Will MATE become more and more popular?

Thoughts & Feedback
#1

These days, I read an article about the comparison and the future of Cinnamon and MATE.

Actually these two are more suitable for desktop and laptop especially for the purpose of working.

But how can MATE show its advantage when Cinnamon is also doing in the style of traditional desktop?

I know I have no rights to decide what MATE is going to be finally, but as the computer hardware resources are getting better and better, the “lightweight” might not be the permanent advantage that MATE has. Maybe in the future, a heavy desktop will influence nothing on the performance because of the much more powerful CPUs and much larger RAMs…

Besides, Cinnamon, xfce, LXDE all have the style of traditional desktop, how to compete with these guys?

Just wish MATE can be really promising in the long run!

1 Like
#2

I believe there a major advantages Ubuntu MATE has to offer both individual and business:

  1. completely modern OS
  1. extremely configurable
  2. ability to extend older hardware EOL
  3. compatibility to the new hardware providing companies single OS solution
  4. maintenance ease

Just like a glass being either half full or half empty the lightweight aspect can be viewed as an advantage or detriment.

4 Likes
#3

Your concern is somewhat related to one of mine. I like MATE a lot but as you rightly say there are many different competing desktop environments. As hardware gradually changes not just in terms of performance but also in terms of type (years ago there were no tablets) desktop environments will have to adapt in order to stay relevant. Consequently, a Linux-based operating system is more sustainable if it does not primarily define itself through a particular desktop environment. Hence the recent success of distros such as Linux Mint and Manjaro Linux. Both offer editions featuring different desktop environments. This approach is not without problems though. Both distros currently suffer from security- and stability-related problems that are largely absent with Ubuntu MATE and Ubuntu MATE certainly integrates the MATE desktop environment in the best way compared to them.

What strategy would I recommend for Ubuntu MATE then? It will become (even) more popular if it extends its appeal beyond the desktop environment. The Software Boutique and the Welcome app are steps in the right direction and show how innovative this project is. I hope that it will also develop a distinct focus on productivity similar in style to what Edubuntu and Ubuntu Studio are offering, the former geared towards students and teachers, the second one aimed at photographers and filmmakers. If you read through my recent posts, you will notice that I have made cases for strengthening Ubuntu MATE’s profile in two areas: security/privacy and education/academia.

6 Likes
#4

[quote=“ricky2, post:1, topic:6344”]as the computer hardware resources are getting better and better, the
“lightweight” might not be the permanent advantage that MATE has. Maybe in the future, a heavy desktop will influence nothing on the performance because of the much more powerful CPUs and much larger RAMs…
[/quote]

I disagree with the premise here.
The trend lately hasn’t been to make more powerful CPUs (though they definitely are) but to achieve lower power consumption.

We tend to forget it but electricity isn’t free.
With always-improving network techs (better WiFi coverage, better transmission speeds) the strain on batteries will keep getting higher and higher.

Every little bit counts.

Eye Candy is of very limited interest for someone who want to use his computer for what it is: a tool to do stuff.

Ubuntu MATE will become more and more popular, but that won’t be because we suddenly decide to take the heavy road.
Ubuntu MATE gains user everyday. They will do their part in spreading the word.

I’m currently pushing for the adoption of Ubuntu MATE at my University.
When (not if) I succeed in getting it adopted it will be 180+ new Ubuntu MATE workstations.

The 120+ IT/CS Students that will leave the school will most likely have the same reaction as me when faced with vanilla Ubuntu.

The students from other disciplines will remember what it is to have a computer that do only what they want and does not pushes adverts onto their screens.

9 Likes
#5

Great! Do you think it is possible to start some kind of Ubuntu MATE Education Initiative?, perhaps through this website? Or is there already something similar to the KDE Education Project for MATE?

I don’t think that a beautifully designed desktop environment and efficiency are mutually exclusive. But in the end, I think, it comes down to personal preferences and individual habits. Different desktop environments will always coexist just like people will always have different design choices in how to decorate the interior of their homes.

2 Likes
#6

[quote=“maro, post:3, topic:6344”]
Consequently, a Linux-based operating system is more sustainable if it does not primarily define itself through a particular desktop environment.
[/quote]I suggest that Ubuntu MATE is a desktop environment specific to Ubuntu.

While MATE is uniquely a mate-destop fully supported by 18 Linux distributions.

2 Likes
#7

Actually I have now installed Fedora MATE spin for my laptop, We should encourage people to install MATE desktop of different distros.

1 Like
#8

Only in this way can MATE survive!

#9

Yep, Ubuntu Mate is, IMHO, the go to system for many; but I also love grabbing a kernel from outside the land of Debian and slapping MATE on it, to see what hardware anomalies present, etc…

I built a SuSEMATE that is a U-MATE clone, so I could run 1.14 on it; no one at my office could tell that it wasn’t Ubuntu, at first; MATE stood on its own merits, in this limited situation.

