How do I install MATE (the desktop environment)?

12.04 - 13.10

If you want MATE without the minty-freshness (sic) you could use the debian repo specifically for Ubuntu.

This repository contains 300Mb of pure Mate-desktop packages - that is, the Gnome-2 packages after the fork together with fixes released since.

Examining the package list, there doesn't appear to be much/if any updates to the base Ubuntu package lists.

What this means is that - unlike the Linux Mint derivative - the Mate-Desktop in this repo will sit much more comfortably along side any other desktops installed on Ubuntu - for example, Gnome-Shell, Unity, LXDE etc..

The Linux Mint Mate repo contains Mint specific changes but more importantly, later versions of the Gnome-3 packages that will upgrade Unity & Gnome-Shell packages - it is a more one way install.

to install the repository

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) main"

install MATE desktop

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring
sudo apt-get update
# this installs base packages
sudo apt-get install mate-core
# this installs more packages
sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

14.04 users

The official MATE development team have maintained PPAs which when used, uplifts Ubuntu 14.04 to Mate 1.8.1

In order to correctly install and configure MATE 1.8.1 on Ubuntu Trusty you will also need to add their PPAs:

Open a terminal complete the following steps to enable the appropriate PPAs and install MATE 1.8.1 on Ubuntu Trusty.

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/ppa
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/trusty-mate
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-mate-core ubuntu-mate-desktop

Since there is now an official Ubuntu Mate release ("15.04 and later"), why not just switch to that:

apt-get install ubuntu-mate-desktop

should do that for you (offering another desktop alternative, just like lubuntu-desktop etc)

CAUTION - Mixing the ubuntu and mint repos can cause serious problems. My advice would be to wait for a ppa. If you use the mint repos, disable them after installing MATE or use Pinning

You can install it from the mint repos

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ lisa main upstream import

Add that line to /etc/apt/sources.list

# command line
sudo -e /etc/apt/sources.list

# graphical
gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Then update and install. You will get a complaint about a missing (gpg) key, which we will fix.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linuxmint-keyring # Fixes gpg error
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y mint-meta-mate

Log out and choose MATE from your login menu

I would be surprised if a ppa does not pop up =)

I would consider disabling the mint repo after installing MATE, and would install as few packages as possible from mint (to avoid any conflicts).

Note: Do this at your own risk, it is possible the mint repo will cause problems, and I would not do something silly like sudo apt-get dist-upgrade with the mint repo activated.

You might want to make or wait for a ppa.