I think you are confusing the -f in apt-get with something else.
From the man page:
-f, --fix-broken
Fix; attempt to correct a system with broken dependencies in place. This option, when used with
install/remove, can omit any packages to permit APT to deduce a likely solution. If packages are specified,
these have to completely correct the problem. The option is sometimes necessary when running APT for the
first time; APT itself does not allow broken package dependencies to exist on a system. It is possible that
a system's dependency structure can be so corrupt as to require manual intervention (which usually means
using dselect(1) or dpkg --remove to eliminate some of the offending packages). Use of this option together
with -m may produce an error in some situations. Configuration Item: APT::Get::Fix-Broken.

There is a force option in apt-get but you have to type out "--force-yes" there is no single letter equivalent.

Are you possibly thinking about the -f (force-ignore nonexistant files, never prompt) option in rm?

Brian Cluff

On 01/20/2011 02:54 PM, gk wrote:
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> F != fix broken...
>
> - -f == force
>
> If you spend any time in Debian's IRC they pretty much tell you
> NEVER use -f. NO system is that far gone to not be fixed by the other
> means Lisa mentioned. Dpkg is the package manager, dselect is another
> low end function and APT/itude is a front end would I've never had
> fail me. If you start with apt get you have to stay with it. IF you
> start with Aptitude manuals say to stay with it.
>
> Too many horror stories on Synaptic. The only GUI package manager I
> have had that worked every time was in Sabayon, and it is called
> Entropy, IIRC.
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