lfs-book/preface/foreword.xml

<sect1 id="pf-foreword">
<title>Foreword</title>
<?dbhtml filename="foreword.html" dir="preface"?>

<para>Having used a number of different Linux distributions, I was never fully
satisfied with any of them. I didn't like the way the arrangement of the
bootscripts. I didn't like the way certain programs were configured by
default. Much more of that sort of thing bothered me. Finally I realized that
if I wanted full satisfisfaction from my Linux system I would have to build
my own system from scratch, using only the source code. I resolved not to use 
pre-compiled packages of any kind, nor CD-ROM or 
bootdisk that would install some basic utilities. I would use my current 
Linux system to develop my own.</para>

<para>This wild idea seemed very difficult at the time and often seemed
an impossible task. After sorting out all kinds of problems, such as
dependencies and compile-time errors, a custom-built Linux system was
created that was fully operational. I called this system a Linux From Scratch
system, or LFS for short.</para>

<para>I hope all of you will have a great time working on LFS!</para>

<literallayout>
-- 
Gerard Beekmans
gerard@linuxfromscratch.org
</literallayout>

</sect1>