Those Linux users who fled Ubuntu upon the arrival of Unity, may wish to wallow in nostalgia by sampling the delights of Ubuntu 14.04 MATE:
http://ubuntuportal.com/2014/11/ubun...14-04-lts.html

This long term support edition (LTS) is supported until 2019 and recalls the heady days of Ubuntu 10.04 and Ubuntu Classic/Fallback 12.04.

Ubuntu MATE 14.04 Release:
https://ubuntu-mate.org/blog/ubuntu-...final-release/

Please note that Dedoimedo's review, below, is based on the non-LTS 14.10 edition. Unlike him, I had no problems whatsoever with partitioning. Everything worked perfectly.

Dedoimedo on Ubuntu 14.10:
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/u...opic-mate.html

Extracts:

“Ubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn with the MATE desktop environment is a very cool distro”.

“Familiar, friendly, extremely productive. Super fast and super stable, too. There was nothing out of ordinary, no problems. Suspend and resume worked without any issues, the system blazed at the speed of light, and with maybe ten minutes of work, you can transform it into anything you want. Docks, menus, new fonts, new themes, all there, just waiting for you. Total freedom and fun”.

“Highly polished, slick, and almost overwhelmingly simple and easy to use”.

Another review featuring Ubuntu MATE vs Lubuntu on an old netbook:
http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/201...d-netbook.html

Download Ubuntu 14.04 MATE from:
https://ubuntu-mate.org/longterm/

Yes, I am aware of the existence of Linux Mint because I have used it a lot and I would recommend it to anybody looking for a decent Linux distro.

I am also aware that an existing Unity desktop can be replaced by a MATE desktop:
http://wiki.mate-desktop.org/replace_unity_by_mate

Putting the above observations to one side, I am just delighted to be using Ubuntu 14.04 MATE on my main computer.

Not only do I enjoy its familiar looks, feel and layout, but it helps me to get my work done quickly and efficiently.

Highly recommended.

how exactly is that possible?

last thing i remember is canonical threatening linux mint dev's because it's based on ubuntu. well, something like that anyways.

so how exactly is ubuntu MATE something else than just another ubuntu-based distro?

Ubuntu MATE developer Martin Wimpress says that the Ubuntu Technical Board is in ‘support of Ubuntu MATE’ and that a few ‘formalities’ are left outstanding before the request for official endorsement can proceed.

“The Ubuntu MATE team will complete the outstanding actions requested by the Ubuntu Technical Board in the coming days and I am confident Ubuntu MATE will achieve official status in due course.”

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/u...ficial-flavour

Also, Mark Shuttleworth said he was "Delighted to see MATE arriving as an official desktop remix in Ubuntu" on Google +:

https://plus.google.com/+MarkShuttle...ts/MpDMCeaUi3K

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <Ubuntu> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

As much as I too am pleased to see the Ubuntu desktop environment situation finally being adressed (as not everybody who dislikes Unity will want to go for something like Lubuntu or Xubuntu with their slimmed-down desktop environments), personally I don't quite see the point of this because Linux Mint already comes with MATE and a whole pile of other stuff (audio codecs, flash, etc. which I've yet to successfully install on an Ubuntu system) which makes it even better than Ubuntu with the MATE desktop environment.

onlyonemac,

Linux MATE is installed on my laptops, but Ubuntu 14.04.1 MATE is on my main workhorse desktop PC. Both OSs are first class, in my opinion, and they happen to suit my requirements perfectly.

As Linux users know only too well, there is no such thing as a single, “best” Linux OS.

In the end, it all comes down to an individual's personal preference and particular situation/requirements.

I wish both Mint and Ubuntu MATE every success in the future.

Hi,

I totally disagree, Slackware Gnu/Linux is the best out there! Use it & prove it!

Since it is the pantomime season, all I can say in reply is, “Oh no it isn't”.

However, should you reply with, “Oh yes it is”, then I suspect that this thread will keep running for a few years.

You just enjoy your Slack and I will enjoy my Ubuntu MATE.

Hi,

I bet that I have had less issues with Slackware than you have with *buntu distributions.

As some say 'Each to his/her own".

Just could not resist the reply when someone soap boxes false information/FUD.

I will graciously back out of this thread so that the thread will get back on topic..

To say Linux mint is better than Ubuntu,i think that's hash wash,how can mint be better than Ubuntu since Mint and most distros are based on Ubuntu,and it's where any other ubuntu based go to get software,
myself, i've tested mint and others and i find Ubuntu more stable,though i also don't like Unity much but i use gnome flashback and i'm satisfied, also one can use xfce or other gnome,i keep trying other distros but i always go back to Ubuntu, Xubuntu, depends on the hardware.

Hi,

Not Slackware!
Look at the history timelines;
I would flip that point, Slackware has been around since 1993 & Ubuntu showed up around late 2004. Debian was released after Slackware and it was years, almost a decade that Ubuntu was then released.

Just have fun & enjoy!

It may be hard to comprehend but Ubuntu is not that base for "most distros".

First off it is a, admittedly complex, respin of Debian itself. You may be correct that it is the base for most Debian branch respins though.

You are ignoring, apparently, the entire Red Hat branch of Gnu/Linux, the entire (small) Slackware branch of Gnu/Linux, and the Linux Foundation seems to consider Suse a separate branch although it is a RPM using system so I rank it in with the Red Hat ecosystem.

Then there is Arch. Again a small bunch of respins but some very notible ones.

If you look at the top 15 in the Distrowatch list you will see all of those represented there. And that ranking is based on page hits so all the PR work of Canonical tips the scales in Ubuntu and its respins favor quite a bit.

Taking pride in the OS you prefer is a great thing. Making rash claims is best done with some actual facts to back up those claims.

I recently tried 6 different distros on a box for my TV: Fedora, Mint, Ubuntu 16, Centos, Elementary and Ubuntu Mate. Actually, I think there were more, but I've forgotten them. It's a 2009 Toshiba 42" Regza, and they all had issues of one sort or another except Ububtu Mate.

With regards to all other distros, this is the most user friendly Linux I've ever tried. Period.
You'll have to run an install to see what I mean.

I have it on 2 desktops and a laptop now, and it's pretty much my default OS.