MATE Desktop 1.4 Offers GNOME2 Improvements

[phoronix]

Phoronix: MATE Desktop 1.4 Offers GNOME2 Improvements

MATE Desktop 1.4 has been released for those using this fork of the GNOME2 package set as their desktop environment...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTE1MDY

[scottishduck]

They badly need GTK3 if they want this project to survive.

[Redi44]

They badly need GTK3 if they want this project to survive.

+1

It's good that people who hate Gnome Hell and who were satisfied by Gnome2 have some sort of replacement. But GTK2 is no longer valid. GTK3 is the future + I can't see any reason why they couldn’t make MATE with GTK3.

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Also (NO flame please), can somebody explain the advantages of MATE (Gnome2) over XFCE? I never really understood the need for two almost exactly the same looking DEs.

[schmidtbag]

+1

It's good that people who hate Gnome Hell and who were satisfied by Gnome2 have some sort of replacement. But GTK2 is no longer valid. GTK3 is the future + I can't see any reason why they couldn’t make MATE with GTK3.

---

Also (NO flame please), can somebody explain the advantages of MATE (Gnome2) over XFCE? I never really understood the need for two almost exactly the same looking DEs.

I also agree, with both points. Based on what I've noticed, XFCE at this point has pretty much obsoleted gnome2. Which brings me back to the point I always make - XFCE is not lightweight!!!! GNOME 2 when it was still the latest was considered a heavyweight DE. Today I'd consider it middleweight, as it does perform significantly worse on crappy hardware compared to LXDE. That being said, while XFCE could be a little more optimized than GNOME 2, it definitely surpassed GNOME in terms of function and features, so it is at least a middleweight DE.

[uid313]

I just use GNOME 3 with the gnome-session-classic package (it uses gnome-panel instead of gnome-shell) then it looks and behaves pretty much like GNOME 2.

Except that they're now making Nautilus retarded (backspace don't work, directories not sorted before files, etc).

[9a3eedi]

They badly need GTK3 if they want this project to survive.

The MATE devs realize that, since they have the goal of migrating to GTK3 on their roadmap, althoguh it's on "future release" so no exact version number yet
http://wiki.mate-desktop.org/roadmap

Right now they seem to be focused on resolving conflicts with gnome, and forking all the gnome projects that were abandoned, as well as general small improvements here and there.

Also, they're pretty lacking in developers right now, so it might take a while for them to migrate to GTK3

+1

It's good that people who hate Gnome Hell and who were satisfied by Gnome2 have some sort of replacement. But GTK2 is no longer valid. GTK3 is the future + I can't see any reason why they couldn’t make MATE with GTK3.

---

Also (NO flame please), can somebody explain the advantages of MATE (Gnome2) over XFCE? I never really understood the need for two almost exactly the same looking DEs.

As a longtime gnome 2 user, when I was forced to switch to XFCE.. it just didn't feel the same. Sure it was similar, but there are many things that felt "missing" in it. I can't explain very well, and it's been a wihle since I used XFCE, but in general I got the impression that XFCE is like "gnome lite".. it just didn't feel like a "complete" experience, compared to gnome 2. I'm mainly referring to integration, the quality of the applications (thunar vs. nautilus for example), and things like that.

[Redi44]

As a longtime gnome 2 user, when I was forced to switch to XFCE.. it just didn't feel the same. Sure it was similar, but there are many things that felt "missing" in it. I can't explain very well, and it's been a wihle since I used XFCE, but in general I got the impression that XFCE is like "gnome lite".. it just didn't feel like a "complete" experience, compared to gnome 2. I'm mainly referring to integration, the quality of the applications (thunar vs. nautilus for example), and things like that.

And wouldn't then be better to make XFCE better and reduce these "akward" things rather then waste resources on Gnome2 fork?

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Again I do not want to create flame I just want to be convinced that MATE is worth of recommendation to other users. Right now I always recommends XFCE.

[Hamish Wilson]

Thunar and xfdesktop are the weakest links when considering Xfce right now. In both of these areas Nautilus remains superior. Other than that though, Xfce generally delivers a better more thought out experience when one forgets about such things as previous usage and nostalgia.

[solo2101]

And wouldn't then be better to make XFCE better and reduce these "akward" things rather then waste resources on Gnome2 fork?

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Again I do not want to create flame I just want to be convinced that MATE is worth of recommendation to other users. Right now I always recommends XFCE.

same way you like XFCE, some like LXDE, others like KDE, some others want Gnome 3 and a few other prefer MATE...
how can someone that likes a certain DE waste resorces?

[solo2101]

+1

It's good that people who hate Gnome Hell and who were satisfied by Gnome2 have some sort of replacement. But GTK2 is no longer valid. GTK3 is the future + I can't see any reason why they couldn’t make MATE with GTK3.

oh that is easy... gnome 2 is gtk2, and a lot of people like it... take the name add MATE and you have the same thing that you had before.... why reinvent the wheel?