The culprit is indeed ia32-libs, good eye @Guillaume ! On a relatively fresh Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop, "sudo apt-get install ia32-libs" alone pulls 242 packages worth of 244MB installed space. A monster indeed. While boinc without recommends shows a much nicer picture: 6 packages worth less than 18MB. And that can not be called "burdened with millions of lines of needless code", @Dougga. So a simple workaround for this bug is to install using "--no-install-recommends". Problem solved for you. Also, worth noting that ia32-libs is *not* "needless code": they are the 32-bit counterpart of most of your system libs, and they are required by many other packages, for example wine and skype. Many users happen to already have ia32-libs in their system, or might end up installing it in the future, and the first package that pulls it take the blame for being "bloated". On the long term, could boinc remove such recommendation, or at least "downgrade" it to suggestion? Are there any 32-bit-only projects that require it? Log files, for the record: rodrigo@vb-ubuntu1204 ~ $ sudo apt-get --no-install-recommends install boinc Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: boinc-client boinc-manager libwxbase2.8-0 libwxgtk2.8-0 libxss1 Suggested packages: boinc-app-seti libcuda1 libcuda1-ia32 libgnomeprintui2.2-0 Recommended packages: ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk The following NEW packages will be installed: boinc boinc-client boinc-manager libwxbase2.8-0 libwxgtk2.8-0 libxss1 0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 5,854 kB of archives. After this operation, 17.9 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? rodrigo@vb-ubuntu1204 ~ $ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: bluez-alsa:i386 esound-common gcc-4.6-base:i386 glib-networking:i386 gstreamer0.10-plugins-base:i386 gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 gstreamer0.10-x:i386 gtk2-engines:i386 gtk2-engines-murrine:i386 gtk2-engines-oxygen:i386 gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386 gvfs:i386 gvfs-libs:i386 ia32-libs-multiarch:i386 ibus-gtk:i386 libaa1:i386 libacl1:i386 libaio1:i386 libao-common libao4:i386 libasn1-8-heimdal:i386 libasound2:i386 libasound2-plugins:i386 libasyncns0:i386 libatk1.0-0:i386 libattr1:i386 libaudio2:i386 libaudiofile1:i386 libavahi-client3:i386 libavahi-common-data:i386 libavahi-common3:i386 libavc1394-0:i386 libbz2-1.0:i386 libc6:i386 libcaca0:i386 libcairo-gobject2:i386 libcairo2:i386 libcanberra-gtk-module:i386 libcanberra-gtk0:i386 libcanberra0:i386 libcap2:i386 libcapi20-3:i386 libcdparanoia0:i386 libcomerr2:i386 libcroco3:i386 libcups2:i386 libcupsimage2:i386 libcurl3:i386 libdatrie1:i386 libdb5.1:i386 libdbus-1-3:i386 libdbus-glib-1-2:i386 libdrm-intel1:i386 libdrm-nouveau1a:i386 libdrm-radeon1:i386 libdrm2:i386 libdv4:i386 libesd0:i386 libexif12:i386 libexpat1:i386 libffi6:i386 libflac8:i386 libfontconfig1:i386 libfreetype6:i386 libgail-common:i386 libgail18:i386 