Additional mate-panel applets: sound (volume) and CPU temp

[Bret Busby]

On 18/12/2020, Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
> At Fri, 18 Dec 2020 20:15:12 +0000 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for
> general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> On 18/12/2020, Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
>> > I am looking for a couple of (non-standard?) mate-panel applets.  One
>> > for
>> > setting speaker volume and one to show CPU temperature.  Do these
>> > applets
>> > exist somewhere?  If so what packages do I need to install?
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Robert Heller             -- Cell: 413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364
>> > Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
>> > http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
>> > heller at deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
>> >
>> >
>>
>> I do not know whether it is what you seek, but, in my UbuntuMATE
>> 16.04.x , in right clicking on an empty space in the panel, then
>> choosing "Add to panel", one option is Hardware Sensors Monitor, which
>> includes, it says, temperature, and, another option, is Notification
>> Area, which, when the set of icons next to the date and time,
>
> "Hardware Sensors Monitor" is absent, at least from the stock Ubuntu 18.04.
> I
> did not install the UbuntuMATE image, but the "standard" Ubuntu 18.04 image
> and then later (after deciding that Gnome3 was an unusable disaster)
> installed
> the Mate desktop.  Maybe the UbuntuMATE has additional (optional) packages
> installed...
>
>> disappeared, is what I think, caused the to return. One of the icons
>> there, is an image of a speaker, which, upon selecting, provides for
>
> Dito for the speaker icon.
>
>> muting, and, for volume control.  CPU temperature is not something
>> that I seek, so, I am guessing that adding the Hardware Sensors
>> Monitor to the panel, would have a similar effect to the System
>> Monitor option, which starts with a single image for one system
>> monitor option (eg, memory usage), and then, clicking on it to change
>> the preferences, adds whichever options applicable to that applet, you
>> want displayed.
>
> The speaker is more of a useful convience -- there are actual buttons on the
> laptop's keyboard for speaker volume and muting.
>
> The temperature is more critical.  My laptop tends to overheat when I have
> it
> on my lap -- it is not a problem on a hard surface (desk or table), since
> there are "feet" that hold the bottom of the laptop clear of the surface.
> The
> air intakes are on the bottom and when the laptop is on my lap, my legs tend
> to block the air intakes and this impedes air flow over the processor and it
> then starts to overheat.  With the temp monitor on the screen I can see if
> the
> temp is getting too high and can lift the laptop off my legs to allow the
> processor to cool down a bit.  Otherwise, my laptop will just shutdown on
> me -- very anoying...
>
>
>>
>> I am unsure of all of this (apart from what the speaker icon
>> provides), but, I hope that this is of some help.
>
> --
> Robert Heller             -- Cell: 413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364
> Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
> http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
> heller at deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
>
>

Without being aware of whether the disruption would be too great, I
suggest obtaining a UbuntuMATE iso, and doing a clean install.

In that, whilst others would disagree, since your version is later
than 16.04, I suggest installing 20.10. Whilst 20.10 is not an LTS
version, you may have seen my previous comments about 20.10 being the
bug fix version of 20.04 (or, appearing to me, to so be).

And, whilst I do not regard a "laptop computer" as being suitable to
be used on a person's lap, I suggest also, as did Ian, that, if you
would use one on your lap, to use a hard flat surface under it; if you
do not have a "laptop" tray, then, a tray thing for sitting on a
person's lap, for eating meals, or a tray for carrying foodstuffs
(preferably, wooden, rather than plastic, due to the heat involved),
or, in the absence of anything else, a rectangle of plywood, if
available.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
(UTC+0800)
..............