Updated the How things are going to be done page to include more of the PLFS hint's text.

git-svn-id: http://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/LFS/trunk/BOOK@2804 4aa44e1e-78dd-0310-a6d2-fbcd4c07a689

1 files changed, 71 insertions, 47 deletions

diff --git a/chapter01/how.xml b/chapter01/how.xml
index 88c217d75..c6f0d3e1f 100644
--- a/chapter01/how.xml
+++ b/chapter01/how.xml
@@ -2,63 +2,87 @@
 <title>How things are going to be done</title>
 <?dbhtml filename="how.html" dir="chapter01"?>
 
-<para>You are going to build the LFS system by using a previously installed
-Linux distribution such as Debian, Mandrake, Red Hat, etc.
-The existing Linux system will be used as a starting point, because you
-will need tools like a compiler, linker, text editor, and other development
-tools to build the system. Ordinarily, the required tools are available by
-default if you selected "development" as one of your installation options
-when you installed your Linux distribution.</para>
+<para>You are going to build your LFS system by using a previously installed 
+Linux distribution such as Debian, Mandrake, Red Hat, etc. The existing Linux 
+system (host) will be used as a starting point, because you will need programs 
+like a compiler, linker, text editor, and other development tools to build the 
+new system. Ordinarily, the required tools are available by default if you 
+selected <quote>development</quote> as one of your installation options when 
+you installed your Linux distribution.</para>
 
-<para>After you have downloaded the packages that make up an LFS system,
-you will create a new Linux native partition and filesystem. Here is where
-the LFS system will be compiled and installed onto.</para>
+<para>After you have downloaded the packages that make up a LFS system, you 
+will create a new Linux native partition and filesystem. This new Linux 
+partition and filesystem is where your new LFS system will be compiled and 
+installed onto.</para>
 
-<para>The next step, Chapter 5, will discuss the installation of a number
-of packages that will form the basic development suite which is used to
-build the actual system. Some of these packages are needed to resolve
-circular dependencies. For example, to compile a compiler you need a
+<para>Chapter 5 will then discuss the installation of a number of packages that 
+will form the basic development suite (or toolset) which is used to build the 
+actual system in Chapter 6. Some of these packages are needed to resolve 
+circular dependencies. For example, to compile a compiler you need a 
 compiler.</para>
 
-<para>The first thing to be done in Chapter 5 is build a first pass of the
-toolchain, which is made up of Binutils and GCC. The programs from these
-packages will be linked statically in order for them to be used independently
-of the host system. The second thing to do is build Glibc, the C library.
-Glibc will be built with the toolchain programs we just built in the first
+<para>The first thing to be done in Chapter 5 is build a first pass of the 
+toolchain, which is made up of Binutils and GCC. The programs from these 
+packages will be linked statically in order for them to be used independently 
+of the host system. The second thing to do is build Glibc, the C library. Glibc 
+will be compiled by the toolchain programs we just built in the first 
 pass.</para>
 
-<para>The next thing to do is build a second pass of the toolchain. This
-time the toolchain will be dynamically linked against the newly built Glibc.
-The remaining Chapter 5 packages are all built using this second pass
-toolchain and dynamically linked against the new Glibc. When this is done,
-the LFS installation process will no longer depend on the host distribution,
-with the exception of the running kernel.</para>
+<para>The third thing to do is build a second pass of the toolchain. This time 
+the toolchain will be dynamically linked against the newly built Glibc. The 
+remaining Chapter 5 packages are all built using this second pass toolchain and 
+dynamically linked against the new host independant Glibc. When this is done, 
+the LFS installation process will no longer depend on the host distribution, 
+with the exception of the running kernel. This is known as <quote>self 
+contained</quote> and <quote>self hosted</quote>. There is a discussion of the 
+differences between statically and dynamically linked programs at the beginning 
+of Chapter 5.</para>
 
-<para>In Chapter 6 the real LFS system will be built. The
-chroot (change root) program is used to enter a virtual environment and
-start a new shell whose root directory will be set to the LFS partition.
-This is very similar to rebooting and instructing the kernel to mount the
-LFS partition as the root partition. The reason that you don't actually
-reboot, but instead chroot, is that creating a bootable system requires
-additional work which isn't necessary. As well, chrooting allows you
-to continue using the host while LFS is being built.  While software is
-being installed you can simply switch to a different VC (Virtual Console)
-or X desktop and continue using the computer as you normally would.</para>
+<para>You may be asking yourself <quote>that seems like a lot of work, just to 
+get away from my host distribution</quote>. Let us take a few minutes to 
+discuss this question. The work involved in building the packages in Chapter 5 
+is to ensure that as little information from your host makes it into your new 
+pristine LFS system. When you build the first two packages in Chapter 5, 
+Binutils and GCC, they will be compiled statically.  This means that the 
+version of the C library on your host distribution will be embedded inside all 
+the binary programs you just compiled. This will cause problems for you down 
+the road (they have been well documented). The host's Glibc is usually an 
+unknown quantity and can contain bugs or anything else we don't know about 
+until it is too late. A well known issue is that statically linked binaries 
+compiled on a Glibc-2.2.x based system that then contain calls to the 
+getpwuid() function crash when run on a glibc-2.3.x based system.  You are 
+about to build a Glibc-2.3.x based system.  You do not want to build something 
+that is going to crash do you?  Finally, the Glibc Autoconf tests produce 
+different results depending on whether an existing Glibc is found on the host 
+distribution. This can lead to inconsistencies and encourages hacks and 
+workarounds. With all these things in mind, you can see that the extra effort 
+to compile Binutils and GCC twice is well worth it.</para>
 
-<para>When all the software from Chapter 6 is installed, the temporary
-tools built in Chapter 5 will be removed. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 will finalize
-the installation. The bootscripts are setup in Chapter 7, the kernel and
-boot loader are setup in Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 has some pointers to help
-you after you finish with the book.  Then, finally, you reboot the system
-into the new LFS system.</para>
+<para>In Chapter 6 your real LFS system will be built. The chroot (change root) 
+program is used to enter a virtual environment and start a new shell whose root 
+directory will be set to the LFS partition. This is very similar to rebooting 
+and instructing the kernel to mount the LFS partition as the root partition. 
+The reason that you don't actually reboot, but instead chroot, is that creating 
+a bootable system requires additional work which isn't necessary. As well, 
+chrooting allows you to continue using the host while LFS is being built.  
+While software is being installed you can simply switch to a different VC 
+(Virtual Console) or X desktop and continue using the computer as you normally 
+would.</para>
 
-<para>This is the process in a nutshell. Detailed information on the steps
-you will take are discussed in the chapters and package descriptions as you
-progress through them. If something isn't completely clear now, don't
-worry, everything will fall into place soon.</para>
+<para>When all the software from Chapter 6 is installed, the temporary tools 
+built in Chapter 5 will be removed. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 will finalize the 
+installation. The bootscripts are setup in Chapter 7, the kernel and boot 
+loader are setup in Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 has some pointers to help you after 
+you finish with the book.  Then, finally, you reboot your computer into your 
+new LFS system.</para>
 
-<para>Please read Chapter 2 carefully as it explains a few important things
-you should be aware of before you begin to work through Chapters 5 and
+<para>This is the process in a nutshell. Detailed information on the steps you 
+will take are discussed in the chapters and package descriptions as you 
+progress through them. If something isn't completely clear now, don't worry, 
+everything will fall into place soon.</para>
+
+<para>Please read Chapter 2 carefully as it explains a few important things you 
+should be aware of before you begin to work through Chapters 5 and 
 beyond.</para>
 
 </sect1>