diff -ur 200410161/aptitude-0.2.15.8/doc/en/manpage.xml 200410160/aptitude-0.2.15.8/doc/en/manpage.xml
--- 200410161/aptitude-0.2.15.8/doc/en/manpage.xml	2004-09-17 10:49:25.000000000 -0700
+++ 200410160/aptitude-0.2.15.8/doc/en/manpage.xml	2004-10-16 16:22:14.000000000 -0700
@@ -430,6 +430,24 @@
 
     <variablelist>
       <varlistentry>
+	<term><literal>-a</literal> <replaceable>arch</replaceable>, <literal>--architecture</literal> <replaceable>arch</replaceable></term>
+
+	<listitem>
+	  <para>
+	    Specify the Debian architecture use.  For
+	    instance, <quote><literal>aptitude -a powerpc
+	    download ...</literal></quote> will downlaod packages
+	    for the powerpc architecture.  Defaults to the
+	    architecture of the machine running aptitude.
+	  </para>
+
+	  <para>
+	    This corresponds to the configuration item <literal>APT::Architecture</literal>.
+	  </para>
+	</listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
 	<term><literal>-D</literal>, <literal>--show-deps</literal></term>
 
 	<listitem>
diff -ur 200410161/aptitude-0.2.15.8/src/main.cc 200410160/aptitude-0.2.15.8/src/main.cc
--- 200410161/aptitude-0.2.15.8/src/main.cc	2004-09-26 07:44:04.000000000 -0700
+++ 200410160/aptitude-0.2.15.8/src/main.cc	2004-10-17 15:29:09.000000000 -0700
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
   printf(_(" download     - Download the .deb file for a package\n"));
   printf("\n");
   printf(_("  Options:\n"));
+  printf(_(" -a arch        Specify the Debian architecture to use.\n"));
   printf(_(" -h             This help text\n"));
   printf(_(" -s             Simulate actions, but do not actually perform them.\n"));
   printf(_(" -d             Only download packages, do not install or remove anything.\n"));
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@
 int getopt_result;
 
 option opts[]={
+  {"architecture", 1, NULL, 'a'},
   {"help", 0, NULL, 'h'},
   {"version", 0, &getopt_result, OPTION_VERSION},
   {"display-format", 1, NULL, 'F'},
@@ -198,10 +200,13 @@
   char *locale;
 
   // Read the arguments:
-  while((curopt=getopt_long(argc, argv, "DVZvhS:uiF:w:sO:fdyPt:Rro:", opts, NULL))!=-1)
+  while((curopt=getopt_long(argc, argv, "a:DVZvhS:uiF:w:sO:fdyPt:Rro:", opts, NULL))!=-1)
     {
       switch(curopt)
 	{
+	case 'a':
+	  aptcfg->SetNoUser("APT::Architecture", optarg);
+	  break;
 	case 'S':
 	  status_fname=strdup(optarg);
 	  break;