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+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
+<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN" "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd" [
+  <!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../general.ent">
+  %general-entities;
+]>
+<sect1 id="prepare-abouttestsuites">
+<title>About the test suites</title>
+<?dbhtml filename="abouttestsuites.html"?>
+
+<para>Most packages provide a test suite. Running the test suite for a newly
+built package is generally a good idea, as it can provide a nice sanity check
+that everything compiled correctly. A test suite that passes its set of checks
+usually proves that the package is functioning as the developer intended. It
+does not, however, guarantee that the package is totally bug free.</para>
+
+<para>Some test suites are more important than others. For example, the test
+suites for the core toolchain packages -- GCC, Binutils, and Glibc -- are of
+the utmost importance due to their central role in a properly functioning
+system. But be warned, the test suites for GCC and Glibc can take a very long
+time to complete, especially on slower hardware.</para>
+
+<note><para>Experience has shown us that there is little to be gained from running
+the test suites in <xref linkend="chapter-temporary-tools"/>. There can be no
+escaping the fact that the host system always exerts some influence on the
+tests in that chapter, often causing weird and inexplicable failures. Not only
+that, the tools built in <xref linkend="chapter-temporary-tools"/> are
+temporary and eventually discarded. For the average reader of this book we
+recommend <emphasis>not</emphasis> to run the test suites in 
+<xref linkend="chapter-temporary-tools"/>. The instructions for running those test
+suites are still provided for the benefit of testers and developers, but they
+are strictly optional for everyone else.</para></note>
+
+<para>A common problem when running the test suites for Binutils and GCC is
+running out of pseudo terminals (PTYs for short). The symptom is a very high
+number of failing tests. This can happen for several reasons, but the most
+likely cause is that the host system doesn't have the
+<emphasis>devpts</emphasis> file system set up correctly. We'll discuss this in
+more detail later on in <xref linkend="chapter-temporary-tools"/>.</para>
+
+<para>Sometimes package test suites will give false failures. You can
+consult the LFS Wiki at <ulink url="&wiki-root;"/> to verify that these
+failures are normal. This applies to all tests throughout the book.</para>
+
+</sect1>