I am positive that what we have here, with Ubuntu Mate, specifically, is a holistic approach towards what MATE can and should be doing for the masses. The scenario, here, is phenomenal; and should be held up as the benchmark of what MATE can be to users in edu, enterprise, or casual use. :laughing:

4 Likes
#10

However…I returned to Ubuntu MATE today. Because Fedora MATE lacks too much codec and fonts, some of the app are from xfce desktop…

I suddenly found there is hardly a perfect linux desktop…

#11

Some years ago the idea of MATE OS was discussed, within the MATE team, to showcase MATE. Ubuntu MATE is my attempt at achieving that.

I agree that Ubuntu MATE can be improved and I also agree that some turnkey solutions to augment Ubuntu MATE to specific functions would help gain users and education and academia are natural fits.

We’ve seen the start of one-click solutions in Ubuntu MATE Welcome and Software Boutique and I’d like to further develop those capabilities :slight_smile:️

9 Likes
#12

I just like Ubuntu MATE because it starts off as the environment I was use to seeing pre-unity. It’s classic GNOME with no nonsense.

The one thing the welcome program may need, would be to do a fair bit more to assist people with different hardware and with different needs. Different machines with different capabilities would need different hardware running to make the best use of those machines, as well, improved accessibility support would allow for more people to use it with less configuration out of the box.

3 Likes
#13

I think Ubuntu Mate will become one of the top runners in the distro lists, someone mentioned tablets but I personally don’t really want one as I have a mini notebook and a normal midi tower PC along with a smart phone.

@Wimpy’s point about making things easy with [quote=“Wimpy, post:11, topic:6344”]
one-click solutions
[/quote]

is in itself a good indication of the route that Ubuntu Mate is taking. :thumbsup:

I try to work on the “K.I.S.S” principle (see here ) when writing any guides because not everyone is a computing genius or indeed has the time or inclination to learn all there is to know about running a computer. Welcome is a great innovation (tool) and a great asset to the Ubuntu Mate desktop and is really helpful for people starting out in the Linux world.

When writing replies to people you are trying to help, try and see things from their point of view and remember that they may be a beginner, if we write replies that sound more like a scientific equation; we may well scare them away from moving to Linux in general!. If we all follow that type of guideline; we will win people over to Linux and can sit back and watch not just this community; but all communities grow!. :smiley:

@ouroumov’s idea of spreading the word around his university (or indeed any learning institution) is one I like, it could end up saving schools etc, a lot of money due to the high cost of a Microscrap licence, many local governments are turning to Linux to help save tax-payers money and indeed have developed their own versions of Linux!. :smiley:

That’s my tuppence worth on this matter, any questions should be addressed to my secretary!. :thumbsup:

6 Likes
#14

I think it will be a necessity to offer a round package. That is the most important aspect!
Mate is already very good in it, that is why it plays an important role in the Linux world today. Small inconsistencies still remain which I would like to point out (just my personal preference):

  • Indicator should include the battery tray
  • Update the control centre that all menus will open in it (I do not see why it should open all in different windows)
  • Add more alternative menus
  • ways to customize the panels length
1 Like
#15

Well, to rebut all you’ve mentioned;

  1. I see a battery icon when I use my laptop in the default panel, so battery indicator does indeed exist.
  2. Control Panel opens separate applications, much like old-school Windows; it is no more than a launchpad.
  3. No.
  4. You can customize height / length and cardinal position in panel properties while using mate-panel. After, you can drag panels to wherever you wish.
1 Like
#16

I found some problem with Ubuntu MATE 16.10. The bluetooth is not working.

In the fedora MATE spin, the bluetooth works nicely…

#17

See what bluetooth programs are in use on Fedora, and install those components in Ubuntu MATE. If you have to remove some other components, then do as you must, and make links to binaries mate-control-center is looking for.

At best, it could be a driver issue; Figure out what wireless radio your machine has, then search for binary blobs you can install via apt, or if you have to convert packages with alien from rpm to deb.

Just note; this is not a MATE-specific problem, Though the bluetooth software pre-installed comes with MATE already, your problem could had been a long-withstanding issue in GNOME 2.18 as well.

1 Like
#18

I like both, both version’s, Ubuntu and Fedora are good. But Ubuntu seems more compatible with my hardware.

#19

Ubuntu MATE finished 2016 at 14th place and 650 HPD. For the past 6 mos. it is now at 26th place and 365 HPD. I used it and really liked it for a while, until it started becoming more and more like bloatware with very high memory overhead. I went back to Mint 17.3 and will stay for the foreseeable future.

#20

For me, the main difference between MATE and Cinnamon, is the fact, that Cinnamon is mainly used by Linux Mint users, while Mint is much widely adopted. A lot Linux distros using it by default or have MATE as installation option, also BSD systems using it too, and OpenIndiana uses MATE too. So MATE is a truly widely used Unix desktop, and I really like it about MATE :slight_smile:

But anyway, since Ubuntu switch to GNOME, I think, many people will switch too, to KDE, LXQt, CInnamon (Mint) or MATE, or to a different OS too. But anyway, it will definitely increases the MATE userbase.

But what is came in my mind right now, Ubuntu will be more similar to Fedora, since both will use GNOME, the difference is the default theme, and one is Debian based, while the other is Red Hat based. I wonder, how will incease/decrease the two’s userbase this.