[sf-lug] LFS v9.1 out, also more difficult to learn

Mon Mar 9 09:48:37 PDT 2020

Quoting maestro <maestro415 at gmail.com> from [01]:
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Artix has a steep learning curve [which they transparently let people know 
in the past up front] so folks shouldn't expect any hand holding in the 
installation(s), documentation, or forums/IRC's.
If one has a secondary machine it is fun to 'play around with' and will 
really show you the absolute beauty of Linux and Arch Linux.

One can go one step further if so inclined and install Devuan on another 
partition on the same machine and see the methods and differences in two 
non_systemd_distros based on two different distros.
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Another likely even _more_ difficult distro to 'play around with' -- a 
definite "steep learning curve" in the above OP's originally intended 
sense of that phrase ;-) -- is Linux From Scratch of which the book's 
version 9.1 was released last week to minimal attention [02].  As one can 
see from this LFS v9.1 release announcement [02], there are both 
systemd-encumbered and _non-systemd_ versions of the Linux From Scratch 
Version 9.1 book.

Sorry, but as the 'Prerequisites' section of the LFS-BOOK-9.1 [03] does 
quite specifically state:
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Building an LFS system is not a simple task. It requires a certain level 
of existing knowledge of Unix system administration in order to resolve 
problems and correctly execute the commands listed. In particular, as an 
absolute minimum, you should already have the ability to use the command 
line (shell) to copy or move files and directories, list directory and 
file contents, and change the current directory. It is also expected that 
you have a reasonable knowledge of using and installing Linux software.

Because the LFS book assumes at least this basic level of skill, the 
various LFS support forums are unlikely to be able to provide you with 
much assistance in these areas. You will find that your questions 
regarding such basic knowledge will likely go unanswered or you will 
simply be referred to the LFS essential pre-reading list.

Before building an LFS system, we recommend reading the following:

* Software-Building-HOWTO 
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Software-Building-HOWTO.html[04]
This is a comprehensive guide to building and installing "generic" Unix 
software packages under Linux. Although it was written some time ago, it 
still provides a good summary of the basic techniques needed to build and 
install software.

* Beginner's Guide to Installing from Source 
http://moi.vonos.net/linux/beginners-installing-from-source/[05]
This guide provides a good summary of basic skills and techniques needed 
to build software from source code.
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Furthermore and apropos of maestro's "folks shouldn't expect any hand 
holding in the installation(s), documentation, or forums/IRC's", the 
'Audience' section of the LFS 9.1 book [06] specifically states that "With 
LFS, you are in the driver's seat and dictate every aspect of the system." 
If one is going to tackle learning and doing LFS 9.1 all by onesel "in the 
driver's seat", then one definitely _has_ to do one's homework in 
ascending the figuratively "steep learning curve" (referring to the 
appropriate sections of esr's and Rick M's 'How To Ask Questions The Smart 
Way'; references [07] thru [10]).

The 'I'm a newbie to Linux or LFS and I need some help?' section [11] of 
the LFS General FAQ [12] refers Linux newbies to the outdated 'Essential 
pre-reading for life with LFS' [13] and to the somewhat similarly outdated 
Linux Documentation Project [14] -- last entry was apparently esr's 2015 
entry 'Unix-and-Internet-Fundamentals-HOWTO : The Unix and Internet 
Fundamentals HOWTO' [15] and [16] from ~1yr following esr's/Rick M's 
revision 3.10 of 'How To Ask Questions The Smart Way' :-\

For those new of even relatively new to Linux trying to get up-to-speed in 
preparing for LFS, Rick M has the recommendation in [17] of "buying and 
reading a good tutorial book such as Running Linux[18] by Matt Welsh, Lar 
Kaufman, Terry Dawson, and Matthias Kalle Dalheimer, 4th edition, O'Reilly 
Associates. You should also consider a good reference book, such as Linux 
in a Nutshell by Ellen Siever et al., 3rd edition, O'Reilly Associates"

Of course updated reading suggestions and helpful remarks by Rick M, by 
maestro, by Akkana P, and/or by others reading this posting on learning 
Linux in general and/or specifically preparing to use Linux From Scratch 
are most welcome and indeed anticipated :-)

-A

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REFERENCES:
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[01]http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/sf-lug/2020q1/014586.html
[02]http://lists.linuxfromscratch.org/pipermail/lfs-support/2020-March/053507.html
[03]http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/downloads/9.1/LFS-BOOK-9.1-NOCHUNKS.html#pre-prerequisites
[04]http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Software-Building-HOWTO.html
[05]http://moi.vonos.net/linux/beginners-installing-from-source/
[06]http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/downloads/9.1/LFS-BOOK-9.1-NOCHUNKS.html#pre-audience
[07]http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#idm379
[08]http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#homework
[09]http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Essays/smart-questions.html#id2790546
[10]http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Essays/smart-questions.html#homework
[11]http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/faq/#newbie
[12]http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/faq/
[13]http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/hints/downloads/files/essential_prereading.txt
[14]http://www.tldp.org/
[15]http://www.tldp.org/sorted_howtos.html
[16]http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Unix-and-Internet-Fundamentals-HOWTO/index.html
[17]http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/faq/kicking.html
[18]http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596002725/
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aaronco36 at sdf.org
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