Re: choice of languages for debian system tool?

["Monique Y. Herman" <spam@bounceswoosh.org>]

On 2004-01-31, John Hasler penned:
> Monique writes:
>> It looks like, in order to be useful on a base install, my tool must
>> be either compiled or bash.
>
> Not true.  Perl is in the base system.  You have to stick to basic
> Perl, though.  No libraries.

I'm confused.  I opened up aptitude, went to installed packages->base,
and I see no perl there.  Now, reading your comment, I used
`dpkg -p perl-base` and sure enough, it says Section: base.

So, um, is there a way to list all packages that are in a particular
section?  My aptitude test must have been naive, but I'm not sure why.
Other than my just-now "reverse-engineered" approach of trying the url
http://packages.debian.org/unstable/base/ , that is.

>> Yes, in many ways, it would be better for the community for me to
>> pitch in on an existing project.  But my particular itch right now is
>> design...
>
> Just do it.  Look at Pppconfig as an example.

Could you please clarify this?  Pppconfig as an example of what?
Design?  Deb packaging?  Something else?

Thank you for the help and the encouragement!

-- 
monique