Do NOT hit `-' on `All Packages' in dselect

[Ian Jackson <ian@chiark.chu.cam.ac.uk>]

In the `in-place upgrade' instructions in Bruce's posting last week
(20th April), Dale Scheetz writes:

....
> After the intro help screen, you will be presented with the selection
> window. The 'cursor' is over the section; All Packages. The first thing you
> want to do is deselect all packages, so press the '-' (minus) key.
...

Do not do this.  If you do and then use `Remove' from the dselect main
menu dselect will attempt to REMOVE EVERY PACKAGE ON THE SYSTEM !  The
base packages have only recently been specially marked to prevent
their removal, and it's likely that some of the versions you have have
not been so marked.  Your system will probably be rendered unuseable.
(After the 1.1 upgrade the effect of this will be to reduce your
system back to the bare minimum, which is more sensible.)

If wish to use dselect, but not to do a full upgrade, use shift-H to
put the packages you do not wish to upgrade on hold.  You can say
shift-H on the `all packages' line to put everything on hold by
default and then go through and unhold (shift-G) the things you do
want to install.

Hitting `-' on a package or line for several packages means `please
remove, unless I tell you not to before quitting dselect'.

If people follow my installation instructions (install dpkg 1.1.5 aout
and then use dselect Access / Update / Select / Install / Remove in
order) and have problems they should report them to debian-bugs.

Thanks,
Ian.