13.04 Mubuntu

I saw on the MATE website that they have a repository now for Quantal, so I thought why not try it on Raring?

Happily running a 13.04/MATE setup right now. Very snappy and so far no problems at all.

Started with my usual mini.iso install, added the MATE repo to it and installed mate-core and a few other apps which that package doesn't add. I didn't install mate-desktop-environment because this old PC has no bluetooth capabilities and I like as lean an installation as I can get.

This machine is like a hot rod version of 10.04 now :)

I just started experimenting with MATE yesterday. Also CinnamonDE ppa but no luck with that.

Sounds interesting because I had heard that some people just really like the old GNOME style desktop . They want it back.

They've done a good job forking the old GNOME code. There's still a few glitches, but I've been using MATE for a while and I have a few configuration tweaks that make it 99% like GNOME 2.

Posting from my Mubuntu machine right now :)

Just curious as to the specs of your "old machine":.

ventrical said: Just curious as to the specs of your "old machine":.

Last updated around 2004 or so :)

Abit AV8 motherboard, VIA K8T800 Pro / VIA VT8237 chipset Athlon 64 3000+ CPU (single core) 3 GB DDR RAM (dual channel) nVidia 6200 AGP video card 80 GB Seagate Barracuda SATA drive RealTek ALC658 onboard audio

It's an oldie, but it runs anything I put on it :)

I had Precise Unity 2D working on a 650MHz Celeron/512MBSDRAM. Perhaps I can get something going on that for Raring. ;)

I'd like to see what you could get running on that Celeron machine. I love reviving old computers!

Would it be too lengthy a script to ask you how you installed MATE on your old machine step by step. I mean .. after you installed mini.iso .. what were the sudo codes you entered to get that machine up?

Thanks

Regards, ventrical

ventrical said: Would it be too lengthy a script to ask you how you installed MATE on your old machine step by step. I mean .. after you installed mini.iso .. what were the commands you entered to get that machine up?

Thanks

Regards, ventrical

Fixed that for you. :-D

No problem, here's the command codes ( ;) ) I used (from my failing memory):

1) Modify sources.list, I'll let you use your favorite method. Added:[INDENT]deb http://repo.mate-desktop.org/ubuntu quantal main deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ nadia main upstream import [/INDENT]I actually have preconfigured source files that I simply copy into place, depending on what I want to build/convert to from the mini.iso install. Here's a dirty little secret, I add Mint's repo because I like some of the tools they've created for MATE and I love their Mint-Z theme. Nadia is Mint 14, as yet unreleased, based on Quantal. They actually have the same MATE packages that are in MATE's own Quantal repo so if you elect to use the Mint repo, you could skip the MATE repo. I like adding the MATE repo anyway since they'll make updates if needed while Mint will not update their repo once the distro is released.

2) sudo apt-get update 3) sudo apt-get install linuxmint-keyring mate-archive-keyring 4) sudo apt-get update 5) sudo apt-get install mate-core dmz-cursor-theme gvfs-backends gksu caja-gksu caja-open-terminal mozo mate-system-tools mate-utils synaptic mintdesktop mint-themes[INDENT]I might have missed a couple smaller programs. Installing mate-desktop-environment brings in all this stuff (minus the mint stuff and synaptic) plus more, but I don't need some of what's brought in so I install mate-core and add what I want. That's a good download for me (1.5 Mb DSL) so I let that process, then [/INDENT]6) sudo apt-get install mdm <-- Mint's login manager. It's simple and easily theme-able, brings in all the X you need, too. 7) sudo apt-get install samba bleachbit xsensors <-- Apart from samba, just some utils I routinely add. 8- sudo apt-get install upgrade-system <-- My secret weapon against cruft :) 9) sudo upgrade-system <-- Great utility. Searches out unused libraries and dependencies and lets you delete them.

Reboot, log into your MATE session and configure to your liking.

To avoid making the previous post too long, here's some of the configuration changes I make after logging in. These are things I think every MATE user should do to make this DE more usable.

1) Open Synaptic and purge gnome-keyring and policykit-1-gnome. MATE has their own keyring and policykit packages that you can make more functional by doing... 2) sudo sed -i 's/gnome_keyring/mate_keyring/g' /etc/pam.d/*[INDENT]This runs through the security files in /etc/pam.d/ and replaces references to gnome_keyring with mate_keyring. This allows you to unlock the MATE keyring when you log in, preventing unwanted authentication requests in programs like Evolution. I don't know why MATE doesn't do this themselves. [/INDENT]3) Download and add this small python script to your startup apps, http://pastebin.com/N0Jv2W5Y[INDENT]This script creates an MPRIS2 interface to allow media players to work via multimedia keys on your keyboard, provided they can interface via MPRIS2. I only use Banshee and it works great on this player, but I've read reports that other MPRIS2-capable players work as well. [/INDENT]4) While in Synaptic, purge notification-daemon and notify-osd packages if installed. MATE has its own notification package that works just fine.

