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@@ -2,47 +2,65 @@
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<title>How things are going to be done</title>
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<?dbhtml filename="how.html" dir="chapter01"?>
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-<para>We are going to build the LFS system by using an already installed Linux
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-distribution such as Debian, SuSe, Slackware, Mandrake, RedHat, etc. There
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-is no need to have any kind of bootdisk. We will use an existing Linux
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-system as the base (since we need a compiler, linker, text editor, and
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-other tools).</para>
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+<para>We are going to build the LFS system by using a previously installed
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+Linux distribution such as Debian, SuSe, Slackware, Mandrake, RedHat, etc.
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+We will use the existing Linux system as the development platform, because
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+we need tools like a compiler, linker, text editor, and other necessary
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+development tools to build our system. Ordinarily, the required tools are
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+available by default if we selected "development" as one of our installation
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+options when we installed the distributed Linux.</para>
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<para>After you have downloaded the necessary packages that make up an LFS
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-system you will create a new Linux native partition onto which the LFS system
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-will be installed.</para>
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-
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-<para>The next step, chapter 5, will be the installation of a number of
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-packages that are statically linked and installed on the LFS partition.
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-These packages form a basic development suite which will be used to
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-install the actual system, and are also needed to resolve circular
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-dependencies. Examples of circular dependencies are: you need a compiler
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-to install a compiler. You need a shell in order to install a shell. And
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-so on.</para>
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-
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-<para>Chapter 6 installs the actual base system. We use the chroot program
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-to start a new shell whose root directory will be set to the LFS
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-partition. This, in essence, is the same as rebooting and having the
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-kernel mount the LFS partition as the root partition. The reason that
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-we don't actually reboot, but instead chroot, is that this way you can
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-still use your host system. While software is being installed you can
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-simply switch to a different VC (Virtual Console) or X desktop and
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-continue using your computer as you normally would.</para>
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-
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-<para>When all the software is installed, chapter 7 will set up the boot
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-scripts. Chapter 8 will set up the Linux boot loader and in chapter 9
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-there are some pointers what you can do after you finish the book. Then
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-you can finally reboot your system into your new LFS system, and start
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-to really use it.</para>
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+system we will create a new Linux native partition and filesystem. Here
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+is where the LFS system will be compiled and installed.</para>
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+
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+<para>The next step, chapter 5, will discuss the installation of a number of
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+packages that will form a basic development suite that is used to
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+build the actual system, or needed to resolve circular dependencies. For
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+example, you need a compiler to build a new compiler, and you need a shell
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+in order to install a new shell. The packages in this chapter will be linked
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+statically. Static linking describes a method of compiling software so that
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+it does not require the presence of libraries when building is complete.
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+The resulting program is able to function on its own. The program is able to
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+do so because the pieces of the program that would normally remain in the
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+libraries are copied from the libraries and built right into the program.
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+Ordinarily software is built with dynamic linking. This conserves storage
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+space and increases the efficiency of many programs. We statically link
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+our software in chapter 5 because we will in theory be moving our
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+development system to a virtual environment where the already mentioned
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+libraries will be absent. If the software is built dynamically, our
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+development suite will not function. Since the libraries we are talking
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+about are provided by our distribution Linux, the goal of chapter 5 is to
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+build a development environment where those libraries are not required
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+and is therefore independent of the distribution.</para>
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+
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+<para>In chapter 6 we will build and install our final system. We will use
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+the chroot program to enter a virtual environment and start a new shell
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+whose root directory will be set to the partition where we built all the
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+chapter 5 software. This is very similar to rebooting and instructing the
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+kernel to mount our LFS partition as the root partition. The reason that
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+we don't actually reboot, but instead chroot, is that creating a static
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+system that we can boot into requires more work that simply isn't necessary.
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+As well, we can continue to use our platform system while we are building
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+LFS. While software is being compiled and installed you can simply switch
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+to a different VC (Virtual Console) or X desktop and continue using your
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+computer normally.</para>
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+
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+<para>When all the software from chapter 6 is installed, chapters 7,8 and 9
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+will help us finalize our installation. We will set up our boot
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+scripts in chapter 7. In chapter 8 we will build our final linux kernel and
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+set up the Linux boot loader. Chapter 9 has some pointers to help you after
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+you finish the book. Then finally, you reboot your system and boot into your
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+new LFS system, and start to really use it.</para>
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<para>This is the process in a nutshell. Detailed information on the steps
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-you are taking are provided in the chapters as you go through them. If
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-something isn't completely clear yet, don't worry. It will become very
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-clear shortly.</para>
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+we will take are discussed in the chapters and package descriptions as you
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+progress through them. If something isn't completely clear now, don't worry.
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+It should become very clear shortly.</para>
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<para>Please read chapter 2 carefully as it explains a few important things
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-you need to be aware of before you work your way through chapters 5 and
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-above.</para>
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+you should be aware of before you begin to work through chapters 5 and
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+later.</para>
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</sect1>
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Gerard Beekmans