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

[Robert Heller]

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