Good. We have already installed Ubuntu MATE 16.04. And now that? Well, like everything in life, it will depend on each one, but in this article I am going to explain what I do after installing the MATE version of Ubuntu. And, like any operating system, Ubuntu MATE comes with packages installed by default that we will probably never use and it does not have others that we may use frequently.
I want you to keep in mind that what I will explain next it's what i usually do, so it is possible that you remove a package that interests you or install another that is not. For example, I install RedShift which is used to change the temperature of the screen at night and I remove Thunderbird. In any case, I hope to explain everything step by step so that everyone can choose what suits them best.
What to do after installing Ubuntu MATE
Install and uninstall packages
As soon as I install Ubuntu MATE, I start installing and removing packages. I install the following:
- Synaptic. As much as different software centers launch, I always like to have it close at hand. From Synaptic we can install and uninstall packages as in other software centers, but with more options.
- Shutter. The MATE screen capture tool or any other Ubuntu-based version is fine, but Shutter has more options and one very important to me: it allows you to edit photos by easily adding arrows, squares, pixels, etc, all from one application. light.
- GIMP. I think there are plenty of presentations. The most used "Photoshop" in Linux.
- qbittorrent. Transmission is also very good, but qbittorrent also has a search engine, so I want to have it available for what may happen.
- Kodi. Formerly known as XBMC, it allows you to play practically any type of content, be it local video, streaming, audio ... the possibilities are endless, as long as you know what to do with it.
- UNetbootin. To create Live USBs.
- GParted. The tool to format, resize and ultimately manage partitions.
- RedShift. The aforementioned system that changes the temperature of the screen by eliminating blue tones.
- Kazam. To capture everything that happens on my desktop.
- PlayOnLinux. One more turn of the screw to Wine with which Photoshop can be installed, for example.
- Opportunity. A great video editor.
- Kdenlive. Another great video editor.
- Clementine. An audio player based on Amarok, but more simplified.
Variety. To change the wallpaper. It changes me every hour. Now I create them without installing anything.- Software Center (gnome-software). I was surprised to see that Ubuntu MATE only has "Software Boutique". It has a good image, yes, but it does not allow searching for packages. It only focuses on offering software that works well on MATE.
I remove the following packages:
- Thunderbird. For many this will be heresy, but I have never liked Thunderbird, especially after trying other more modern mail managers. I prefer Nylas N1.
- Rhythmbox. Very limited for me and one of its shortcomings for me is unforgivable: it does not have an equalizer. I know it can be added, but I prefer to install Clementine.
- Hexchat. In short, I haven't chatted on IRC in a long time.
- Tilda. A Terminal emulator that I will never use.
- Pidgin. The same thing I said about Hexchat, I say about Pidgin.
- Orca (gnome-orca). Dictate what's on the desk with your voice. Neither do I need it.
If it turns out that you want to do everything exactly like me in this sense, you can copy and paste the following text (I do it) in a Terminal. In case you don't know, "&&" (without the quotes) makes us add more than one command and (thanks, Victor 😉) "-y" makes it not ask us for confirmation. The first on the list, to avoid possible errors, is to update the repositories, the penultimate is to update what I have not touched and the last is to eliminate the dependencies that I will no longer use:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y synaptic shutter gimp qbittorrent kodi unetbootin gparted redshift kazam playonlinux openshot kdenlive clementine gnome-software && sudo apt-get remove -y thunderbird rhythmbox hexchat tilda pidgin gnome-orca && sudo apt-get upgrade -y && sudo apt-get autoremove -y
NOTE: each of the changes must be accepted (with the "S" for "Yes" + Enter).
Add app launchers
Although Ubuntu MATE 16.04 includes Plank, which is a Dock for the lower part, the truth is that I do not like it, I do not know why. I prefer to put my own launchers on the top bar. To add a launcher, we just have to do the following:
- We go to the applications menu.
- We right or secondary click on the application that we want to add to the top bar.
- We choose the option «Add this launcher to the panel».
For example, in addition to the Firefox that is already set by default, I add the Terminal, the screenshot, Shutter, the System Monitor, Photoshop (I'll explain how to install it), GIMP, a shortcut to a folder with images, two personalized (the "xkill" and "redshift" command), the Franz application (which links WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype and many other messaging services) and, a little further away for security, the command to restart (reboot).
Customize some aspects
I like the MATE environment a lot, truth be told, but something can always be improved on. Since Matte Tweak, we can make some modifications such as deleting the personal folder from the desktop. On my desk I just leave the drives mounted. We can also:
- Move the buttons to the left.
- Change topic. There are several available, the most striking being Mutiny for resembling the standard version. I prefer the default Ubuntu MATE theme, but that's my personal preference.
- From System / Preferences / Hardware / Mouse / Touchpad I also switch to scroll through windows with two fingers, turning on natural scrolling and horizontal scrolling.
- From Applications / Accessories We can access Synapse, an application launcher, file browser, etc., which comes in handy. What I do is open it, so it will appear in the upper right part, I tell it not to show the icon (I don't need it) and to start with the system. To launch it, I use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Slash.
