Several text changes to the Rationale page

git-svn-id: http://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/LFS/trunk/BOOK@9262 4aa44e1e-78dd-0310-a6d2-fbcd4c07a689

1 files changed, 64 insertions, 61 deletions

diff --git a/prologue/why.xml b/prologue/why.xml
index 6d30236f3..f45ddb9c5 100644
--- a/prologue/why.xml
+++ b/prologue/why.xml
@@ -43,22 +43,22 @@
         <para>This package satisfies an LSB core requirement to provide
         a Bourne Shell interface to the system.  It was chosen over
         other shell packages because of its common usage and extensive
-        capabilities beyond basic shell functions. </para>
+        capabilities beyond basic shell functions.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Binutils</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a linker, an assembler, and other 
-        tools for handling object files.</para>
+        tools for handling object files. The programs in this package are
+        needed to compile most of the packages in an LFS system and beyond.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Bison</para>
 
         <para>This package contains the GNU version of yacc (Yet Another
-        Compiler Compiler) needed to build several other LFS programs.
-        </para>
+        Compiler Compiler) needed to build several other LFS programs.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@
         <para>Coreutils</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a number of essential programs for viewing 
-        and manipulating files and directories. </para>
+        and manipulating files and directories. These programs are needed for
+        command line file management, and are necessary for the installation
+        procedures of every package in LFS.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -86,7 +88,8 @@
         <para>Diffutils</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs that show the differences 
-        between files or directories. </para>
+        between files or directories. These programs can be used to create
+        patches, and are also used in many packages' build procedures.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -110,13 +113,14 @@
         <para>File</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a utility for determining the type of a 
-        given file or files.</para>
+        given file or files. A few packages need it to build.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Findutils</para>
 
-        <para>This package contains programs to find files in a file system.</para>
+        <para>This package contains programs to find files in a file system.
+        It is used in many packages' build scripts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -125,14 +129,15 @@
         <para>This package contains a utility for generating programs that 
         recognize patterns in text.  It is the GNU version of the lex 
         (lexical analyzer) program.  It is required to build several 
-        LFS packages. </para>
+        LFS packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Gawk</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs for manipulating text files.
-        It is the GNU version of awk (Aho-Weinberg-Kernighan). </para>
+        It is the GNU version of awk (Aho-Weinberg-Kernighan). It is used in
+        many other packages' build scripts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -147,23 +152,21 @@
         <para>GDBM</para>
 
         <para>This package contains the GNU Database Manager library.  It
-        is used by one other LFS package, Man-DB.
-        </para>
+        is used by one other LFS package, Man-DB.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Gettext</para>
 
         <para>This package contains utilities and libraries for 
-        internationalization and localization of numerous packages.
-        </para>
+        internationalization and localization of numerous packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Glibc</para>
 
         <para>This package contains the main C library.  Linux programs would
-        not run without it. </para>
+        not run without it.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -176,16 +179,15 @@
       <listitem>
         <para>Grep</para>
 
-        <para>This package contains programs for searching through files.
-        </para>
+        <para>This package contains programs for searching through files. These
+        programs are used by most packages' build scripts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Groff</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs for processing and formatting text.
-        One important function of these programs is to format man pages.
-        </para>
+        One important function of these programs is to format man pages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -200,23 +202,22 @@
         <para>Gzip</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs for compressing and 
-        decompressing files. </para>
+        decompressing files. It is needed to decompress many packages in LFS
+        and beyond.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Iana-etc</para>
 
         <para>This package provides data for network services and protocols.
-        It is needed to enable proper networking capabilities.
-        </para>
+        It is needed to enable proper networking capabilities.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Inetutils</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs for basic network 
-        administration.  
-        </para>
+        administration.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -230,16 +231,16 @@
       <listitem>
         <para>Kbd</para>
 
-        <para>This package contains key-table files and keyboard utilities
-        for non-US keyboards. </para>
+        <para>This package contains key-table files, keyboard utilities
+        for non-US keyboards, and a number of console fonts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Less</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a very nice text file viewer that
-        allows scrolling up or down when viewing a file.
-        </para>
+        allows scrolling up or down when viewing a file. It is also used by
+        Man-DB for viewing manpages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -248,32 +249,28 @@
         <para>This package contains the GNU generic library support 
         script. It wraps the complexity of using shared libraries in a 
         consistent, portable interface.  It is needed by the test
-        suites in other LFS packages.
-        </para>
+        suites in other LFS packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Linux Kernel</para>
 
