How to install/remove MATE Desktop Environment in Kali Linux

 

How to install/remove MATE Desktop Environment in Kali Linux

MATE is a fork of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

MATE is under active development to add support for new technologies while preserving a traditional desktop experience. See theRoadmap or Stefano’s presentation at the OpenSUSE conference to find out more about how MATE has evolved and what is planned for the future. The MATE Manifesto outlines some of the principles that guide the project.

GNOME 3 replaced the classic desktop metaphor; this concept design is realized through its native user interface: GNOME Shell. It led to some criticism from the Linux community. Many users refused to accept the new interface design of GNOME and called for someone to continue development of GNOME 2. The MATE project was started by an Arch Linux user in order to fulfill this task.

How to install MATE Desktop Environment in Kali Linux

echo "deb http://repo.mate-desktop.org/debian wheezy main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list && apt-get update
apt-get --yes --quiet --allow-unauthenticated install mate-archive-keyring

This installs the base packages

apt-get install kali-defaults kali-root-login desktop-base mate-core

Or this to install mate-core and more extras

apt-get install kali-defaults kali-root-login desktop-base mate-desktop-environment

Or this to install mate-core + mate-desktop-environment and even more extras.

apt-get install kali-defaults kali-root-login desktop-base mate-desktop-environment-extra

How to remove MATE Desktop Environment in Kali Linux

apt-get remove mate-core

Now the only problem is MATE doesn’t show the nice Kali Linux Menu.

How to Fix Kali Linux Menu in MATE Desktop

To fix this edit the following file.

leafpad /etc/xdg/menus/mate-applications.menu

In the file go down to the section named Internet and add the following line

<!-- Kali Linux Menu -->
<MergeFile type="path">applications-merged/kali-applications.menu

So it should look something like this

.....
 <!-- Internet -->
 <Menu>
 <Name>Internet</Name>
 <Directory>mate-network.directory</Directory>
 <Include>
 <And>
 <Category>Network</Category>
 </And>
 </Include>
 </Menu>  <!-- End Internet -->
 <!-- Kali Linux  -->
 <MergeFile type="path">applications-merged/kali-applications.menu</MergeFile>
 .....

Now save the file, Logout and Login back. The “Kali Linux” menu should display fine in Mate desktop’s application menu.

Back to main article: How to install/remove different Desktop Environment or Window Manager in Kali Linux 1.x