i've found it's possible to avoid the slowness by clicking on the "Search" button, then selecting "Look in: Name" rather than "Look in: Description and Name". This will speed everything up.
-- Synaptic too slow https://launchpad.net/bugs/63171 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