I think that is all. I hope everything is clear. What do you do after installing Ubuntu MATE?
Tastes are tastes, the good thing is the great variety of software and the possibility of customization
I never liked Ubuntu MATE. They already said "tastes are tastes."
I am passionate about working in class with students. Infinite possibilities 🙂
The first thing I do is download the google browser and uninstall firefox, then I install psensor to monitor the temperatures and leave it like that xD
Hello friend, how do you install the Franz application? I can't find it and update as it says on the command line.
Hello Ariel. It is not in the official repositories. You can find it here http://meetfranz.com where you will download a compressed file. You unzip it and it can run.
A greeting.
I don't think there are many users who like Gnome-shell based desktops as they are offered "" out of the box "but keep in mind that they allow many times to revive computers with few resources and even work wonders if you have a little time, desire and some knowledge.
Very good article
Does anyone know if Ubuntu mate can be installed with Arc themes or others?
They say that Mate now accepts gtk3 themes, so can themes like Evopop (Solus) or Arc be installed, or are those only for Gnome 3?
Look for the topic in http://www.gnome-look.org you can also download many more things both in gtk3, gtk2 or even gtk1
Anything but the bulky and unnecessary Unity. Mate = Mint is good.
Very good thanks!!
Completely unnecessary to repeat the installation command over and over again (apart from the fact that it is slower to start the process so many times).
It is much better to change that code and use apt like this, writing everything together:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt install -y synaptic shutter gimp qbittorrent kodi unetbootin gparted redshift kazam && sudo apt-get remove -y thunderbird rhythmbox hexchat tilda playonlinux openshot kdenlive clementine pidgin variety gnome-software& sudo-orca & apt-get autoremove
The -y parameter forces the answer "YES" in the confirmations, and thus nothing has to be confirmed 😉
Well look, something new I'm learning. The truth is that I think I remember that I tried it like this (without adding the command) and it ignored me, so I always put the command. The "-y" thing, I read another way that he didn't consult me, I don't remember which one, and he ended up consulting. I have tried the "-y" and it does work. Thanks 😉
I edit my sheet and I will try to see if it allows me to make it as a "program", that since I had it, I only did the first thing.
A greeting.
Hello, I have a problem because the wifi does not work for me or it disconnects in my laptop, in other comments you had said that you did some tricks, you could make them public.
I have a lenovo G40 with 4Gb of ram and dual 2,16 GHz processor.
I am reading and yes it may be the same thing that happens to me. First of all, try the following (as long as you have never installed anything for your wi-fi, such as an older version of the drivers):
-Open a terminal and type the following command:
sudo apt-get install git build-essential && git clone -b rock.new_btcoex https://github.com/lwfinger/rtlwifi_new && cd rtlwifi_new && make && sudo make install && reboot
-Eye with the last one that is to restart. That is the command I use. After restarting, you open a terminal and type:
sudo modprobe -rv rtl8723be && sudo modprobe -v rtl8723be ant_sel = 1
-If you do not notice changes, in the terminal you write:
sudo modprobe -rv rtl8723be && sudo modprobe -v rtl8723be ant_sel = 2
-If one of the two options works for you, you have to write another command for the settings to be saved. In my case, as it works for me with the second option, I have to write the following:
echo "options rtl8723be ant_sel = 2" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtlbtcoex.conf
-If option 1 works better for you, change the 2 of the previous command to 1.
All the best
Thank you very much Pablo, now I'm going from PM, a hug and greetings from Lima.
You should write an article about that, because I have read it in many places, surely you get a lot of visits, also not only do I see that problem poorly solved in many places, but the Lenovo teams have presented several bugs when they install Ubuntu, for now I would only need to correct the issue of the battery (which only charges up to 59%) without having to install a windows.
Hello Daniel. The battery thing happened to me in the Acer, but it reached me up to 80%. It is likely that you will need to update the BIOS, and for that you have to download the correct file and install it from Windows. That is one of the reasons why I decided to have a partition with Windows, so that may happen.
A greeting.
Excellent blog, I like the name, I will not forget it. XD
In my case I return to the Linux world after many years (7 years specifically) and to be honest Ubuntu has not changed much, it continues to give the same headaches and that is not good at all. And if there is any really big change, it is that now you need more hardware to do the same, especially for browsing the web.
The truth is that I did not want to comment on anything, but there are things that despair and do not let you be calm. About 2-3 days ago I have been testing Ubuntu Mate 16.04 and so far it has only given me a headache, because I have had to install everything from scratch about 5 times and I am not exaggerating.
Right now to avoid more problems and experiment with safety I have decided to install VirtualBox, but it seems that something is wrong with Oracle or maybe the fault is on the part of Canonical. What happens is that after having installed this program both from PPA repositories and downloading the .deb package, it does not create the shortcut in the applications menu.
Any solution for this so simple?
I am fond of programming and sometimes I make certain codes and it is not complicated at all to verify that such a file (direct access) has been created, and if not, then recreate it or even inform the user at the time of installation that they will not have access direct and you will not be able to use the program. I can enter the terminal and launch the program, but can a home user do it?
