[clemens3]

I got nvi for Linux build and working using the patched source code from Debian for nvi version 1.81.6-17-debian. It is 39768 bytes on my amd64 machine (I don't remember if I used some extra flags to make it smaller).

I replaced vim for the vi binary with nvi in my Linux From Scratch fork, thought vim is still left. Yes, my vim is similar in size to yours, good idea for an upgr... - down shift!

http://techinvest.li/tfs/tfs-11.7.html#ch-system-nvi

http://techinvest.li/tfs/ftp/nvi-1.81.6-17-debian.tar.xz SHA256 sum: c146c70e8e954e62d9c26d5319ceb813c2ea316e21d8363ad159c3dbf889f2ec

[1vuio0pswjnm7]

https://sources.debian.org/data/main/n/nvi/1.81.6-17/debian/...

No doubt it's possible to produce a working static nvi binary for Linux.

The point I was making is that vim requires zero patching. It just works. Even a version from 1997.

[clemens3]

You are correct, I ignored the "static" point. My nvi size was dynamically linked. I want to learn static builds, even thought my distro of choice LFS is not very forthcoming in this respect.