Would you recommend the product? yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Learn a ton about Linux, and how it works and how to custimize it. And come out with a finished product at the end.
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Cons:
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Not for beginners as it is very hands on and technical.
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Linux from Scratch is a wonderful way to learn all that goes in to a (basic) Linux system. It also teaches you quite well how to customize Linux systems in general. Everything you learn from building this system is usable with all distros (of course). The book is very easy to follow, as long as you make sure to read it all, and not scan over parts you don't think you will need. Otherwise you might find yourself back tracking and possible starting over if you mess up to bad. But honestly, if you just follow whats written, there is no brain process to it, it is all there.
In LFS you build a basic Linux system straight from source, first starting on a host operating system, and gradually distancing yourself from that host until your building your system on your system. You come out with all the basic utility's and programs that you'd expect on all Linux systems. Stuff like 'cd ls find grep mkdir chmod awk gcc' and tons of other very basic commands like these. You won't find programs like web browsers or anything beyond basic GNU tools in this first book.
If you are wanting a usable system, it's quite easy for me to recommend moving from LFS straight on to BLFS (Beyond Linux from Scratch). BLFS is more pick and choose then LFS, and to me it is the book where you really learn to make a distro just for you. In BLFS you are installing programs that make the system easier to use. Including sections on how to install GNOME, KDE, XFCE, and a variety of window managers as well. You will also find programs to handle networking and alternative file systems in this book. As well as web browsers, word processors, extended programming languages (and environments) and so on. In this book you make your basic system into a real Linux system that you can actually use, and still continue to customize long after your done with the book.
Although the second book is longer then the first, you will find yourself skipping complete sections that you don't need, and in the second book you can scan over what you don't think you will need, because in this book, that's the point.
Even if you don't use the system after you make it, you still come out with a ton of knowledge, and if you read it all well enough, you will know much more then the average Linux user.
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