MATE
The MATE Desktop Environment is the continuation of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.
The Alpine Linux script for quickly setting up a desktop is:
# setup-desktop
On running the above command, you will be prompted to select a desktop environment.
Which desktop environment? ('gnome', 'plasma', 'xfce', 'mate', 'sway', 'lxqt' or 'none') [none]
Once you have chosen a desktop environment, this script installs the chosen desktop along with necessary packages, firefox browser and adds necessary services to run on startup. You can reboot when complete, and the system will boot into a graphical login screen with the chosen desktop environment. To view the packages installed by the script: $ cat /usr/sbin/setup-desktop
Manual Installation
Prerequisites
- Install Xorg
- Install and configure D-Bus with X11 add-ons
To Installing meta package for MATE and to install LightDM
# apk add mate-desktop-environment
# apk add lightdm
If you are running your Alpine installation from RAM, save the changes:
# lbu ci
Try starting dbus and lxdm. This will start the display manager and should allow you to login.
# rc-service lxdm start
If it worked, enable the services to start on reboot
# rc-update add lxdm
Misc
TrueType fonts

Add all available TrueType Fonts:
$ ttfs=$(apk search -q ttf- | grep -v '\-doc') # apk add $ttfs
Disabling standby and screensaver
Check the current configuration using xset:
# apk add xset $ xset q
Contents of xset q
To disable those timers issue the command:
$ xset dpms 0 0 0
Santiy check:
$ xset q | grep Standby Standby: 0 Suspend: 0 Off: 0