Re: UnUnified
" I am fully aware that I could install Mate on vanilla Ubuntu or any other spin off, I just don't like having to go to that much effort immediately after install to get to a GUI I feel is usable."
While it's true that a simple package install from a fully configured desktop gives you a new desktop manager option on the login screen, you could also simply download and install from a choice of Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu images etc. to get a fully working XFCE or LXDE etc. desktop by installing one of these images from scratch.