libgcc1:i386 libgconf-2-4:i386 libgcrypt11:i386 libgd2-xpm:i386 libgdbm3:i386 libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386 libgettextpo0:i386 libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libglapi-mesa:i386 libglib2.0-0:i386 libglu1-mesa:i386 libgnome-keyring0:i386 libgnutls26:i386 libgomp1:i386 libgpg-error0:i386 libgphoto2-2:i386 libgphoto2-port0:i386 libgpm2:i386 libgssapi-krb5-2:i386 libgssapi3-heimdal:i386 libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-0:i386 libgstreamer0.10-0:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386 libgudev-1.0-0:i386 libhcrypto4-heimdal:i386 libheimbase1-heimdal:i386 libheimntlm0-heimdal:i386 libhx509-5-heimdal:i386 libibus-1.0-0:i386 libice6:i386 libidn11:i386 libiec61883-0:i386 libieee1284-3:i386 libjack-jackd2-0:i386 libjasper1:i386 libjpeg-turbo8:i386 libjpeg8:i386 libjson0:i386 libk5crypto3:i386 libkeyutils1:i386 libkrb5-26-heimdal:i386 libkrb5-3:i386 libkrb5support0:i386 liblcms1:i386 libldap-2.4-2:i386 libllvm3.0:i386 libltdl7:i386 libmad0:i386 libmikmod2:i386 libmng1:i386 libmpg123-0:i386 libmysqlclient18:i386 libncurses5:i386 libncursesw5:i386 libnspr4:i386 libnss3:i386 libodbc1:i386 libogg0:i386 libopenal-data libopenal1:i386 liborc-0.4-0:i386 libp11-kit0:i386 libpango1.0-0:i386 libpciaccess0:i386 libpcre3:i386 libpixman-1-0:i386 libpng12-0:i386 libproxy1:i386 libpulse-mainloop-glib0:i386 libpulse0:i386 libpulsedsp:i386 libqt4-dbus:i386 libqt4-declarative:i386 libqt4-designer:i386 libqt4-network:i386 libqt4-opengl:i386 libqt4-qt3support:i386 libqt4-script:i386 libqt4-scripttools:i386 libqt4-sql:i386 libqt4-sql-mysql:i386 libqt4-svg:i386 libqt4-test:i386 libqt4-xml:i386 libqt4-xmlpatterns:i386 libqtcore4:i386 libqtgui4:i386 libqtwebkit4:i386 libraw1394-11:i386 libroken18-heimdal:i386 librsvg2-2:i386 librsvg2-common:i386 librtmp0:i386 libsamplerate0:i386 libsane:i386 libsasl2-2:i386 libsasl2-modules:i386 libsdl-image1.2:i386 libsdl-mixer1.2:i386 libsdl-net1.2:i386 libsdl-ttf2.0-0:i386 libsdl1.2debian:i386 libselinux1:i386 libshout3:i386 libslang2:i386 libsm6:i386 libsndfile1:i386 libsoup-gnome2.4-1:i386 libsoup2.4-1:i386 libspeex1:i386 libspeexdsp1:i386 libsqlite3-0:i386 libssl0.9.8:i386 libssl1.0.0:i386 libstdc++5:i386 libstdc++6:i386 libtag1-vanilla:i386 libtag1c2a:i386 libtasn1-3:i386 libtdb1:i386 libthai0:i386 libtheora0:i386 libtiff4:i386 libtinfo5:i386 libudev0:i386 libunistring0:i386 libusb-0.1-4:i386 libuuid1:i386 libv4l-0:i386 libv4lconvert0:i386 libvisual-0.4-0:i386 libvisual-0.4-plugins:i386 libvorbis0a:i386 libvorbisenc2:i386 libvorbisfile3:i386 libwavpack1:i386 libwind0-heimdal:i386 libwrap0:i386 libx11-6:i386 libx11-xcb1:i386 libxau6:i386 libxaw7:i386 libxcb-glx0:i386 libxcb-render0:i386 libxcb-shm0:i386 libxcb1:i386 libxcomposite1:i386 libxcursor1:i386 libxdamage1:i386 libxdmcp6:i386 libxext6:i386 libxfixes3:i386 libxft2:i386 libxi6:i386 libxinerama1:i386 libxml2:i386 libxmu6:i386 libxp6:i386 libxpm4:i386 libxrandr2:i386 libxrender1:i386 libxslt1.1:i386 libxss1:i386 libxt6:i386 