diff options
author | James Robertson <jwrober@linuxfromscratch.org> | 2003-09-14 02:11:20 +0000 |
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committer | James Robertson <jwrober@linuxfromscratch.org> | 2003-09-14 02:11:20 +0000 |
commit | 27a00d980f5db55b9e286cc322ba08bc56332d85 (patch) | |
tree | c2e08a14f32bf1194f834b385ef394d68d020ee8 /preface | |
parent | c3bfd90ce14ebf317c126bbf2ca7b6df65f18590 (diff) |
Merged whoread and whonotread into a since audience page.
git-svn-id: http://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/LFS/trunk/BOOK@2803 4aa44e1e-78dd-0310-a6d2-fbcd4c07a689
Diffstat (limited to 'preface')
-rw-r--r-- | preface/audience.xml | 91 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | preface/preface.xml | 3 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | preface/whonotread.xml | 22 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | preface/whoread.xml | 57 |
4 files changed, 92 insertions, 81 deletions
diff --git a/preface/audience.xml b/preface/audience.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..00e0cdc18 --- /dev/null +++ b/preface/audience.xml @@ -0,0 +1,91 @@ +<sect1 id="pre-audience"> +<title>Audience</title> +<?dbhtml filename="audience.html" dir="preface"?> + +<sect2> +<title>Who would want to read this book</title> + +<para>There are many reasons why somebody would want to read this book. The +principle reason being to install an Linux system straight from the source +code. A question many people raise is "Why go through all the hassle of +manually building a Linux system from scratch when you can just download and +install an existing one?". That is a good question and is the impetus for this +section of the book.</para> + +<para>One important reason for LFS' existence is to help people learn how a +Linux system works from the inside out. Building a LFS system helps demonstrate +to you what makes Linux tick, how things work together and depend on each +other. One of the best things that this learning experience provides in the +ability to customize Linux to your own tastes and needs.</para> + +<para>A key benefit of LFS is that you have more control of your system +without relying on someone else's Linux implementation. With LFS, you are +in the driver's seat and dictate every aspect of your system, such as the +directory layout and bootscript setup. You also dictate where, why and how +programs are installed.</para> + +<para>Another benefit of LFS is the ability to create a very compact Linux +system. When installing a regular distribution, you are usually forced to +install several programs which you are likely never to use. They're just +sitting there wasting precious disk space (or worse, CPU cycles). It isn't +difficult to build a LFS system less than 100 MB. Does that still sound like a +lot? A few of us have been working on creating a very small embedded LFS +system. We successfully built a system that was just enough to run the Apache +web server with approximately 8MB of disk space used. Further stripping could +bring that down to 5 MB or less. Try that with a regular distribution.</para> + +<para>We could compare distributed Linux to a hamburger you buy at a +fast-food restaurant -- you have no idea what you are eating. LFS, on the +other hand, doesn't give you a hamburger, but the recipe to make a hamburger. +This allows you to review it, to omit unwanted ingredients, and to +add your own ingredients which enhance the flavor of your burger. When you +are satisfied with the recipe, you go on to preparing it. You make it just +the way you like it: broil it, bake it, deep-fry it, barbecue it, or eat it +tar-tar (raw).</para> + +<para>Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a +finished house. LFS will give you the skeletal plan of a house, but it's up +to you to build it. You have the freedom to adjust your plans as you +go.</para> + +<para>One last advantage of a custom built Linux system is security. +By compiling the entire system from source code, you are empowered to audit +everything and apply all the security patches you feel are needed. You don't +have to wait for somebody else to compile binary packages that fix a security +hole. Unless you examine the patch and implement it yourself you have no +guarantee that the new binary package was built correctly and actually fixes the +problem (adequately).</para> + +<para>There are too many good reasons to build your own LFS system for them all +to be listed here. This section is only the tip of the iceberg. As you +continue in your LFS experience, you will find on your own the power that +information and knowledge truly bring.</para> + +</sect2> + +<sect2> +<title>Who would not want to read this book</title> + +<para>There are probably some, for whatever reason, would feel that they do not +want to read this book. If you do not wish to build your own Linux system from +scratch, then you probably don't want to read this book. Our goal is to help +you build a complete and usable foundation-level system. If you only want to +know what happens while your computer boots, then we recommend the <quote>From +Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO. The HOWTO builds a bare system which is +similar to that of this book, but it focuses strictly on creating a system +capable of booting to a BASH prompt.</para> + +<para>While you decide which to read, consider your objective. If you wish +to build a Linux system while learning a bit along the way, then this book +is probably your best choice. If your objective is strictly educational and +you do not have any plans for your finished system, then the +<quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO is probably a better choice.