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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> - |