A tool named Ubuntu MATE Welcome is taking the front row

Jul 30, 2015 07:22 GMT  ·  By

Ubuntu MATE devs recently decided to remove the Ubuntu Software Center from the default installation. The decision was met with some resistance, but a lot of users expressed their support for the removal of the Ubuntu Software Center. Now, the team has explained what are they putting in its place.

A very large number of Ubuntu users are saying that the Software Center is slow; it has all kinds of bugs, and it's generally a poor solution. The main reason for these problem is the fact that Canonical hasn't improved USC for more than two years. The only exceptions have been a couple of security fixes that really needed to be implemented. It's not clear what Canonical's plans for USC are, but it's clear what the plans for Ubuntu MATE are.

The Ubuntu MATE guys are not going to leave users out to dry. They do plan to have a replacement ready, but not something like the Software Center, but more like a tool that would help users easily install deb packages and apps that are not normally in the official repositories.

It's all about choice

Ubuntu MATE recently went for a nifty Welcome Screen that presents all kinds of cool information when a user boots up the system for the first time. The same tool is being used to offer alternatives to users and packages that you wouldn't normally find, like Google Chrome for example.

Users will also be able to choose what kind of Software Center they want, like Canonical's USC or the proprietary App Grid. The same choice are offered in a number of other categories.

"My decision to remove the Ubuntu Software Center from the default install of Ubuntu MATE 15.10 was not a spiteful act. Based on the feedback I've had over the last year it was clear that users of Ubuntu MATE want an alternative to Ubuntu Software Center. I am merely trying to please those users. Ubuntu MATE Welcome will feature from Ubuntu MATE 15.10 Alpha 2 onward. In a future version, it will be capable of one-click installing Ubuntu Software Center and App Grid. Users of Ubuntu MATE can choose which "software center" they want to use on their computers," wrote Martin Wimpress on the official blog.

Ubuntu MATE 15.10 Alpha 2 is the first version that will ship without Ubuntu Software Center, and it's expected to land today.