Debian 1.1.4 Cannot extract gcc???

[sgk at sgk.tiac.net (Susan G. Kleinmann)]

Eons ago:
> 
> Robert Luoma wrote in a message to Mike Bilow:
> 
>  RL> I recently got one of the Walnut Creek CDROM sets and tried to 
>  RL> load the Debian 1.1.4 distribution. While the base set loaded, 
>  RL> I ran into a maze of conflicts with dselect. In particular, gcc 
>  RL> and cpp conflicted; I could not get the two to load and dselect 
>  RL> stubborn refused to proceed no matter what I did.
> 
The reason that gcc and cpp conflict is that the gcc package includes cpp,
so you don't need cpp if you have gcc installed.  There's been some discussion
of the need to clarify this on debian-user; you're not the first to be 
confused.

As you probably know by now, one can find out what files are contained in a 
Debian package by using
   dpkg-deb -c blurf.deb

>  RL> Is there a way to salvage this situation (so that I get a 
>  RL> working gcc)?  How have others handled the rather contrary 
>  RL> nature of dselect?
> 
> You can override the recommendations from deselect if you want.  You can also
> manually run the dpkg utility; dselect is nothing more than a front end for 
> it.
> 
dselect is IMHO a failry ornery package; you certainly aren't the first to
ask for some help getting started.  Lindsay Allen has written 
"A beginner's guide to dselect" (http://www.buoy.com/debian/guide.txt),
which is highly recommended.  Humbly enough (!), I might also recommend the
Debian FAQ (http://www.debian.org/FAQ/).

>  RL> (What happened to the Elmers?)
This term which refers to volunteer helpers among hams, refers to a list
of Debian users who were willing to provide individual help to Debian newbies.
That list hasn't been actively maintained for over a year.  But the good news
is that at some level it's become unnecessary:  the debian-user list has 
continued to thrive as an extraordinarily expert and active self-help group.
And offers of continued help til a problem is really solved are more the 
norm than the exception.  So you might say the group is its own agency 
of temporary elmers.

-----------------------------
I'd be glad to help more if need be; feel free to send private email.

Susan Kleinmann