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diff --git a/prologue/audience.xml b/prologue/audience.xml index 3f19342fa..eb8950efb 100644 --- a/prologue/audience.xml +++ b/prologue/audience.xml @@ -1,91 +1,86 @@ <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> -<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.4//EN" "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.4/docbookx.dtd" [ +<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.4//EN" + "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.4/docbookx.dtd" [ <!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../general.ent"> %general-entities; ]> + <sect1 id="pre-audience"> -<title>Audience</title> -<?dbhtml filename="audience.html"?> + <?dbhtml filename="audience.html"?> -<para>There are many reasons why somebody would want to read this -book. The principal reason is to install a Linux system -from the source code. A question many people raise is, <quote>why go -through all the hassle of manually building a Linux system from -scratch when you can just download and install an existing -one?</quote> That is a good question and is the impetus for this -section of the book.</para> + <title>Audience</title> -<para>One important reason for LFS's 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. One of the best things that this learning -experience provides is the ability to customize Linux to your own -tastes and needs.</para> + <para>There are many reasons why somebody would want to read this book. + The principal reason is to install a Linux system from the source code. + A question many people raise is, <quote>why go through all the hassle of + manually building a Linux system from scratch when you can just download + and install an existing one?</quote> That is a good question and is the + impetus for this section of the book.</para> -<para>A key benefit of LFS is that it allows users to have more -control over the system without relying on someone else's Linux -implementation. With LFS, <emphasis>you</emphasis> are in the -driver's seat and dictate every aspect of the system, such as the -directory layout and bootscript setup. You also dictate where, why, -and how programs are installed.</para> + <para>One important reason for LFS's 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. One of the best things that this learning + experience provides is the ability to customize Linux to your own tastes + and needs.</para> -<para>Another benefit of LFS is the ability to create a very compact -Linux system. When installing a regular distribution, one is often -forced to include several programs which are probably never used. -These programs waste disk space, or worse, CPU cycles. It is -not difficult to build an LFS system of less than 100 megabytes (MB), -which is substantially smaller than the majority of existing installations. Does -this still sound like a lot of space? A few of us have been working on -creating a very small embedded LFS system. We successfully built a -system that was specialized to run the Apache web server with -approximately 8MB of disk space used. Further stripping could bring -this down to 5 MB or less. Try that with a regular distribution! -This is only one of the many benefits of designing your own Linux -implementation.</para> + <para>A key benefit of LFS is that it allows users to have more control + over the system without relying on someone else's Linux implementation. + With LFS, <emphasis>you</emphasis> are in the driver's seat and dictate + every aspect of the system, such as the directory layout and bootscript + setup. You also dictate where, why, and how programs are installed.</para> -<para>We could compare Linux distributions to a hamburger purchased at -a fast-food restaurant—you have no idea what might be in what -you are eating. LFS, on the other hand, does not give you a hamburger. -Rather, LFS provides the recipe to make the exact hamburger desired. -This allows users to review the recipe, omit unwanted ingredients, and -add your own ingredients to enhance the flavor of the burger. -When you are satisfied with the recipe, move on to preparing it. It -can be made to exact specifications—broil it, bake it, deep-fry -it, or barbecue it.</para> + <para>Another benefit of LFS is the ability to create a very compact Linux + system. When installing a regular distribution, one is often forced to + include several programs which are probably never used. These programs + waste disk space, or worse, CPU cycles. It is not difficult to build an + LFS system of less than 100 megabytes (MB), which is substantially smaller + than the majority of existing installations. Does this still sound like a + lot of space? A few of us have been working on creating a very small + embedded LFS system. We successfully built a system that was specialized + to run the Apache web server with approximately 8MB of disk space used. + Further stripping could bring this down to 5 MB or less. Try that with a + regular distribution! This is only one of the many benefits of designing + your own Linux implementation.</para> -<para>Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a -finished house. LFS provides the skeletal plan of a house, but it is up -to you to build it. LFS maintains the freedom to adjust plans -throughout the process, customizing it to the user's needs and -preferences.</para> + <para>We could compare Linux distributions to a hamburger purchased at a + fast-food restaurant—you have no idea what might be in what you are + eating. LFS, on the other hand, does not give you a hamburger. Rather, + LFS provides the recipe to make the exact hamburger desired. This allows + users to review the recipe, omit unwanted ingredients, and add your own + ingredients to enhance the flavor of the burger. When you are satisfied + with the recipe, move on to preparing it. It can be made to exact + specifications—broil it, bake it, deep-fry it, or barbecue it.</para> -<para>An additional 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 -desired. It is no longer necessary to wait for somebody else to -compile binary packages that fix a security hole. Unless you -examine the patch and implement it yourself, you have no guarantee -that the new binary package was built correctly and adequately fixes -the problem.</para> + <para>Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a + finished house. LFS provides the skeletal plan of a house, but it is up + to you to build it. LFS maintains the freedom to adjust plans throughout + the process, customizing it to the user's needs and preferences.</para> -<para>The goal of Linux From Scratch is to build a complete and usable -foundation-level system. Readers who do not wish to build their own -Linux system from scratch may not benefit from the information in this -book. If you only want to know what happens while the computer boots, -we recommend the <quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO -located at <ulink url="http://axiom.anu.edu.au/~okeefe/p2b/"/> or on -The Linux Documentation Project's (TLDP) website at <ulink -url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/From-PowerUp-To-Bash-Prompt-HOWTO.html"/>. -The HOWTO builds a system which is similar to that of this book, -but it focuses strictly on creating a system capable of booting to a -BASH prompt. Consider your objective. If you wish to build a Linux -system while learning along the way, then this book is your best -choice.</para> + <para>An additional 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 desired. It is no longer + necessary to wait for somebody else to compile binary packages that fix a + security hole. Unless you examine the patch and implement it yourself, you + have no guarantee that the new binary package was built correctly and + adequately fixes the problem.</para> -<para>There are too many good reasons to build your own LFS system to -list them all here. This section is only the tip of the iceberg. As -you continue in your LFS experience, you will find the power that -information and knowledge truly bring.</para> + <para>The goal of Linux From Scratch is to build a complete and usable + foundation-level system. Readers who do not wish to build their own Linux + system from scratch may not benefit from the information in this book. If + you only want to know what happens while the computer boots, we recommend + the <quote>From Power Up To Bash Prompt</quote> HOWTO located at + <ulink url="http://axiom.anu.edu.au/~okeefe/p2b/"/> or on The Linux + Documentation Project's (TLDP) website at <ulink + url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/From-PowerUp-To-Bash-Prompt-HOWTO.html"/>. + The HOWTO builds a system which is similar to that of this book, but it + focuses strictly on creating a system capable of booting to a BASH prompt. + Consider your objective. If you wish to build a Linux system while learning + along the way, then this book is your best choice.</para> -</sect1> + <para>There are too many good reasons to build your own LFS system to + list them all here. This section is only the tip of the iceberg. As + you continue in your LFS experience, you will find the power that + information and knowledge truly bring.</para> +</sect1> |