I don't have the energy to push this any more, but I should probably at least refer to my previous attempt to standardize bulleted lists: http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/12/msg00531.html You might find it useful, or not. At least it more or less documents current practice in aptitude (I think there have been some tweaks since then; if anyone cares I could go research what they are and dig them up). Daniel