements
#1

We’re absolutely chuffed to bits to announce, what is quite possibly, the best Ubuntu MATE beta we’ve ever released. We didn’t participate in the Beta 1 so we have quite the change log from Alpha 2 that was released in January. We still have some fixes to land for the themes but overall this release is shaping up to be really great.

We have something of an epic change log, you can read it all here:

ubuntu-mate-1704-beta2.png1280×720 511 KB

What to look for?

So when you're taking Ubuntu MATE 17.04 Beta 2 for a test drive here are some things to look for.

  • New icons and much improved themes.
  • A new panel layout in MATE Tweak called Pantheon.
  • A new menu, called Brisk, which is integrated into the Pantheon panel payout we just mentioned.
  • A whole new theme, Ambiant-MATE Dark.
  • DVD and Blu-ray playback support is a one click install from the Getting Started section in Ubuntu MATE Welcome
  • MATE Desktop 1.18 has landed!
  • If you apt install menulibre that will now become the preferred menu editor.
  • Your selected background image will become the image used on the lock screen.
  • We have added kdenlive to the Software Boutique (we heard you!) and included theme/icon integration.
  • Software Boutique now has, the improved, Bulk Queue enabled by default. So you can install multiple applications in one operation.
  • MATE Calculator is back, has been ported to GTK3+ and replaces Galculator.
  • Qt5 and Qt4 applications have improve theme integration with the selected GTK theme.
  • MATE Terminal will prompt you if you try and close a terminal running an active process.
  • Caja copy operations can be queued and paused.
  • And a whole lot more...
11 Likes
#3

There was a regression when MATE was ported to GTK+3, so that feature doesn’t work in 16.10

1 Like
#4

Been using 17.04 as my daily for some time now and I can say with confidence that it is absolutely the best yet IMHO. Thank you @Wimpy, the MATE team, and the rest of the devs for the continued effort.

3 Likes
#5

BTW, when upgrading from 17.04 Alpha, mate-calc doesn’t actually “replace” galculator, it’s just installed along with it (pulled in by metapackage update). You’ll have to remove galculator manually then.

I found this out because I just installed 17.04 Alpha yesterday and then installed all the updates… literally a few hours before this announcement appeared :laughing:

4 Likes
#7

For 32 bit machines too?

#8

32 bit support was dropped.

#9

By who?

#10

Only 32-bit PowerPC support was dropped. i386 is still very much alive. See the announcement:

PowerPC support is being dropped

1 Like
#12

Just installed as a VM. got a problem with Guest Additions.

My usual procedure is to install, then log in and install dkms. Then insert guest additions CD and open in a terminal. Then execute the following command “sudo sh ./VBoxLinux Additions.run”

However, when this last command has finished executing, I get the following error:

“failed to set up service vboxadd”

Have been on the forums and have tried installing the following:

build essential - module assistant - linux-headers

Still not fixed though

#13

I just install virtualbox-guest-dkms + virtualbox-guest-utils + virtualbox-guest-x11 packages, then reboot the VM, and that does it.

1 Like
#14

Yep

Although the “error” did not go away initially. When I rebooted, all was fine. So panic over…:slight_smile:

#15

And may I say…UM 17.04 is looking fantastic! I’ve been pushing it hard in the VM and nothing has gone awry yet.

I might be tempted…:smiley:

#16

I just updated my main system (from 16.10). The upgrade went off without a hitch, despite having removed some built-in apps like LibreOffice and Shotwell. Looks like the new ubuntu-mate-desktop metapackages using recommends from 16.10 on work perfectly.

1 Like
#17

Edit: @Wimpy, apologies, retrospectively should have posted this in Development section under bugs. Please feel free to move this post to a more suitable location. Thank you.

Anyone else seeing this issue with fresh install of 17.04 Beta 2, default Ambiant-MATE theme, and mate-menu (Advanced menu)? All Window managers show the same.

Images captured from VirtualBox

Screenshot from 2017-03-27 12-01-19.jpg1280×800 187 KB

Screenshot from 2017-03-27 12-01-38.jpg1280×800 199 KB

#18

@DaveB [quote=“DaveB, post:17, topic:12168”]
All Window managers show the same.
[/quote]

What does your set of images show? It is not clear to me and perhaps others…

#19

Hi, Images show (due to recent changes) an Ambiant-MATE theme issue with Advanced menu entries.

In comparison, below is Ubuntu MATE 16.04.2

Screenshot from 2017-03-27 20-12-36.jpg1280×800 199 KB

By default, Ubuntu MATE 16.10 Advanced menu uses a complimentary dark theme, as seen below.

Screenshot from 2017-03-27 20-43-29.jpg1280×800 187 KB

Version 17.04 seems half and half, but I'm sure boxes around entries shouldn't be there?

#20

Ah, gotcha. I see what you mean. Thanks DaveB.

#21

Fixes for MATE Menu, and other themes issues, are in the pipeline.

1 Like
#22

@Wimpy here's one outstanding theme issue that earned the ire of one reviewer last time around:

Screenshot at 2017-03-28 13:35:40.png659×542 65.9 KB

#23

Yes, this one isn’t solved yet.

1 Like