[CS-FSLUG] Optimizing system libs

[Ed Hurst]

A while back, I recall Leon saying something like this: To get your base
system libs (glibc/gcc) truly optimized, it takes three builds in
succession. That is, you have to build the libs, install them, rebuild,
install again, then do it one more time. For those of you who enjoy
watching from the sidelines, I've done something like that recently with
  FreeBSD.

When installed from CDs, it comes out rather fat and slow, because it's
not optimized for much of anything. I normally install with the system
sources, and this time decided to see how it worked to update via
FreeBSD's patch system. I got everything upgraded from 4.9 to 4.10 that
way. When one does a 'make buildworld' the base libs are compiled,
installed, then compiled again and reinstalled, all by default.

After a week or so with the generic kernel working well, I decided to
optimize the kernel and rebuild the base at the same time. The first
update took a total of two hours, with 1.5 of that for just building the
base system. This time, that part took only one hour. I now have the
kernel trimmed down some, and the base system is optimized for my Duron
processor.

I won't call it blazing fast to use, but compiling is now a whole lot
faster. BTW, I also took the long time to download sources for Gnome 2.6
(yuck!) and KDE 3.2.3 (not bad).


-- 
Ed Hurst
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Software Freedom Day, 28 August 2004
Got Freedom?
http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/
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