Ubuntu MATE is an official Ubuntu flavor that features the MATE desktop environment. It combines the stability of Ubuntu with the traditional and user-friendly MATE desktop. Ubuntu MATE is suitable for users who prefer a classic desktop experience on an Ubuntu base, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. Ubuntu MATE project was founded by Martin Wimpress and Alan Pope and began as an unofficial derivative of Ubuntu, using an Ubuntu 14.10 base for its first release. Ubuntu MATE gained the official Ubuntu flavour status from Canonical on February 2015.