Removing pre-installed apps

[Derek Broughton]

Steve wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Is there a way to remove an app (such as Evolution, etc.) WITHOUT removing
> "Ubuntu Desktop"?

No (well, "yes", but it's complicated, and apt will have a heck of a time
installing anything until you let it correct things).

> In Synaptic, when I select anything that was installed 
> from the CD, it automatically selects to remove the Ubuntu desktop (which
> I tried once, which causes it not to boot into X... you have to log in at
> command prompt and then do a startx).
 
That _can't_ be what happened.  ubuntu-desktop (or kubuntu-desktop) is a
virtual package.  There is nothing in it that _needs_ to be present to have
a working X.

Since ubuntu-desktop has no "recommends" packages, only hard dependencies,
it shouldn't matter what method you use to remove it, it isn't going to
automatically remove any other apps.
-- 
derek