new to trisquel, linux-libre kernel, and the free software ethic

My motivation for trying trisquel mini v 7.0 for i686 was specifically two
fold.

One, I'm completely new to compiling and I've been trying to compile to
start with the traditional vi text editor, exvi. I've been experimenting
mostly with virtualized, command line oriented, embedded linux.
Specifically I've been using ttylinux variants inside of QEMU on Windows
systems. ttylinux is mostly just the linux kernel, busybox, and glibc and
some other components.

I failed to compile the exvi source code on a ttylinux that included gcc
tools and I wanted to try doing so in a more mainstream linux for
comparison.

Secondly I've become aware of linux-libre kernel and wanted to try a system
that was built on the free software ethic.

So having just received for my use an hp compaq desktop computer 32 bit
architecture 3.2 GHz Pentium 4 800Mhz FSB with 512kb cache and 2 GB ram and
Windows XP Pro SP3 preinstalled I tried out some of my dual-boot skills and
found I could install the trisquel target system without needing a CD_R or
usb flash drive.

I did the install by downloading the .iso from the FSF mirror, also virtual
clone drive and unetbootin. After shrinking the main partition with easeus
software and making a ext4 partition, a swap partition. I mounted the .iso
with virtualclone drive and choose the launch from .iso option in
unnetbootin.

I choose to install trisquel in the ext4 parttition and have it boot from
that partition rather (partition boot record) rather than to the MBR,

I was then able to use the dd command to copy the grub2 to yet another
partition which I created after updating synaptic and installing gparted, I
made a small FAT partition and mounted it, finally back in xp land I copied
the linux.bin from the FAT partiton and created a new entry in boot.ini to
chainload grub2 from the windows boot loader.

Unfortunately so far I haven't been able to compile the exvi source code. I
used synaptic to add build-essential after trisquel failed to recognize the
make command but it failed on make install.

I also saw that homebrew had a formula for the traditional vi but I'm not
sure if linuxbrew has the formula - so I tried to install linuxbrew which I
got as far as installing curl and ruby using synaptic and then realized
that adding the right stuff to the environmental path to make it work was
more complicated than I thought it would be and I've had enough for the day.

I'm disappointed that the graphical link in trisquel mini 7.0 to synaptic
package manager is broken and I must launch it from terminal each time but
its not a big deal since I'm trying to be more CLI oriented.

I find that vim in trisquel does not respond the way I'm used to but that's
ok too because I'm trying to get used to all the different versions and
implementations of this classic moded text editor.

It will be an adventure. Tomorrow I may post the specific results of my
efforts thus far in case someone can give me a clue.

Until then this is my hello to the completely free operating system world.

I'm developing a small linux operating system to be virtualized from most
pcs and perhaps in the end android to - for the purpose of learning vi,
sh-compatible scripting, git and other computer science fundamentals - this
is all part of my learning to assemble the system and know enough to teach
from it.

paul gydos
name at domain
fb.com/paulgydos
google.com/+paulgydos