Package: aptitude Version: 0.7.8-1 I am using a emacs shell-mode window.
# aptitude install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus=1:1.5.3-1+b1 aptitude cannot run in ncurses mode with terminal type "dumb" So must use: # TERM=linux aptitude install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus=1:1.5.3-1+b1 # TERM= aptitude install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus=1:1.5.3-1+b1 # unset TERM; aptitude install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus=1:1.5.3-1+b1 You don't allow TERM=dumb (bug) but allow no TERM at all (fine). $ TERM= aptitude Error opening terminal: unknown. That is fine. But that is ncurses mode, and what I was doing wasn't.