</para> + +<para>The <quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO is located at +<ulink url="http://axiom.anu.edu.au/~okeefe/p2b/"/> or on The Linux +Documentation Project's website at <ulink url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/From- +PowerUp-To-Bash-Prompt-HOWTO.html"/>.</para> + +</sect2> + +</sect1> diff --git a/preface/preface.xml b/preface/preface.xml index 333a1b397..c7bda60f5 100644 --- a/preface/preface.xml +++ b/preface/preface.xml @@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ <?dbhtml filename="preface.html" dir="preface"?> &pf-foreword; -&pf-whoread; -&pf-whonotread; +&pf-audience; &pf-prerequisites; &pf-organization; diff --git a/preface/whonotread.xml b/preface/whonotread.xml deleted file mode 100644 index 8f234e92f..000000000 --- a/preface/whonotread.xml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,22 +0,0 @@ -<sect1 id="pre-whonotread"> -<title>Who would not want to read this book</title> -<?dbhtml filename="whonotread.html" dir="preface"?> - -<para>If you do not wish to build your own Linux system from scratch, then -you probably don't want to read this book. Our goal is to build a complete -and usable foundation system. If you only want to know what happens while -your computer boots, then we recommend the -<quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO. The HOWTO builds a bare -system which is similar to that of this book, but it focuses strictly on -creating a system capable of booting to a BASH prompt.</para> - -<para>While you decide which to read, consider your objective. If you wish -to build a Linux system while learning a bit along the way, then this book -is probably your best choice. If your objective is strictly educational and -you do not have any plans for your finished system, then the -<quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO is probably a better choice.</para> - -<para>The <quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO is located at -<ulink url="http://axiom.anu.edu.au/~okeefe/p2b/"/>.</para> - -</sect1> diff --git a/preface/whoread.xml b/preface/whoread.xml deleted file mode 100644 index 6e3625308..000000000 --- a/preface/whoread.xml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,57 +0,0 @@ -<sect1 id="pre-whoread"> -<title>Who would want to read this book</title> -<?dbhtml filename="whoread.html" dir="preface"?> - -<para>There are many reasons why somebody would want to read this book. The -principle reason being to install an LFS system. A question many people raise -is "Why go through all the hassle of manually building a Linux system -from scratch when you can just download and install an existing one?". That -is a good question.</para> - -<para>One important reason for LFS' existence is to help people -learn how a Linux system works from the inside out. Building an LFS system -helps demonstrate what makes Linux tick, and how things work together and -depend on each other. And perhaps most importantly, how to customize it to -your own tastes and needs.</para> - -<para>A key benefit of LFS is that you have more control of your system -without relying on someone else's Linux implementation. With LFS, you are -in the driver's seat and dictate every aspect of your system, such as the -directory layout and boot script setup. You also dictate where, why and how -programs are installed.</para> - -<para>Another benefit of LFS is the ability to create a very compact Linux -system. When installing a regular distribution, you end up with several -programs which you are likely to never use. They're just sitting there wasting -(precious) disk space. It isn't difficult to build an LFS system less than -100 MB. Does that still sound like a lot? A few of us have been working on -creating a very small embedded LFS system. We successfully built a system -that was just enough to run the Apache web server with approximately 8MB -of disk space used. Further stripping could bring that down to 5 MB or -less. Try that with a regular distribution.</para> - -<para>We could compare distributed Linux to a hamburger you buy at a -fast-food restaurant - you have no idea what you are eating. LFS, on the -other hand, doesn't give you a hamburger, but the recipe to make a hamburger. -This allows you to review it, to omit unwanted ingredients, and to -add your own ingredients which enhance the flavor of your burger. When you -are satisfied with the recipe, you go on to preparing it. You make it just -the way you like it: broil it, bake it, deep-fry it, barbecue it, or eat it -tar-tar (raw).</para> - -<para>Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a -finished house. LFS will give you the skeletal plan of a house, but it's up -to you to build it. You have the freedom to adjust your plans as you -go.</para> - -<para>Another advantage of a custom built Linux system is security. -By compiling the entire system from source code, you are empowered to audit -everything and apply all the security patches you feel are needed. You don't -have to wait for somebody else to compile binary packages that fix a security -hole. Unless you examine the patch and build it yourself you have no -guarantee that the new package was built correctly and actually fixes the -problem (adequately). You never truly know whether a security hole is fixed -or not unless you do it yourself.</para> - -</sect1> - |