Personal Stuff I like a simple composited desktop with no icons on it and no icons on dialog buttons. I install the mintdesktop package because that provides a preferences app called Desktop Settings that lets you turn all that stuff on and off easily.

You can do the same thing with the mate-conf-editor package which provides the Configuration Editor app. One thing you do need Configuration Editor for is to enable fast alt-tab switching when compositing is turned on. There's no option for that in Mint's app since it's a new feature in MATE 1.4

I have a simple home network, just my computer and my wife's laptop running Win 7. I always edit smb.conf and uncomment the name resolve order line and place bcast first in the chain.

To do simple file sharing in MATE, download caja-share, https://launchpad.net/~gfunkmonk/+archive/mate-extras/+packages This gives you the nice right-click Sharing Options that GNOME 2 had. Again, I don't know why this hasn't been added to the main MATE repo, it works great. Only for Ubuntu-based installations though, it doesn't work on straight Debian-based installs.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

cariboo907 said: Fixed that for you. :-D

Thanks ! :)

wheeze said: No problem, here's the command codes ( ;) ) I used (from my failing memory):

1) Modify sources.list, I'll let you use your favorite method. Added:[INDENT]deb http://repo.mate-desktop.org/ubuntu quantal main deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ nadia main upstream import [/INDENT]I actually have preconfigured source files that I simply copy into place, depending on what I want to build/convert to from the mini.iso install. Here's a dirty little secret, I add Mint's repo because I like some of the tools they've created for MATE and I love their Mint-Z theme. Nadia is Mint 14, as yet unreleased, based on Quantal. They actually have the same MATE packages that are in MATE's own Quantal repo so if you elect to use the Mint repo, you could skip the MATE repo. I like adding the MATE repo anyway since they'll make updates if needed while Mint will not update their repo once the distro is released.

2) sudo apt-get update 3) sudo apt-get install linuxmint-keyring mate-archive-keyring 4) sudo apt-get update 5) sudo apt-get install mate-core dmz-cursor-theme gvfs-backends gksu caja-gksu caja-open-terminal mozo mate-system-tools mate-utils synaptic mintdesktop mint-themes[INDENT]I might have missed a couple smaller programs. Installing mate-desktop-environment brings in all this stuff (minus the mint stuff and synaptic) plus more, but I don't need some of what's brought in so I install mate-core and add what I want. That's a good download for me (1.5 Mb DSL) so I let that process, then [/INDENT]6) sudo apt-get install mdm <-- Mint's login manager. It's simple and easily theme-able, brings in all the X you need, too. 7) sudo apt-get install samba bleachbit xsensors <-- Apart from samba, just some utils I routinely add. 8- sudo apt-get install upgrade-system <-- My secret weapon against cruft :) 9) sudo upgrade-system <-- Great utility. Searches out unused libraries and dependencies and lets you delete them.

Reboot, log into your MATE session and configure to your liking.

Thanks a lot wheeze.

Actually , what I did was I used an old 'quantal-alternate.i386.iso' that I had saved. (re:-note- this is now upgrading on my 600MHz Celeron). It booted into Unity 2D from there. Then I installed fvwm-crystal, synaptic and then MATE in that order. THEN I edited the sources list for tranasition to Raring repos. So far .. all is going well. No glitches or errors. I'll know more when I reboot ! :)

If this fails I'll try your suggestion.

Regards, ventrical

Ta da !

Just have to clean it up a bit.

Circa 1999

Specs:

ventrical@ventrical:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI 3D Rage Pro AGP 1X/2X (rev 5c)
ventrical@ventrical:~$ 

ventrical said: Thanks a lot wheeze.

Actually , what I did was I used an old 'quantal-alternate.i386.iso' that I had saved. (re:-note- this is now upgrading on my 600MHz Celeron). It booted into Unity 2D from there. Then I installed fvwm-crystal, synaptic and then MATE in that order. THEN I edited the sources list for tranasition to Raring repos. So far .. all is going well. No glitches or errors. I'll know more when I reboot ! :)

If this fails I'll try your suggestion.

