Martin Wimpress, one of the founders and maintainers of Ubuntu MATE, has mentioned something rather interesting in the beta release notes for Ubuntu MATE 22.10.
He aims to bring the Ubuntu MATE experience to Debian 🧐
Wait, can't you already install MATE on Debian?
Yes, but what about an akin user experience to Ubuntu MATE with all the modern tools on Debian?
Bringing Ubuntu MATE Experience to Debian's Spin
Here's what Martin mentions:
Ubuntu MATE 22.10 is a modest update by recent standards and focused on “quality of life improvements”. And there is good reason why this release of Ubuntu MATE doesn’t feature the usual bucket 🪣 list of changes you’d typically expect, and that’s because I’ve been helping bring the full Ubuntu MATE experience to Debian MATE 🧉
That's something fascinating.
Does this mean there won't be any significant future updates to Ubuntu MATE?
No, Ubuntu MATE will still receive updates.
Also, Martin has clarified that he is not stepping away from the development of Ubuntu MATE and will continue as usual.
However, if you are looking for a long list of major feature updates to Ubuntu MATE, you must wait a while.
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He intends to provide a consistent experience across Debian's MATE spin and Ubuntu MATE.
It is no surprise that Debian MATE is not as popular among users. Mainly because it does not offer the modern refinements, you get with Ubuntu MATE.
Hence, they aim to bring in a similar experience to Debian MATE, which will enable existing users to use either Debian or Ubuntu as the base.
Furthermore, this development will make things easier for the development:
Making the MATE experience in Debian and Ubuntu consistent makes maintenance easier for all involved.
So, can we expect something very similar to Ubuntu MATE 22.10 (Kinetic Kudu) on Debian?
Probably yes. But, it will take time.
You can expect apps such as MATE Tweak and Ayatana Indicators integrated into Debian's MATE spin.
This makes me think that Debian MATE can be an excellent alternative for Ubuntu MATE users looking for a change or wanting to try the Debian flavor of MATE.
Of course, this does not make the upcoming Ubuntu MATE 22.10 less exciting. It will still include numerous valuable goodies; you might want to check out its beta release notes to learn more.
💬 What do you think about Debian's future MATE spin after learning about this development? Would you ditch Ubuntu MATE for it? Let me know your thoughts!
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