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MATE 1.28 Finally Coming to Ubuntu 26.04 & Debian Forky

Last updated: October 30, 2025 — Leave a comment

For MATE users, Debian and Ubuntu are finally migrating this desktop environment to version 1.28 for Debian Testing (Forky) and Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.

MATE, the continuation of GNOME 2, is a popular lightweight desktop environment for Linux. The latest version is MATE 1.28 which was released more than a year and a half ago in February 2024.

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In News ,
 

The Gnome 2 Fork MATE 1.8 Released, Install it in Ubuntu

Last updated: March 5, 2014

 
The classic Gnome 2 fork MATE Desktop 1.8 has been released a few hours ago. This release brings various improvements and new features, including side-by-side tiling (windows snapping), support for Metacity as window manager and more.

MATE 1.8 contains below changes:

  • Control Center: added support for Metacity as window manager;
  • Marco (window manager): added side-by-side tiling (windows snapping);
  • Caja (file manager):
    • added option to use IEC units instead of SI units;
    • added “Open parent location” option in context menu in search view;
  • Panel: Added support to run dialog and main menu opening with Metacity keybindings;
  • Screensaver: show date and time in lock dialog;
  • Applets:
    • added undo functionality to sticky note applet;
    • new “command” applet to show the output of a command;
    • rewritten “timer” applet in C;
    • mouse middle click on volume applet toggles mute state;
  • added MATE User Guide;
  • added mpaste tool for paste.mate-desktop.org;
  • Eye Of MATE (image viewer): added shuffle mode in slideshow;
  • See the release note for more.

Dropped packages:

  • Replaced mate-doc-utils with yelp-tools
  • Replaced libmatekeyring/mate-keyring with libsecret/gnome-keyring
  • Replaced libmatewnck with libwnck
  • Replaced mucharmap with gucharmap
  • Replaced mate-bluetooth with blueman
  • Merged all caja extensions in a single package

Some Screenshots from mate desktop website:

Install MATE Desktop:

MATE 1.8 will be available soon in its official repository, so far it contains the 1.6 build for Ubuntu 13.10, Ubuntu 13.04, Ubuntu 12.10, and Ubuntu 12.04.

When the repository is ready, follow the below steps to install it in Ubuntu:

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+T on your keyboard to open the terminal. When it opens, run the command below to add the MATE repository:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu saucy main"

2. Update and install the key:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring

4. Finally update and install the MATE desktop:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mate-core mate-desktop-environment

Once installed, log out from the current session and you’re able to choose MATE in the login screen.

That’s it. Enjoy!

In Howtos ,
 

Install MATE 1.6 to Get Classic Gnome 2 Desktop in Ubuntu 13.10

Last updated: November 27, 2013

Gnome 2 Desktop was the default in Ubuntu (10.04 Lucid and earlier). If you would like to install this classic DE in Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy, try MATE, which is a fork of GNOME 2, aims to preserve the classic desktop metaphor.

NOTE: If you just want a classic Gnome style panel and app menu, search for and install gnome-session-fallback in Ubuntu Software Center and log out and back in with Gnome Flashback session.

First take a look at MATE 1.6:

MATE calssic gnome 2 menu

MATE gnome 2 panel items

To install MATE desktop environments in Ubuntu 13.10, follow the steps below:

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run commands to add MATE repository:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu saucy main"

2. Update package lists and get the keyring:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring

3. Update and install the DE:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mate-core mate-desktop-environment

Once installed, log out current session and choose to login with MATE from LightDM:

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