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I want to install the MATE desktop in Xubuntu (just the desktop environment, not a complete install of Ubuntu-MATE). I have seen 3 different suggestions as to how to do that: 1, 2, 3. That is:

  1. $ sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate $ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade $ sudo apt-get install mate
  2. $ sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate $ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade $ sudo apt-get install mate-dock-applet
  3. sudo apt-get install ubuntu-mate-desktop

Main question: What is the difference between the three options?

Secondary question: Which one is most recommended?

Edit: This answers the secondary question.

Community
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Ur Ya'ar
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  • I also recommend using the version available in the default repositories. –  Oct 22 '16 at 16:37
  • OK thanks, maybe you could comment there in your answer that option 2 is the same as using ubuntu-mate-desktop. I am not a developer, I was looking for a lighter version of Ubuntu (but not as light as Lubuntu), and decided on Xubuntu, but now I have a problem that I didn't find a solution to, so I want to give MATE a try without making a new installation. – Ur Ya'ar Oct 22 '16 at 17:15
  • Close voters Could you explain how is this primarily opinion based? – Anwar Oct 26 '16 at 13:30
  • What is "opinion based" in the main question regarding the differences between the three options of installation? – Ur Ya'ar Nov 01 '16 at 06:33
  • I agree that the secondary question is opinion based - that's why it's secondary. – Ur Ya'ar Nov 01 '16 at 06:34

1 Answers1

2

You have mentioned actually two options.

  • Install from PPA and
  • Install from official Ubuntu repository

The main difference is, PPA has more updated version for MATE compatible with the Xenial Xerus. For example, considering mate-desktop-environment package, this is the output in my system

→ apt-cache policy mate-desktop-environment
mate-desktop-environment:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.14.0+2~xenial1.2
  Version table:
     1.14.0+2~xenial1.2 500
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages
     1.12.0+1 500
        500 file:/media/Linux/apt-repo/xenial-mate  Packages
        500 file:/media/Linux/apt-repo/xenial3  Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe i386 Packages

As you can see, PPA has updated version of MATE packages. (Some packages are from my local repository)

The recommended way to install would be using the official repository though. Because that reduces the possibilities of being in difficulties during upgrade.

Answering the question regarding installing only mate-dock-applet package:

The tutorial that suggested this was http://sourcedigit.com/18099-how-to-install-mate-desktop-environment-on-ubuntu-16-04-ubuntu-15-10/

They suggested these commands as an installation path

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/xenial-mate
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install mate-dock-applet

I don't know why they suggested that particular package to install instead of standard mate-desktop-environment. Maybe they thought that will pull less packages, but that may be not the case. Because mate-dock-applet needs mate-panel and that needs mate-desktop and all other mate stuff eventually.

Also note that, the first option has a flaw. There is no package named mate in the repository.

Anwar
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