Index: introduction/welcome/conventions.xml
===================================================================
--- introduction/welcome/conventions.xml	(revision 2f2c36fc42e1d62bc004d3fc889b1ed21fa35c74)
+++ introduction/welcome/conventions.xml	(revision ac38e9dcc56be5d8809db3492da7b3380a64b944)
@@ -112,5 +112,5 @@
     installation instructions assume thay are installed.  If a recommended
     package is not desired, the instructions may need to be modified to
-    accomodate the missing package.</para>
+    accommodate the missing package.</para>
     
     <bridgehead renderas="sect3">Optional Dependencies</bridgehead>
@@ -121,4 +121,101 @@
     listed without corresponding BLFS instructions.  In this case it is up to
     the user to determine appropriate installation instructions. </para>
+
+  </sect2>
+
+  <sect2>
+  <title>Conventions Used for Kernel Configuration Options</title>
+
+    <para>Some packages have specific needs regarding the kernel configuration.
+    The general layout is the following:</para>
+
+<screen><literal>Master section ---&gt;
+  Subsection ---&gt;
+    [*]     Required parameter                     [CONFIG_REQU_PAR]
+    &lt;*&gt;     Required parameter (not as module)     [CONFIG_REQU_PAR_NMOD]
+    &lt;*/M&gt;   Required parameter (could be a module) [CONFIG_REQU_PAR_MOD]
+    &lt;*/M/ &gt; Optional parameter                     [CONFIG_OPT_PAR]
+    [ ] Incompatible parameter                     [CONFIG_INCOMP_PAR]
+    &lt; &gt; Incompatible parameter (even as module)    [CONFIG_INCOMP_PAR_MOD]</literal></screen>
+
+    <para>[CONFIG_...] on the right gives the name of the option, so you can
+    easily check whether it is set in your <filename>config</filename> file.
+    The meaning of the various entries is:
+
+    <blockquote>
+    <informaltable frame='none'><tgroup cols="2">
+      <colspec align="left"/><colspec align="left"/><tbody>
+      <row>
+        <entry><emphasis role="bold">Master section</emphasis></entry>
+        <entry>top level menu item</entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry><emphasis role="bold">Subsection</emphasis></entry>
+        <entry>submenu item</entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Required parameter</emphasis></entry>
+        <entry>
+          the option could be either built-in or not selected: it must be
+          selected
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Required parameter (not as
+          module)</emphasis>
+        </entry>
+        <entry>
+          the option could be either built-in, module, or not selected:
+          it must be selected as built-in
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Required parameter (could be
+          a module)</emphasis>
+        </entry>
+        <entry>
+          the option could be either built-in, module, or not selected:
+          it must be selected, either as built-in or module
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Optional parameter</emphasis>
+        </entry>
+        <entry>
+          rarely used: the option could be either built-in, module, or not
+          selected: it may be selected at will
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Incompatible parameter</emphasis>
+        </entry>
+        <entry>
+          the option could be either built-in or not selected: it must
+          <emphasis>not</emphasis> be selected
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+      <row>
+        <entry>
+          <emphasis role="bold">Incompatible parameter (even as module)</emphasis>
+        </entry>
+        <entry>
+          the option could be either built-in, module, or not selected:
+          it must <emphasis>not</emphasis> be selected
+        </entry>
+      </row>
+    </tbody></tgroup></informaltable>
+    </blockquote>
+    </para>
+
+    <para>Note that, depending on other selections, the angle brackets
+    (&lt;&gt;) may appear as braces ({}), if the option cannot be unselected,
+    or even dashes (-*- or -M-), when the choice is imposed.
+    The help text about the option specifies the other selections on which this
+    option relies, and how those other selections are set.</para>
 
   </sect2>
