@Lee,

You’re right that apt -v (or apt --version) is no longer reliable on some newer builds and minimal installs, so your workaround is a valid way to confirm whether a package is present.

apt list | fgrep pkg.name | more

However, for accuracy and cleaner output, a better approach is:

apt list --installed | fgrep pkg.name

These only search installed packages and avoid scrolling through the entire repository list.

Actually, I do. This is one of the more logical ones. It is more sensible than many distro developers “protecting users from themselves” by disallowing explicit root login.

You gotta love these “security measures” eh?…

That is how it should be. That is a security feature. Anybody looking over your shoulder will not be able to tell how many characters are in your password. The system IS keeping track of the characters you type.

Type in your password and then hit ENTER. You will be allowed into the system.