cups wants to remove the kernel

[Giovanni Gigante <giov@cidoc.iuav.it>]

I have a Sarge machine: a standard install with default kernel. Now I 
want to install CUPS to use it as a print server.
Following the "Debian and Windows Shared Printing mini-HOWTO", I tried 
to install CUPS (apt-get install cupsys).
The installation begins, and among other things it says:

    The following packages will be REMOVED:
      initrd-tools kernel-image-2.4.27-1-386

and then:
   You are running a kernel (version 2.4.27-1-386) and attempting to 
remove
   the same version. This is a potentially disastrous action. Not only
   will /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.27-1-386 be removed, making it impossible to
   boot it, (you will have to take action to change your boot loader to 
boot
   a new kernel), it will also remove all modules under the directory
   /lib/modules/2.4.27-1-386. Just having a copy of the kernel image is
   not enough, you will have to replace the modules too.
  I repeat, this is very dangerous. If at all in doubt, answer
  no. If you know exactly what you are doing, and are prepared to
  hose your system, then answer Yes.
   Remove the running kernel image (not recommended) [No]?

Of course I am now scared enought and I reply "no", thus getting:

   dpkg: error processing kernel-image-2.4.27-1-386 (--remove):
   subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
   dpkg: initrd-tools: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you 
request:
   kernel-image-2.4.27-1-386 depends on initrd-tools (>= 0.1.48).
   Removing initrd-tools ...
   Errors were encountered while processing:
   kernel-image-2.4.27-1-386
   E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

And CUPS is not installed.
Can anybody explain to me what's the meaning of this? If I reply "yes" 
instead, does my kernel get zapped?
What is the correct way to install CUPS without destroying the system?

Thanks,
Giovanni.