Package: apt-show-versions Version: 0.22.7 Apparently apt-show-versions is looking into different architectures' archives which happen to be on the same disk. It shouldn't.
# set libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common # apt-show-versions -i # apt-show-versions -a $@ libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common:all 2.36.5-2 install ok installed No stable version libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common:all 2.36.4-1 unstable free.nchc.org.tw libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common:all 2.36.5-1 experimental free.nchc.org.tw libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common:all 2.36.5-2 newer than version in archive # apt-cache policy $@ libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common: Installed: 2.36.5-2 Candidate: 2.36.5-2 Version table: *** 2.36.5-2 500 500 http://free.nchc.org.tw/debian unstable/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status # grep -l $@ *Packages free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_main_binary-i386_Packages free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_main_binary-amd64_Packages free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_main_binary-i386_Packages # for i in *Packages; do echo $i ====; grep-dctrl -P $@ -s version $i; done free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_contrib_binary-amd64_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_contrib_binary-i386_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_main_binary-amd64_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_main_binary-i386_Packages ==== Version: 2.36.5-1 free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_non-free_binary-amd64_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_experimental_non-free_binary-i386_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_contrib_binary-amd64_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_contrib_binary-i386_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_main_binary-amd64_Packages ==== Version: 2.36.5-2 free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_main_binary-i386_Packages ==== Version: 2.36.4-1 free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_non-free_binary-amd64_Packages ==== free.nchc.org.tw_debian_dists_unstable_non-free_binary-i386_Packages ==== This explains the many $ apt-show-versions|grep -c 'i386 not installed' 1214 vs. useful $ apt-show-versions|grep -cv 'i386 not installed' 1724