Uninstall everything but ubuntu-desktop and dependencies

[Tristan Wibberley]

Robert Entner wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> I want to uninstall all packages which do not depend on the meta-package
> ubuntu-desktop.  Is there another way than to, for example in synaptic,
> mark everything for removal and then mark ubuntu-desktop for
> installation?  This way I get lots of "this package is very important"
> messages.

You can do this in aptitude (sudo aptitude). move your highlight to 
"Installed Packages", then press shift-m, then type /^ubuntu-desktop$ 
and press return, then press +. This will mark ubuntu-desktop and every 
thing it depends on (and probably all recommends too, I think you can 
change that via the options menu (the menu is operated from the keyboard 
via F10, but at least gnome-terminal seems to steal that keystroke - 
fortunately it normally works with the mouse for those who aren't 
wristually challenged).

Does anybody know how to escape keystrokes from gnome-terminal's clutches?

-- 
Tristan Wibberley