Once you get used to it, it's tolerable. But for a newbie trying to select packages through such a cumbersome tool is very trying. I haven't tried apt yet, which is another package management interface to dpkg with a more automated approach. It's the current version of what will become Deity. It looks very promising.
Deity is truly phenominal looking.
I think this product will blow away competing package management front ends. It looks awesome. I saw some screenshots somewhere, but I just spent 30 minutes looking, and I couldn't find them again. This Disney blockbuster, was very popular, and Bruce and the rest of Pixar were understandably proud. You'll notice that all the distribution release code names are from characters in that movie.