Thanks, I'll keep this note handy, but it was too late for me, I gave up and reflashed the N800. Then I started installing apps again and so far nothing is complaining that it needs ncurses-bin.

So far I have installed these and all seem to work fine:

becomeroot
camera
claws-mail
fmradio
mh-shot-tool
microb-browser
ncurses-base
openssh-client 1:4.3p2-9
openssh-server 1:4.3p2-9
osso-screenshot-tool
osso-statusbar-cpu
osso-xterm
skype
stardict
zip 2.31-4
unzip 5.52-11