Regards, ventrical

Yup, that'll work, too. Like I said, I like as minimal an install as possible so I only add the DE I want right from the beginning. Plus, I like to try and keep a DE as true to its roots as I can. My setup here is pure MATE, mate ;)

Here's my specs for comparison. The video driver always shows as failed and I don't know why, it works just fine. This has been happening since Quantal, always showed a good status on prior releases. Maybe an incompatibility with the inxi util?

steve@ubu-raring:~$ inxi -Fxxx
System:    Host: ubu-raring Kernel: 3.5.0-17-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.7.2) 
           Desktop: MATE 1.4.0  info: mate-panel dm: mdm Distro: Ubuntu 13.04 raring
Machine:   Mobo: Abit model: AV8 (VIA K8T800P-8237) version: 1.x Bios: Phoenix version: 6.00 PG date: 05/17/2006
CPU:       Single core AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (-UP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2) bmips: 2043.07 clocked at 1000.00 MHz 
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA NV44A [GeForce 6200] bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0221 
           X.Org: 1.13.0 driver: FAILED: nouveau Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV4A GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 9.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: VIA VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller 
           driver: snd_via82xx port: d800 bus-ID: 00:11.5 chip-ID: 1106:3059 
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.25
Network:   Card: VIA VT6120/VT6121/VT6122 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter 
           driver: via-velocity port: d000 bus-ID: 00:0e.0 chip-ID: 1106:3119
           IF: eth0 state: unknown speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:50:8d:d1:60:52
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1080.2GB (0.2% used)
           1: id: /dev/sda model: ST3500418AS size: 500.1GB serial: 9VMMCKZY 
           2: id: /dev/sdb model: ST380817AS size: 80.0GB serial: 4MR025E2 
           3: id: /dev/sdh model: Ext_HDD size: 500.1GB serial: 42SHP218T 
Partition: ID: / size: 34G used: 2.3G (8%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 3.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
RAID:      System: supported: N/A
           No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
           Unused Devices: none
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 53.0 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 116 Uptime: 15 min Memory: 459.0/3010.2MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.7.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.20 

Well.... I just went a head and allowed synaptic to 'update' a bunch a files (including the 3.5.0-17 kernel) and now I can't get in , even from GRUB. All I can get is root with no network.

I think it may have had to do with not doing the :

sudo apt-get install mdm

command before the other updates.

Were you able to save it, ventrical?

wheeze said: Were you able to save it, ventrical?

....no.... It had something to do with lightdm I believe. I tried to purge it, install gdm, install xubuntu-desktop .. etc... Something in synaptic borked it .. but I DO have terminal and network now. I tired some of the usual commands but just cannot bring up the desktop manager to log in. I am open to suggestions before I do a re-install..

Keep in mind that this machine is circa 1999, Celeron currently at 600MHz with 512 MB SDRAM so I am used to this kind of breakage for that machine.

*note* I have this other experimental install on a HP Pavilion and what I did there was not allow the quantal *security* repos to update , just raring updates/proposed, so I forgot to employ that measure.

Thanks for asking. I am letting it sit for now until I can try somthing. Otherwise I'll do a reinstall, perhaps using mini or quantal-alternate with no synaptic.

wheeze said: Were you able to save it, ventrical?

I had just discovered, while installing a USB2.0 PCI card that the network card had jumped right out of the socket !! I am not saying this is why the install failed, but, to be safe, I decided to try a fresh install. The USB 2.0 pci is working really fast using the PLOP bootloader.

Yeah, make sure your physical base is literally good and solid. I think that machine will run MATE with no problem.

Got it going well with fvwm-crystal.

Will try to install MATE repos tomorrow morning. I am going to try and install the 3.7.x-xRC# kernel first to see if it smokes :) haeaheaheah..

One step at a time... :)

I'm back in the saddle again.. :)

It is very snappy! I am going to try some traditional 3D games from repos that would work with Lucid and see what happens .

I thought that machine would run MATE just fine :)

ventrical, what are you installing that's giving you the GNOME System Monitor? Here's what mine looks like.

I did not follow all directions to a 't'. How I did this install is first I used the quantal-alternate-i386 alpha2 because it has the Unity 2D interface which I like to use while beta testing. Through the development of quantal the devs decided to obsolete Unity 2D in the rolling releases. What a real pain. :) anyways .. after install that distro I downloaded fvwm-crystal from the repositories ( I think gnome system monitor came with that). I use fvwm as a restore back-up DE because it seems to never fail to load.

Then I installed synaptic and unticked all the quantal security repos.

Then set the sources.list for raring; sudo apt-get update sudo apt get upgrade

then i did these commands: sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu quantal main" sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mate-core sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

and that was it. I was able to log-on to MATE from lighdm.

If I open the quantal security repos then this install will be smoke :) I know it is a little bit sneaky but it works with the new kernel RCs as well. :)