I just installed Etch (minimum/base) system with a goal of creating a 
cut down version of the system.  Checking du -s / on the system, which 
isn't quit correct as it shows 0.5G in /proc, I still find I have a 
couple of G's disk space in use, so I started with Synaptic to remove 
some packages which allow me to claw back a couple hundred megs of disk. 
  So I thought,  what the hell, I'll get rid of cpp the GNU C 
preprocessor. Synaptic informs me that it's needs to remove several 10's 
of other packages.  Everything form alacarte, throught gaim and gnome, 
more lib* than I care to think about, metecity, nautilus, rhythmbox and 
sound-juicer, down through xorg and many many others.
Now I don't know much about building a distro, but I fail to understand 
why nautilus/metecity/gnome/xorg needs to have a 'C' pre-processor 
installed.  Any offers?
Alternatively, can anyone point me at a "how-to/tutorial" on installing 
a minimal Debian Etch?
thx in advance