libxtst6:i386 libxv1:i386 libxxf86vm1:i386 mysql-common odbcinst odbcinst1debian2 odbcinst1debian2:i386 oss-compat xaw3dg:i386 zlib1g:i386 Suggested packages: murrine-themes:i386 kde-config-gtk-style:i386 libpam-ldap:i386 libpam-winbind:i386 libnss-ldap:i386 libroar1:i386 libsndio0:i386 roaraudio-server:i386 libasound2-python:i386 nas:i386 glibc-doc:i386 locales:i386 libcanberra-pulse:i386 cups-common:i386 libdv-bin:i386 oss-compat:i386 pulseaudio-esound-compat:i386 rng-tools:i386 libgd-tools:i386 libglide3:i386 gnome-keyring:i386 gnutls-bin:i386 gphoto2:i386 gtkam:i386 gpm:i386 krb5-doc:i386 krb5-user:i386 gstreamer-codec-install:i386 gnome-codec-install:i386 gstreamer0.10-tools:i386 jackd2:i386 libjasper-runtime:i386 liblcms-utils:i386 libmyodbc:i386 odbc-postgresql:i386 tdsodbc:i386 unixodbc-bin:i386 ttf-baekmuk:i386 ttf-arphic-gbsn00lp:i386 ttf-arphic-bsmi00lp:i386 ttf-arphic-gkai00mp:i386 ttf-arphic-bkai00mp:i386 libqt4-declarative-folderlistmodel:i386 libqt4-declarative-gestures:i386 libqt4-declarative-particles:i386 libqt4-declarative-shaders:i386 qt4-qmlviewer:i386 libqt4-dev:i386 qt4-qtconfig:i386 libraw1394-doc:i386 librsvg2-bin:i386 hpoj:i386 hplip:i386 libsane-extras:i386 sane-utils:i386 libsasl2-modules-otp:i386 libsasl2-modules-ldap:i386 libsasl2-modules-sql:i386 libsasl2-modules-gssapi-mit:i386 libsasl2-modules-gssapi-heimdal:i386 speex:i386 Recommended packages: xml-core:i386 The following NEW packages will be installed: bluez-alsa:i386 esound-common gcc-4.6-base:i386 glib-networking:i386 gstreamer0.10-plugins-base:i386 gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 gstreamer0.10-x:i386 gtk2-engines:i386 gtk2-engines-murrine:i386 gtk2-engines-oxygen:i386 gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386 gvfs:i386 gvfs-libs:i386 ia32-libs ia32-libs-multiarch:i386 ibus-gtk:i386 libaa1:i386 libacl1:i386 libaio1:i386 libao-common libao4:i386 libasn1-8-heimdal:i386 libasound2:i386 libasound2-plugins:i386 libasyncns0:i386 libatk1.0-0:i386 libattr1:i386 libaudio2:i386 libaudiofile1:i386 libavahi-client3:i386 libavahi-common-data:i386 libavahi-common3:i386 libavc1394-0:i386 libbz2-1.0:i386 libc6:i386 libcaca0:i386 libcairo-gobject2:i386 libcairo2:i386 libcanberra-gtk-module:i386 libcanberra-gtk0:i386 libcanberra0:i386 libcap2:i386 libcapi20-3:i386 libcdparanoia0:i386 libcomerr2:i386 libcroco3:i386 libcups2:i386 libcupsimage2:i386 libcurl3:i386 libdatrie1:i386 libdb5.1:i386 libdbus-1-3:i386 libdbus-glib-1-2:i386 libdrm-intel1:i386 libdrm-nouveau1a:i386 libdrm-radeon1:i386 libdrm2:i386 libdv4:i386 libesd0:i386 libexif12:i386 libexpat1:i386 libffi6:i386 libflac8:i386 libfontconfig1:i386 libfreetype6:i386 libgail-common:i386 libgail18:i386 libgcc1:i386 libgconf-2-4:i386 libgcrypt11:i386 libgd2-xpm:i386 libgdbm3:i386 libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386 libgettextpo0:i386 libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libglapi-mesa:i386 libglib2.0-0:i386 libglu1-mesa:i386 libgnome-keyring0:i386 libgnutls26:i386 libgomp1:i386 