I started this review figuring that there was no good reason to switch from Red Hat, Slackware, or SuSE Linux (all populating my home systems). Not that these are the best Linux distributions, but Red Hat especially is so common that I find it easier to work with add-on applications because most seem to be built assuming a Red Hat distribution.

After working with Kondara MNU/Linux for a while, though, I'm hooked. There's no great difference from Red Hat Linux, and you get some extra features. If you like Red Hat Linux, you'll also like Kondara MNU/Linux, especially if your focus is on graphical desktop tools, where Kondara includes more than Red Hat. Even so, Kondara doesn't include nearly as many applications as do other Linux distributions such as SuSE.

If you want to use Japanese on your Linux system, then Kondara is the distribution to grab.

For the ratings, I used the LinuxPlanet ratings for Red Hat 6.2, and then adjusted (upward) for the added value with the Kondara release. Kondara is a good release, especially if you like Red Hat Linux or have an Alpha box. The price of $44.95 for the desktop version is a bit high for a desktop Linux, compared with $29.95 for the low-end Red Hat or $39.95 for the SuSE distribution. You do get a cool Kondara T-shirt, though, if you order from the Digital Factory USA Web site at http://www.df-usa.com/.

The Kondara project team seems to be very open to participation in the development of MNU/Linux. The Web site and README files all ask for people to join in. That's a refreshing attitude. Besides, I want to have a GORO-GORO day.

Eric Foster-Johnson wrote and co-wrote 15 books on Linux, UNIX, programming, and open-source tools, including Teach Yourself Linux (with Steve Oualline) and Cross-Platform Perl. He can be reached at erc@pconline.com or http://www.pconline.com/~erc/.

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