If you're not connected to the internet, do so now.
Open Utilities/Application Manager.
From the Application Manager menu, select Tools/Application Catalog....
Click "New", then enter:
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/
Distribution: mistral
Components: free non-free
Click "New" again, and enter:
Web address: http://maemo-hackers.org/apt
Distribution: mistral
Components: main
Click "New" again, and enter:
Web address: http://eko.one.pl/maemo/
Distribution: mistral
Components: user
Allow it to refresh your application list, and then click "Install new applications". Install "osso-xterm"; this is the maemo-hackers verion, which I like better.
When finished, go back and click "Install new applications" again. Install "becomeroot".
To open XTerm, go to the main menu, and go to Extras/X Terminal. You are now at a linux command prompt.
To gain root access, as is need by many of the tutorials on this page and others, simply open XTerm and type:
sudo gainroot
You should now be at a root prompt.
Note: Root access gives you a lot of power. Be very careful when typing commands and don't go "exploring" if you don't know what you're doing. To leave root and return to user access, type: exit