         <para>This package is the Operating System.  It is the Linux in
-        the GNU/Linux environment.
-        </para>
+        the GNU/Linux environment.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>M4</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a general text macro processor useful
-        as a build tool for other programs. 
-        </para>
+        as a build tool for other programs.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Make</para>
 
         <para>This package contains a program for directing the building
-        of packages.  It is required by almost every package in LFS.
-        </para>
+        of packages.  It is required by almost every package in LFS.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -282,14 +279,14 @@
         <para>This package contains programs for finding and viewing man pages.
         It was chosen instead of the <application>man</application> package
         due to superior internationalization capabilities.  It supplies
-        the man program. </para>
+        the man program.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Man-pages</para>
 
         <para>This package contains the actual contents of the basic
-        Linux man pages. </para>
+        Linux man pages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -300,11 +297,17 @@
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
+        <para>MPC</para>
+
+        <para>This package contains functions for the arithmetic of complex
+        numbers. It is required by Gcc.</para>
+      </listitem>
+
+      <listitem>
         <para>MPFR</para>
 
         <para>This package contains functions for multiple precision 
-        arithmetic.  It is required by Gcc.
-        </para>
+        arithmetic.  It is required by Gcc.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -312,7 +315,8 @@
 
         <para>This package contains libraries for terminal-independent 
         handling of character screens.  It is often used to provide 
-        cursor control for a menuing system.  </para>
+        cursor control for a menuing system. It is needed by a number of
+        packages in LFS.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -321,14 +325,15 @@
         <para>This package contains a program for modifying or creating files by
         applying a <emphasis>patch</emphasis> file typically created 
         by the <application>diff</application> program.  It is needed by
-        the build procedure for several LFS packages. </para>
+        the build procedure for several LFS packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Perl</para>
 
         <para>This package is an interpreter for the runtime language
-        PERL.</para>
+        PERL. It is needed for the installation and testsuites of several LFS
+        packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -336,28 +341,30 @@
 
         <para>This package contains a tool for passing the include path 
         and/or library paths to build tools during the configure and make 
-        processes.  It is needed by many LFS packages. </para>
+        processes.  It is needed by many LFS packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Procps</para>
 
-        <para>This package contains programs for monitoring processes.
-        </para>
+        <para>This package contains programs for monitoring processes. These
+        programs are useful for system administration, and are also used by
+        the LFS Bootscripts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Psmisc</para>
 
         <para>This package contains programs for displaying information 
-        about running processes. </para>
+        about running processes. These programs are useful for system
+        administration.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Readline</para>
 
         <para>This package is a set of libraries that offers command-line 
-        editing and history capabilities.  It is used by Bash. </para>
+        editing and history capabilities.  It is used by Bash.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -365,7 +372,7 @@
 
         <para>This package allows editing of text without opening it in a 
         text editor. It is also needed by most LFS packages' configure 
-        scripts. </para>
+        scripts.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -380,8 +387,7 @@
 
         <para>This package contains programs for logging system messages, 
         such as those given by the kernel or daemon processes when unusual 
-        events occur.  
-        </para>
+        events occur.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -396,7 +402,7 @@
         <para>Tar</para>
 
         <para>This package provides archiving and extraction capabilities
-        of virtually all packages used in LFS.  </para>
+        of virtually all packages used in LFS.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -404,7 +410,7 @@
 
         <para>This package contains the Tool Command Language used
         in many testsuites in LFS packages.  It is only installed in 
-        the temporary toolchain. </para>
+        the temporary toolchain.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -412,7 +418,7 @@
 
         <para>This package contains programs for reading, writing, and 
         converting info pages.  It is used in the installation 
-        procedures of many LFS packages. </para>
+        procedures of many LFS packages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -420,8 +426,7 @@
 
         <para>This package contains programs for dynamic creation of 
         device nodes.  It is an alternative to creating thousands of
-        static devices in the /dev directory.  
-        </para>
+        static devices in the /dev directory.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -429,7 +434,7 @@
 
         <para>This package contains miscellaneous utility programs. 
         Among them are utilities for handling file systems, consoles, 
-        partitions, and messages. </para>
+        partitions, and messages.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
@@ -438,16 +443,14 @@
         <para>This package contains an editor. It was chosen because of its
         compatibility with the classic vi editor and its huge number of powerful
         capabilities.  An editor is a very personal choice for
-        many users and any other editor could be substituted if desired.
-        </para>
+        many users and any other editor could be substituted if desired.</para>
       </listitem>
 
       <listitem>
         <para>Zlib</para>
 
         <para>This package contains compression and decompression routines 
-        used by some programs. 
-        </para>
+        used by some programs.</para>
       </listitem>
 
     </itemizedlist>