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diff --git a/chapter08/introduction.xml b/chapter08/introduction.xml index 5cb40b882..c8ccb3908 100644 --- a/chapter08/introduction.xml +++ b/chapter08/introduction.xml @@ -5,14 +5,70 @@ %general-entities; ]> -<sect1 id="ch-bootable-introduction"> +<sect1 id="ch-system-introduction"> <?dbhtml filename="introduction.html"?> <title>Introduction</title> - <para>It is time to make the LFS system bootable. This chapter - discusses creating an <filename>fstab</filename> file, building a - kernel for the new LFS system, and installing the GRUB boot loader so - that the LFS system can be selected for booting at startup.</para> + <para>In this chapter, we enter the building site and start constructing the + LFS system in earnest. That is, we chroot into the temporary mini Linux system, + make a few final preparations, and then begin installing the packages.</para> + + <para>The installation of this software is straightforward. Although in many + cases the installation instructions could be made shorter and more generic, + we have opted to provide the full instructions for every package to minimize + the possibilities for mistakes. The key to learning what makes a Linux system + work is to know what each package is used for and why you (or the system) + may need it.</para> + + <para>We do not recommend using optimizations. They can make + a program run slightly faster, but they may also cause compilation + difficulties and problems when running the program. If a package refuses to + compile when using optimization, try to compile it without optimization and + see if that fixes the problem. Even if the package does compile when using + optimization, there is the risk it may have been compiled incorrectly because + of the complex interactions between the code and build tools. Also note that + the <option>-march</option> and <option>-mtune</option> options using values + not specified in the book have not been tested. This may cause problems with + the toolchain packages (Binutils, GCC and Glibc). The small potential gains + achieved in using compiler optimizations are often outweighed by the risks. + First-time builders of LFS are encouraged to build without custom + optimizations. The subsequent system will still run very fast and be stable + at the same time.</para> + + <para>Before the installation instructions, each installation page provides + information about the package, including a concise description of what it + contains, approximately how long it will take to build, and how much disk + space is required during this building process. Following the installation + instructions, there is a list of programs and libraries (along with brief + descriptions of these) that the package installs.</para> + + <note><para>The SBU values and required disk space includes + test suite data for all applicable packages in Chapter 6.</para></note> + + <sect2> + <title>About libraries</title> + + <para>In general, the LFS editors discourage building and installing static + libraries. The original purpose for most static libraries has been made + obsolete in a modern Linux system. In addition linking a static library + into a program can be detrimental. If an update to the library is needed + to remove a security problem, all programs that use the static library will + need to be relinked to the new library. Since the use of static libraries + is not always obvious, the relevant programs (and the procedures needed to + do the linking) may not even be known.</para> + + <para>In the procedures in Chapter 6, we remove or disable installation of + most static libraries. Usually this is done by passing a + <option>--disable-static</option> option to <command>configure</command>. + In other cases, alternate means are needed. In a few cases, especially + glibc and gcc, the use of static libraries remains essential to the general + package building process. </para> + + <para>For a more complete discussion of libraries, see the discussion + <ulink url="&blfs-root;/view/&short-version;/introduction/libraries.html"> + Libraries: Static or shared?</ulink> in the BLFS book.</para> + + </sect2> </sect1> |