‌Modern and Full-Featured‌

‌Ubuntu MATE is a modern computer operating system, with an attractive and easy to understand user interface. Its update manager keeps not only the operating system itself, but all of its installed applications updated to the current release. The operating system is more secure, and better supported than operating systems that come pre-installed on most home computer hardware today.‌

‌Using Ubuntu MATE provides you with the freedom to run a complete, full-featured operating system, pre-configured with most, if not all, of the applications you will need for your daily computing - or to change anything about the way it looks, the way it works, or the applications it runs to suit your taste.‌

‌Ubuntu MATE is designed with security in mind. Unlike operating systems that update only once a month, Ubuntu MATE receives updates continuously. The updates include security patches for Ubuntu MATE and all of its components. Security updates for all of its installed applications are also provided on the same schedule. This ensures that you have the latest protection for all of your computer's software -- as soon as it's available!‌

‌Ubuntu MATE can get viruses and other infections... but it doesn't. Rapid and timely updates ensure that there are very few, if any threats to Linux systems like Ubuntu MATE that persist in the wild. In reality, there have been very few "public" infections in the last 10 years that can affect Ubuntu MATE. They are no longer a threat to anyone installing or using a modern Linux distribution today. Ubuntu MATE is designed to make it difficult for viruses, root kits and other malware to be installed and run without conscious intervention by you, the user. Even if you do accidentally invite in an infection, chances are it's designed to attack Windows and won't do much, if any damage to Ubuntu MATE.‌

‌Another significant security feature of Ubuntu MATE is that its users are not administrators by default. Administrators ("root" users) on any computer system have permission to do anything they want, including the ability to damage the system.‌

‌For example, other operating systems look at the name of a file to determine which program should open it, then immediately attempt to open it. That design makes it easy for an intruder to attack a computer. Ubuntu MATE opens a file based on what the file is, not based on its name. So even if a malicious program disguises its identity by using the name "Last Will and Testament.txt" Ubuntu MATE will recognize the file as a program. The system provides a warning that the file is not a text file, but that it is a program that will be run if you give it permission to continue. To be extra secure, Ubuntu MATE requires you to provide your administrator password before that permission is granted. Every single time.‌

‌Powerful Applications‌

‌While MATE Desktop provides the essential user interfaces to control and use a computer, Ubuntu MATE adds a collection of additional applications to turn your computer into a truly powerful workstation.‌

‌Productivity‌

‌Firefox delivers safe, easy web browsing. A familiar user interface, enhanced security features including protection from online identity theft, and an integrated search to let you get the most out of the web.‌

‌Thunderbird is a full-featured email, RSS and newsgroup client that makes emailing safer, faster and easier than ever before. It supports different mail accounts (POP, IMAP, Gmail), has a simple mail account setup wizard, one-click address book, tabbed interface, an integrated learning spam filter, advanced search and indexing capabilities, and offers easy organization of mails with tagging and virtual folders. It also features unrivalled extensibility.‌

‌LibreOffice is a full-featured office productivity suite that provides a near drop-in replacement for Microsoft(R) Office; its clean interface and powerful tools let you unleash your creativity and grow your productivity. LibreOffice embeds several applications that make it the most powerful Free and Open Source Office suite on the market:‌

• ‌Writer, the word processor.‌
• ‌Calc, the spreadsheet application.‌
• ‌Impress, the presentation engine.‌
• ‌Draw, the drawing and flowcharting application‌
• ‌Base, the database and database frontend.‌
• ‌Math, for editing mathematics.‌

‌Rhythmbox is a very easy to use music playing and management program which supports a wide range of audio formats (including mp3 and ogg). Originally inspired by Apple's iTunes, the current version also supports Internet Radio, iPod integration and generic portable audio player support, Audio CD burning, Audio CD playback, music sharing, and Podcasts.‌

‌Shotwell is a digital photo organizer. It allows you to import photos from disk or camera, organize them in various ways, view them in full-window or fullscreen mode, and export them to share with others. It is able to manage a lot of different image formats, also including raw CR2 files.‌

‌VLC is the VideoLAN project's media player. It plays MPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, MOV, WMV, QuickTime, WebM, FLAC, MP3, Ogg/Vorbis files, DVDs, VCDs, podcasts, and multimedia streams from various network sources.‌

‌VLC can also be used as a streaming server that duplicates the stream it reads and multicasts them through the network to other clients, or serves them through HTTP.‌

‌VLC has support for on-the-fly transcoding of audio and video formats, either for broadcasting purposes or for movie format transformations.‌

‌... And a whole lot more!‌

‌Naturally you'll also find a firewall, backup application, document/photo scanner and printer management all included in Ubuntu MATE. And this is just the start. The‌ ‌Software‌ ‌sections includes best-in-class applications for most tasks and a one-click installer for an‌ "App Store" ‌that will give you access to thousands of applications suitable for just about any professional or recreational pursuit.‌

‌In the last couple of years Linux has become a first class gaming platform thanks to‌ Valve ‌bringing the‌ Steam ‌platform to Linux. At the time of writing Steam has more than 1000 high quality indie and AAA titles available for Linux. Ubuntu MATE is fully compatible with Steam for Linux.‌

‌While Steam is a major step forward for gaming on Linux, there are also many high quality and enjoyable Open Source games titles available for Ubuntu MATE. It doesn't matter if you like flight simulators, motor racing, first person shooters, jump and run or card games, you'll find something to keep you entertained.‌

‌Making an accessible operating system was a key priority when the Ubuntu MATE founders initially set out the goals of the project.‌

‌Ubuntu MATE is never going to be able to offer the comprehensive integration of assistive technologies that‌ ‌Sonar GNU/Linux‌ ‌provides. But Ubuntu MATE will continue to follow their lead so that Ubuntu MATE is a viable desktop solution where computer access is shared within a household or business where individual needs differ.‌

‌Currently Ubuntu MATE has the essential mobile device support you'd expect. You can plug in a phone, media player or digital camera and the device is automatically detected and mounted. You can then access the files on it or sync its contents.‌