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authorGerard Beekmans <gerard@linuxfromscratch.org>2002-05-29 11:08:16 +0000
committerGerard Beekmans <gerard@linuxfromscratch.org>2002-05-29 11:08:16 +0000
commitcbf79655499ca1f4203566519cdcd44f72659c54 (patch)
treed044a556a9e1afb65f85077d01996e48d52c7767 /preface
parent7c1805bb64583221436623b6517a0c1d0a1177d5 (diff)
Applied Scot's LFS-BOOK-CVS-2002-05-28-XML.patch patch to foreword.xml and whoread.xml
git-svn-id: http://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/LFS/trunk/BOOK@1935 4aa44e1e-78dd-0310-a6d2-fbcd4c07a689
Diffstat (limited to 'preface')
-rw-r--r--preface/foreword.xml24
-rw-r--r--preface/whoread.xml87
2 files changed, 54 insertions, 57 deletions
diff --git a/preface/foreword.xml b/preface/foreword.xml
index ef97fbe45..448bbbdf1 100644
--- a/preface/foreword.xml
+++ b/preface/foreword.xml
@@ -3,20 +3,20 @@
<?dbhtml filename="foreword.html" dir="preface"?>
<para>Having used a number of different Linux distributions, I was never fully
-satisfied with any of them. I didn't like the way the bootscripts were
-arranged, I didn't like the way certain programs were configured by
-default, and more of those things. I came to realize that if I wanted to
-be fully satisfied with a Linux system, I would have to build my own system
-from scratch, ideally using only the source code. Not using
-pre-compiled packages of any kind. No help from some sort of CD-ROM or
+satisfied with any of them. I didn't like the way the arrangement of the
+bootscripts. I didn't like the way certain programs were configured by
+default. Much more of that sort of thing bothered me. Finally I realized that
+if I wanted full satisfisfaction from my Linux system I would have to build
+my own system from scratch, using only the source code. I resolved not to use
+pre-compiled packages of any kind, nor CD-ROM or
bootdisk that would install some basic utilities. I would use my current
-Linux system and use that one to build my own.</para>
+Linux system to develop my own.</para>
-<para>This, at one time, wild idea seemed very difficult and at times almost
-impossible. After sorting out all kinds of dependency problems, compile
-problems, etcetera, a custom-built Linux system was created and fully
-operational. I called this system an LFS system, which stands for Linux
-From Scratch.</para>
+<para>This wild idea seemed very difficult at the time and often seemed
+an impossible task. After sorting out all kinds of problems, such as
+dependencies and compile-time errors, a custom-built Linux system was
+created that was fully operational. I called this system a Linux From Scratch
+system, or LFS for short.</para>
<para>I hope all of you will have a great time working on LFS!</para>
diff --git a/preface/whoread.xml b/preface/whoread.xml
index 9fa9b98f1..bda73541e 100644
--- a/preface/whoread.xml
+++ b/preface/whoread.xml
@@ -2,57 +2,54 @@
<title>Who would want to read this book</title>
<?dbhtml filename="whoread.html" dir="preface"?>
-<para>There are a lot of reasons why somebody would want to read this
-book in order to install an LFS system. The question most people raise
-is "why go through all the hassle of manually installing a Linux system
-from scratch when you can just download an existing distribution?". That is
-a valid question which I hope to answer for you.</para>
-
-<para>The most important reason for LFS's existence is teaching people
-how a Linux system works internally. Building an LFS system teaches you
-about all that makes Linux tick, how things work together, and depend on
-each other. And most importantly, how to customize it to your own taste
-and needs.</para>
-
-<para>One of the key benefits of LFS is that you are in control of
-your system without having to rely on somebody else's Linux
-implementation. You are in the driver's seat now and are
-able to dictate every single thing such as the directory layout and boot
-script setup. You will also know exactly where, why and how programs
-are installed.</para>
-
-<para>Another benefit of LFS is that you can create a very compact Linux
-system. When you install a regular distribution, you end
-up installing a lot of programs you probably would never use.
-They're just sitting there taking up (precious) disk space. It's not
-hard to get an LFS system installed under 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 installed a system that was just enough to run
-the Apache web server; total disk space usage was approximately 8 MB.
-With further stripping, that can be brought down to 5 MB or less. Try
-that with a regular distribution.</para>
-
-<para>If we were to compare a Linux distribution with a hamburger you
-buy at a supermarket or fast-food restaurant, you would end up eating it
-without knowing precisely what it is you are eating, whereas LFS gives
-you the ingredients to make a hamburger. This allows you to carefully
-inspect it, remove unwanted ingredients, and at the same time allow you
-to add ingredients to enhance the flavour of your hamburger. When you are
-satisfied with the ingredients, you go on to the next part of putting it
-together. You now have the chance to make it just the way you like it:
-broil it, bake it, deep-fry it, barbeque it, or eat it raw.</para>
+<para>There are many reasons why somebody would want to read this book. The
+principle reason being to install a 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's existence is helping people
+learn how a Linux system works from the inside out. Building a 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 a lot of
+programs you likely will never use. They're just sitting there wasting
+(precious) disk space. It isn't difficult to build LFS systems of under
+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 easting. LFS on the
+other hand, doesn't give you a hamburger, but the recipe to make a hamburger.
+This allows you to inspect it, omit unwanted ingredients, and allows you to
+add your own ingredients that enhance the flavour 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, barbeque it, or eat it
+raw.</para>
<para>Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a
finished house. LFS will give you the skeleton of a house, but it's up
to you to install plumbing, electrical outlets, kitchen, bathtub,
wallpaper, etc.</para>
-<para>Another advantage of a custom built Linux system is added security.
-You will compile the entire system from source, thus allowing you to audit
-everything, if you wish to do so, and apply all the security patches you
-want or need to apply. You don't have to wait for somebody else to
-provide a new binary package that fixes a security hole. Besides, you
-have no guarantee that the new package actually fixes the problem
+<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. Examine the new 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>