lfs-book/chapter05/introduction.xml

<sect1 id="ch05-introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
<?dbhtml filename="introduction.html" dir="chapter05"?>

<para>In this chapter we will compile and install a minimal
Linux system. This system will contain just enough tools to be able
to start constructing the final LFS system in the next chapter.</para>

<para>The software in this chapter will be linked statically, because
there is a possibility that your host Linux system uses a different
version of the C library than the version you downloaded for
use in your LFS system. If we were to link the programs in this
chapter against that older C library, these programs might work
incorrectly, or not at all, when we change to the LFS system.</para>

<para>The files compiled in this chapter will be installed under the
<filename class="directory">$LFS/static</filename> directory,
to keep them separate from the files installed in the next chapter.
As everything done here is only temporarily, we don't want
these files to pollute the to-be LFS system.</para>

<para>The key to learning what makes a Linux system work is to know
exactly what each package is used for, and why the user or the system
needs it. For this purpose a short description of the content of each
package is given right after the installation instructions.</para>

<para>Many of our packages must be patched before they can be compiled.
We only apply patches when and where they are needed. So, don't fret if
it seems like instructions for a patch are missing.</para>

<para>During the installation of several packages you will probably
see all kinds of compiler warnings scroll by on your screen. These are
normal and can be safely ignored. They are just what they say they are:
warnings -- mostly about improper, but not illegal, use of the C or C++
syntax. It's just that C standards have changed rather often and some
packages still use the older standard, which is not really a problem.</para>

<para>Before you start, make sure the LFS environment variable is set up
properly if you decided to make use of it. Run the following:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>echo $LFS</userinput></screen></para>

<para>Check to make sure the output contains the correct directory to the LFS
partition's mount point (/mnt/lfs for example).</para>

</sect1>