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Linux From Scratch 6.0 Released
Bubblehead writes "The Linux From Scratch community is pleased to announce the release of
LFS 6.0. This major revision of the book includes a number of major
package upgrades, including GCC 3.4.x, Linux kernel 2.6.8.1, and the
Udev software package, allowing for dynamic creation of device nodes.
The text has also been vastly re-written for improved readability."
I guess there could be multiple possible reasons. For example, it's good for learning (some parts) of how does your system work, or it could be good for "power users", or as you mentioned, for embedded systems or you could be a professional and just know how to design a good system. I'm sure there are much more reasons why someone would use systems like LFS.
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
The reason for LFs's existance is for learning. People who are wanting to learn the internal workings of a linux system would be well served by this distro/book. Its an excellent way to see how every aspect of a linux system runs and is built. You build every stage of it, and its fun to boot.
As a distro, LFS probably isn't what most people want. If you want to compile from source, then gentoo is probably the way to go.
On the other hand, I dont think there is a better way than LFS for learning Linux and what all the different packages are for. It is a good way for linux newbs (but probably not computer n00bs) to learn about their new OS. Once that's done, head over to an easier-to-maintain distro such as debian.
"The text has also been vastly re-written for improved readability"
Now if only they'd do that to the kernel source...
If you like what I've said here, and want to read more, go to http://www.krillrblog.com
I'm on my second installation of LFS. It's not for those in a hurry, that's for sure- It takes me about a month to get a VERY basic system. (Think X and Firefox, and not much else!). I inevitably make some bone-headed mistake, and I don't back up while installing, so it's my fault.
:) (And as close as I'll ever get)
Also, building something like gnome from source really teaches you the meaning of 'dependency hell.' Seems like every single package requires exactly version "1.1211-1243pm" of every OTHER package, and even some obscure RedHat patches too, in some cases. *Shudder*gDesklets*Shudder*.
However, I have a VERY good idea of what's on my system and what libraries are being used where. There's NO 'fat' or extra stuff that I didn't put there. I used to shy away from compiling from source- which makes sense on a package-based system. Now there's NO fear. There's even a few interesting package management schemes for compiling from source.
Booting into my brand new, hand-built, bare-bones system- it's almost as good as if I'd written the software myself
It basically becomes your perogative as to what gets updated and when.
If you're wondering what LFS's primary use is though...or what it seems to get used for a lot, is the creation of new distributions. People will build an LFS system, and from that you end up with Yoper or GoboLinux, to name but two.
I know a lot of people seem to have difficulty understanding the value of new distributions, but there are many reasons why they are valuable. The first is that for people who are sufficiently technically inclined and proactive, if none of the existing distributions fits their needs for a given purpose, (and yes, it still can and does happen) LFS gives them the ability to put together something exactly the way they want it...with everything they do want, and nothing they don't.
Another benefit of this system is that it encourages people to be self-sufficient, rather than relying on corporations to provide what they need...corporations who generally care far more about their own interests than those of the user anyway.
Yet another plus is that it stimulates and encourages technological progress. I've covered this topic before, but anyone who has read Darwin will know that in order for anything to advance according to the evolutionary model, there needs to be a lot of different instances of a given thing...the process needs to experiment with a lot of different mutations before it is decided which mutations are permanently integrated into new generations of the organism. The more different distributions and forms of Linux exist, the more this process in encouraged.
I think the reason why people dislike the idea of new distributions is because they look at things from a Microsoft-like perspective of usability, which unfortunately involves a couple of extremely negative assumptions.
1) That the end user is a drooling imbecile, who needs to have things made easy to the point of them being rote. Intellectual participation in computer use is seen as more anathema than anything else.
2) Because of the deep level of retardation that is assumed in the end user, it is therefore also assumed that the level of usability exists in inverse proportion to the level of diversity. That is, in order to keep things usable it is necessary to minimise the number of different possible solutions to a given problem, or software programs, as much as possible in order to avoid users becoming overwhelmed.
The problem is that if these two points are adhered to and followed, a number of other very bad things happen. One is that technological advancement grinds to a screeching halt, as we have seen in the current state of Microsoft's software. Because innovation is very difficult when these two points are adhered to, we then get security problems of the kind that we have also seen.
The other bad thing that this causes is that it promotes the idea that intellectual laziness is not only acceptable, but that it's actually a good thing...when the opposite is in fact true.
People need to realise that having new distributions isn't going to by definition hurt anyone, and that it is actually very good for Linux as a whole. If you only want to use one distro yourself without deviation, that's fine. But IMHO it is wrong to try and impose your own desire for uniformity, lack of diversity, and stagnation on the rest of the world.
Yet there is a group of people who do this.
I knew one couple who had actually had their own house build according to their design but the husband who was my collegue couldn't understand why I didn't like the read made windows desktop.
LFS is the most extreme way to get a linux system unless your firstname rhymes with a popular OS. What does it do? Well nothing except really show you what makes up a system. It won't teach you anything about programming but it will teach you a lot about just how complicated a modern computer system really is. The amount of code needed to create even the most basic system is insane. Start adding stuff like a grahpical desktop and you might start to have a better understanding of how all the software packages work together to make your desktop.
It is like stripping a car engine. Doing it doesn't make you a better driver but it can be a rewarding learning experience nonetheless.
Some of us are not satisfied to work with blackboxes. Just like those people who want THEIR house to be THEIR house LFS allows you total control over your system. Of course most users use a "regular" distro for their actual work but just maybe they have come to understand their systems a little better.
But to answer your question directly. If you got to ask why then it is not meant for you. It is like asking why people climb mountaints. Because they are there.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
there's Gentoo!!!
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
If you build this distro yourself, how can it be updated?
I have an account at freshmeat.net, and when certain apps or libraries I selected come out with a new version, I automatically get an email.
"Only in their dreams can men truly be free 'twas always thus, and always thus will be."
--Tom Schulman