2.2.10 Package status

Package status can be "unknown", "install", "remove", "purge", or "hold". These "want" flags indicate what the user wanted to do with a package (either by making choices in the "Select" section of dselect, or by directly invoking dpkg).

Their meanings are:

• unknown - the user has never indicated whether he wants the package.

• install - the user wants the package installed or upgraded.

• remove - the user wants the package removed, but does not want to remove any existing configuration files.

• purge - the user wants the package to be removed completely, including its configuration files.

• hold - the user wants this package not to be processed, i.e., he wants to keep the current version with the current status, whatever that is.