Sparky-MATE vs Sparky-XFCE
http://www.datamation.com/open-source/choosing-desktops-mate-vs-xfce-1.htmlhttp://www.datamation.com/open-source/choosing-desktops-mate-vs-xfce-2.htmlConclusion:
Making a Choice
At times, choosing between Mate and Xfce is a matter of selecting between nuances. In these circumstances, the question you should ask yourself is, "What can't I live without?"
Many times, making a choice means deciding what matters to you. On the one hand,
if you want a more modern desktop, with a complete collection of native applications, Mate will probably suit you better.On the other hand,
if you admire efficiency and speed, don't mind the odd bit of residual geekiness, and either don't care about appearance or are willing to customize heavily, Xfce will probably be more to your taste.If you have definitely decided against GNOME 3 or Unity, then either Xfce or Mate will probably seem like an improvement. However, despite their similarities, the two desktop environments have enough differences that you should try both for several weeks before deciding between them.