Using dselect

	Debian GNU/Linux

Running dselect you will be lead through these simple steps:

Access the archives using the apt access method. You will be offered the chance to edit the file /etc/apt/sources.list but I always answer N since it seems to wipe out my comments. I prefer to hand edit the file and to update my comments.
Update my machine's picture of the world. This reads the Packages files (which is the master list of packages available from the Debian archive) found at those sites listed in /etc/apt/sources.list and updates the information for dselect on my machine.
Select any packages you want to install. This will also highlight any packages that dselect thinks you probably should install, including dependencies and security updates.
Install will then figure out what has to be done and tells you what it will need to download. You can tell it to go ahead or if you get cold feet you can pull out here and go back and change your selections. If you go ahead the packages are pulled from the Net and installed.
Config is mostly a null operation for me. It seems to just double check things.
Remove is also mostly a null operation. It also seems to just double check things.
Quit when I'm all done.

Simple. The Select stage can be a little confusing when you get conflicts so read the help screens carefully.

Once you've got things going with dselect you may find the convenience of the command line based wajig useful.