libgpg-error0:i386 libgphoto2-2:i386 libgphoto2-port0:i386 libgpm2:i386 libgssapi-krb5-2:i386 libgssapi3-heimdal:i386 libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-0:i386 libgstreamer0.10-0:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386 libgudev-1.0-0:i386 libhcrypto4-heimdal:i386 libheimbase1-heimdal:i386 libheimntlm0-heimdal:i386 libhx509-5-heimdal:i386 libibus-1.0-0:i386 libice6:i386 libidn11:i386 libiec61883-0:i386 libieee1284-3:i386 libjack-jackd2-0:i386 libjasper1:i386 libjpeg-turbo8:i386 libjpeg8:i386 libjson0:i386 libk5crypto3:i386 libkeyutils1:i386 libkrb5-26-heimdal:i386 libkrb5-3:i386 libkrb5support0:i386 liblcms1:i386 libldap-2.4-2:i386 libllvm3.0:i386 libltdl7:i386 libmad0:i386 libmikmod2:i386 libmng1:i386 libmpg123-0:i386 libmysqlclient18:i386 libncurses5:i386 libncursesw5:i386 libnspr4:i386 libnss3:i386 libodbc1:i386 libogg0:i386 libopenal-data libopenal1:i386 liborc-0.4-0:i386 libp11-kit0:i386 libpango1.0-0:i386 libpciaccess0:i386 libpcre3:i386 libpixman-1-0:i386 libpng12-0:i386 libproxy1:i386 libpulse-mainloop-glib0:i386 libpulse0:i386 libpulsedsp:i386 libqt4-dbus:i386 libqt4-declarative:i386 libqt4-designer:i386 libqt4-network:i386 libqt4-opengl:i386 libqt4-qt3support:i386 libqt4-script:i386 libqt4-scripttools:i386 libqt4-sql:i386 libqt4-sql-mysql:i386 libqt4-svg:i386 libqt4-test:i386 libqt4-xml:i386 libqt4-xmlpatterns:i386 libqtcore4:i386 libqtgui4:i386 libqtwebkit4:i386 libraw1394-11:i386 libroken18-heimdal:i386 librsvg2-2:i386 librsvg2-common:i386 librtmp0:i386 libsamplerate0:i386 libsane:i386 libsasl2-2:i386 libsasl2-modules:i386 libsdl-image1.2:i386 libsdl-mixer1.2:i386 libsdl-net1.2:i386 libsdl-ttf2.0-0:i386 libsdl1.2debian:i386 libselinux1:i386 libshout3:i386 libslang2:i386 libsm6:i386 libsndfile1:i386 libsoup-gnome2.4-1:i386 libsoup2.4-1:i386 libspeex1:i386 libspeexdsp1:i386 libsqlite3-0:i386 libssl0.9.8:i386 libssl1.0.0:i386 libstdc++5:i386 libstdc++6:i386 libtag1-vanilla:i386 libtag1c2a:i386 libtasn1-3:i386 libtdb1:i386 libthai0:i386 libtheora0:i386 libtiff4:i386 libtinfo5:i386 libudev0:i386 libunistring0:i386 libusb-0.1-4:i386 libuuid1:i386 libv4l-0:i386 libv4lconvert0:i386 libvisual-0.4-0:i386 libvisual-0.4-plugins:i386 libvorbis0a:i386 libvorbisenc2:i386 libvorbisfile3:i386 libwavpack1:i386 libwind0-heimdal:i386 libwrap0:i386 libx11-6:i386 libx11-xcb1:i386 libxau6:i386 libxaw7:i386 libxcb-glx0:i386 libxcb-render0:i386 libxcb-shm0:i386 libxcb1:i386 libxcomposite1:i386 libxcursor1:i386 libxdamage1:i386 libxdmcp6:i386 libxext6:i386 libxfixes3:i386 libxft2:i386 libxi6:i386 libxinerama1:i386 libxml2:i386 libxmu6:i386 libxp6:i386 libxpm4:i386 libxrandr2:i386 libxrender1:i386 libxslt1.1:i386 libxss1:i386 libxt6:i386 libxtst6:i386 libxv1:i386 libxxf86vm1:i386 mysql-common odbcinst odbcinst1debian2 odbcinst1debian2:i386 oss-compat xaw3dg:i386 zlib1g:i386 0 upgraded, 242 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 75.8 MB of archives. After this operation, 244 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]?