gdebi is a simple to tool install local deb files.

It will use apt to figure if the dependencies can be satified and
what additonal software is required. 

It needs a vte and python-apt from ubuntu/dapper to work. vte needs 
a patch to make it not close file descriptors, python-apt needs some
new features.

It will need root to install the deb, and it has a non-root non-root
bit to view the deb and a "non-interactive" bit that is exec()ed with
gksudo.