If I'm going to build a Linux From Scratch system, what is the best way to secure it after it has completed in terms of packages to include or disclude. I have a theory boiling and toiling around in my head; basically the foreign language (and this isn't a matter of sociology so hopefully no one will be offended) enhancements decrease security strength, as do libs which a person will not use, and that a program will not regularly use (or libs that include source which is not used or not used regularly).
I hope this makes sense. My reason for asking is that I wondered which of the packages in the LFS system build I should disclude after completion, which were necessary for the system to remain stable, and I'm talking about those which are not removed or placed in temporary directories post installation. For instance the man pages and relative databases seem like they are unimportant if I can just as easily surf the web.
I don't doubt that the LFS build aims at security; at the same time being that it is from scratch I do not know which packages I will want to include on my computer which will make it easier for me to learn not only Linux but computing altogether, as I am tutoring myself for the time being.
I looked at the polls and saw some programs but I am unfamiliar with them and wonder which programs the forum will suggest for beginners.

Hi,

Have you taken a look at HLFS??
And maybe this will help too: lfs-security -- LFS Security Discussion List

BTW: LFS needs to be installed as is, tinkering with it is possible but not recommended (especially when you are new at installing it). At certain points during the LFS install you do get options (see chap 6.9 glibc, the locale section, for example.).

Once you have done LFS and start with BLFS it is up to you to decide what you will or will not install.

Hope this helps.

it helped thanks. no i didn't look at the other more especial installations because I didn't want to get ahead of myself, when the question arose it did so based on the LFS build itself. more or less, I just wanted to know if programs like man-db and man pages, or internationalization packages are necessary. I ask particularly because for instance I uninstalled a software package for maintaining a mail server on my fedora distro, and it seemed to have crippled the update capability of fedora. The two didn't seem related to me. Thanks.