>> I started reading 7.0, and I was doing OK until about Chapter 5. Until I
>> realized that some of my directories didn't seem right. Somehow I ended up >> with just a "sources" directory on the LFS partition. I'm not a hardened >> expert in Linux yet, but I do have some knowledge and I have alot of >> experience with computers in general. Am I required to be an expert to do >> this? This is my first attempt at LFS. I am trying to learn Linux at a >> deeper level. > We try to give you a vehicle for learning. Do you? There seems to be an awful lot of hostility on here for newcomers. I'm not questioning the entire LFS philosophy, I just think the book has a couple of things the average newcomer might not understand. If you guys are so hostile to newcomers, then maybe you should just flat out tell them not to be here. Overall I was impressed by the book, but then I come on here for some CLARIFICATION of a few things and I am labeled as stupid and a troublemaker who didn't read anything and knows nothing about Linux. That's some way to greet people who are interested in your project and trying to understand the book. >> I guess what threw me was in >> Section 5.4, it says: "The Binutils documentation recommends building >> Binutils outside of the source directory in a dedicated build directory:" As >> I mentioned in one of my previous e-mails to the group, I wasn't too sure >> what this meant. I didn't understand what "...outside of the source >> directory..." meant. I thought if it was truly outside the "source" >> directory, then where does it go? >Do you know what the source directory is? Do you know what it means to be >'in' >a directory? Yes, I know what it means to be 'in' a directory. But do you not see from a newcomers perspective that you seem to use "source directory" in more ways than one? $LFS/sources and (for example) $LFS/sources/binutils-x.x could BOTH be referred to as "source directories". And when you say to build (again for example) the binutils-build directory OUTSIDE of the source directory, that can have more than one meaning. It could mean to build it outside of the $LFS/sources directory OR it could mean to build it outside of the $LFS/sources/binutils-x.x SOURCE directory, So for example, depending on one's interpretation of "source directory", the binutils-build directory could be in either: $LFS/sources/binutils-build/ OR $LFS/binutils-build/ because the second one would indeed be outside the "source directory" >> As it stands, I think it can be confusing when to run >> things as root and when to run them as lfs user as the book doesn't always >> say. >Yes it does. It's not repeated every page though. Under section 2.3 the very first thing one does (other than version-check.sh in the Preface) is create the file system using the mke2fs command. Where does it say you need to be root for that? I'm just saying maybe not everyone knows that you need to be root in order for that to work. Wouldn't it be worthwhile to simply add two words to clarify on page 15? "To create an ext3 file system on the LFS partition, run the following [AS ROOT]:" mke2fs -jv /dev/<xxx> I haven't read the entire book, maybe things change later on, but it seems like you should mention this. >> Also, I think it can be a little confusing as to what directory I am supposed >> to be in when running the commands sometimes, as that is very important too. >What part of: >"For each package: >1. Using the tar program, extract the package to be built. In Chapter 5, >ensure >you are the lfs user when extracting the package. >2. Change to the directory created when the package was extracted. >3. Follow the book's instructions for building the package." >do you not understand? Wow, again with the hostility. Let's say hypothetically that I have to uncompress the binutils-x.x file. It may not be immediately obvious where one is supposed to be when issuing the command: mkdir -v ../binutils-build cd ../binutils-build Couldn't the book simply clarify (briefly) where the binutils directory should be to clarify it for new users? >> Are you guys aware that a fairly substantial number of the web links in the >> book no longer work? I made a list and tried to send it to lfs-dev, but that >> was before I realized that I had to join it first, so not sure if anyone >> received it. >You are using a book that was published in September. Links change. It's up >to >you to find new ones. The books are like RFCs. Once published, we do not >change that version. I never said I had a problem downloading packages. But it is good to know (now) that you do not revise released books. I was referring to some homepage links which the lfs-dev list has verified. >> I also tried e-mailing lfs-support-ow...@linuxfromscratch.org about a week >> ago to get some help, but never heard back from anyone. >That's the mailman internal address. You have the right address now. That is the e-mail address given at the bottom of: http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/lfs-support/ Shouldn't it maybe be mentioned that people shouldn't use that address? Or does one have to sign up for the list/group in order for it to work? It specifically spells out gerard at linuxfromscratch.org and bdubbs at linuxfromscratch.org but when people click on the actual link, it is the lfs-support-owner e-mail address -- http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/lfs-support FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/faq.html Unsubscribe: See the above information page
