Years ago, I set my girlfriend up with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and xmonad (0.8 or 0.9 maybe). With minor tweaks, mod4Mask, etc, it just worked for years. This weekend, I tried to set up Linux Mint Mate, then Cinnamon, then Xubuntu (Xfce) with xmonad-0.11, each with their own unique issues. Xubuntu was most promising, but just doesn't work very well (panel disappears, or meta-key is intercepted such that Win-1 or Win-Shift-Return are typed into the highlighted app or ignored). I am reading a hodge-podge of different config tutorials focusing on an assortment of versions. I have not come across an installation/config wiki page that seemed relevant and up to date. I'm willing to install just about any distribution (not Arch nor Gentoo) and nearly any DE, but I'd like all the niceties of a stable (LTS-ish) DE with graphical networking, application selection menus, panel, notifications, but with the latest xmonad tile windowing. I like the idea of Xfce because it's light weight and easy. Gnome2 fallback is fine too. I expected Mate would 'just work'. Is there a stable reference distro? Can someone point me to a tutorial from late 2014 or 2015 for installing xmonad on a recently distro?