On the other hand, I am going to take advantage of this comment to suggest an article similar to this one where a list of programs to install is suggested according to the type of use we give to our beloved Ubuntu. In my case I am a web programmer and basically what I require is an environment with programs such as: Many browsers to test my work, Apache, Mysql, PHP, Mysql Benchmark, Notepadqq, ftp client and things like that.
Greetings.
Hello Richard Tron. Have you tried Linux Mint 17.3 yet? I've been using mint since version 13 and it has never failed me. It's excellent.
I am eagerly awaiting version 18 based on ubuntu 16.04. But while it arrives, I recommend 17.3
Successes
have estimated I am a super new user, that is, I have a few days testing ubuntu mate, I found that firefox does not play FB games, which is why I installed Chrome and it works perfectly so far, another thing is that I would like to remove Firefox and even I don't know how to do it, give me a little hand ahh !!! And another little thing is how I do so that the image transmitted by HDMI is shown complete thanks
To remove Firefox, it is best to open a Terminal (now I can't remember if it's in the applications / accessories or tools menu) and type sudo apt-get remove Firefox
You will have to enter your user password (nothing appears when you enter the letters). If you want to remove all its dependencies, then you have to also type sudo apt-get autoremove.
The HDMI thing, I have never used it in Ubuntu MATE. It can be in several ways, one of them is to go to the Settings and enter the screens section. From there you can configure how you want it to look.
A greeting.
Hi, Pablo. From your recommendation I am testing Nylas N1. I liked it, but I have not been able to find the file where the emails are stored to be able to make a backup of them. How do you backup emails when you use this tool? (I have seen that supposedly a green color appears when dragging an email to the right, but it does not seem to me)
Hello Jose Luis. The Nylas configuration folder is in your personal folder, but hidden. You have to make hidden files show, Ctrl + H in Ubuntu.
A greeting.
Greetings, I am writing to request your help, I installed the version that was officially available from 16.04 and it does not connect to networks or WiFi, or wireless, I tried several things and none worked between additional drivers, I get the WiFi card (bcm4312) but when I try to install it I was able to password do a process when finished, go back to "Do not use the device" please help and thank you in advance.
How about Pablo, your suggestions are very good, excellent, recently I was with linux mint mate, now I will download the iso, ubuntu mate, to try, I have a objection, on this desktop I do not like the bottom panel, which in mint does not You have it, see, when creating the launchers in the main panel, is the solution for later when minimizing or maximizing the programs do not disappear? , I hope you understand me, I have the habit of installing plank, in the lower sector of the screen, thank you.
Regards….
Hello, Francisco49. Plank is installed by default on Ubuntu MATE. From the preferences you can select the "Cupertino" theme (I think I remember) and it leaves everything ready as on Mac. Not that it looks like macOS or anything like that, but it does put the Plank at the bottom and leaves you the top bar.
It is what I was testing until a week or so ago, but now I am with Xubuntu which is a bit lighter. They are all highly customizable, but Xubuntu needs more tweaks than Ubuntu MATE to get a similar image.
A greeting.
GREETINGS, I'M NEW TO UBUNTU, I INSTALLED 16.04 FROM A CD CREATED WITH AN ISO.
I WILL FOLLOW YOUR ADVICE, FRIEND.
VERY GOOD WORK.
ATTE. Pandar kings.
Venezuela, cojedes.
Greetings.
I have a little problem with Ubuntu 16.04, I followed your instructions, I used upgrade and update, and there is a problem with mc-data, it says that it has to install it but it does not get it, I tried sudo apt-get (options) with -f with apt-get install mc-data and nothing.
If you can help I will be grateful.
Another thing I want to install the Atom web editor on ubuntu, any ideas? And is it possible in Spanish ?.
Thank you …… .. God take care of you
How the hell do I remove the "mate dictionary"? (He's in office »). It's horrible, I don't like it and besides, it's a dictionary of words in English.
Hello, I have a lot of problems with MATE Desktop Environment 1.16.0, I have installed the drivers for the DCP-J525w printer and the scanner does not work for me. The VLC works for me when I install the Mate but after a few days the image stops working, black screen and only voice.
Buenas tardes. I installed ubuntu mate on my machine and I would like to know if I can install illustrator and photoshop since I work with those programs.
Thank you very much.
Hello,
Thank you for this post. It has served me well, but I would like to ask two things. I have looked for the Nylas N1 and Franz mail client and have not been able to find it. Can somebody help me?
Thank you very much
Hi, I was recommended to Mate (I was one of those who used "normal" Ubuntu with a classic desktop) and at the moment I'm quite liking it.
To the question of what things we do after installing, the obvious answer is to look for an intelligible guide (like this one 😀) and then install open java, something to unzip zip, rar and whatever else, chromium in case firefox, clam, fails, evolution (in the absence of finding a better mail manager), pdf sam (the best for my taste) and pdf-cup and hplip printers.
Regards!
What do I do after installing Ubuntu Mate?
It's easy, thank you for such a fucking tutorial ... this ... excellent.
Seriously, thanks for your time, you have helped me a lot