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<sect1 id="pre-whoread">
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<title>Who would want to read this book</title>
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-<para>This book is intended for Linux users who want to setup their own
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-custom built Linux system. Reasons for wanting to build such a system are
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-diverse. Perhaps you want to get into more detail as to what
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-happens behind the scenes. Perhaps you are fed up with distributions
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-which are often bloated or perhaps you don't want to rely on pre-compiled
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-binaries due to security concerns. There are many other reasons why
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-someone may want a custom built system. If any of these reasons apply to
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-you, this book is meant for you.</para>
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-
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-<para>The fruits of building your own system are plentiful, but the labor may
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-be hard. There is a long way ahead, but in the end you will be
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-able to call yourself the proud owner of your own Linux system,
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-completely tailored after your needs. You will dictate the layout of
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-bootscripts, the file system hierarchy, which programs are installed in
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-which directory, which versions of software to use, and more. Perhaps the
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-most important reason is that you will know exactly what is installed where,
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-why, and how.</para>
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+<para>
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+There are a lot of reasons why somebody would want to read this book in
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+order to install an LFS system. The question most people raise is "why
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+go through all the hassle of manually installing a Linux system from
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+scratch when you can just download an existing version like Debian or
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+Redhat". That is a valid question which I hope to answer for you.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+The most important reason for LFS's existence is teaching people how a
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+Linux system works internally. Building an LFS system teaches you about
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+all that makes Linux tick, how things work together, and depend on each
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+other. And most importantly, how to customize it to your own taste and
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+needs.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+One of the key benefits of LFS is that you are in control over your
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+system without having to rely on somebody else's Linux implementation
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+like Debian. You are in the driver's seat now and are able to dictate
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+every single thing such as the directory layout and boot script setup.
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+You will also know exactly where, why and how programs are installed.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+Another benefit of LFS is that you can create a very compact Linux
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+system. When you install a distribution like Debian or RedHat, you end
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+up installing a lot of programs you would never in your life use.
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+They're just sitting there taking up (precious) disk space. It's not
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+hard to get an LFS system installed under 100 MB. Does that still sound
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+like a lot? A few of us have been working on creating a very small
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+embedded LFS system. We installed a system that was just enough to run
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+the Apache web server; total disk space usage was aproximately 8 MB.
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+With further stripping, that can be brought down to 5 MB or less. Try
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+that with a generic Debian or Redhat distribution.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+If we were to compare a Linux distribution with a hamburger you buy at a
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+supermarket or fast-food restaurant, you would end up eating it without
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+knowing precisely what it is you are eating, whereas LFS gives you the
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+ingredients to make a hamburger. This allows you to carefully inspect
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+it, remove unwanted ingredients, and at the same time allow you to add
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+ingredients to enhance the flavour of your hamburger. When you are
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+satisfied with the ingredients, you go on to the next part of putting it
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+together. You now have the chance to make it just the way you like it:
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+broil it, bake it, deep-fry it, barbeque it, or eat it raw.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+Another analogy that we can use is that of comparing LFS with a finished
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+house. LFS will give you the skeleton of a house, but it's up to you to
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+install plumbing, electrical outlets, kitchen, bathtub, wallpaper, etc.
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+</para>
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+
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+<para>
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+Another advantage of a custom built Linux system is added security. You
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+will compile the entire system from source, thus allowing you to audit
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+everything, if you wish to do so, and apply all the security patches you
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+want or need to apply. You don't have to wait for somebody else to
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+provide a new binary package that fixes a security hole. Besides, you
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+have no guarantee that the new package actually fixes the problem
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+(adequately). You never truly know whether a security hole is fixed or
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+not unless you do it yourself.
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+</para>
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</sect1>
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Gerard Beekmans