[AuckLUG] debian noob, compiling your own package then dealing with dependencies

[Robert]

Hi Guys,

I wanted to install Sendmail on Debian but because I needed several 
custom modifications (sql support etc..) than the normal Debian package 
provides I decided to remove the debian package and install from source.

So after building  I did checkinstall -D sh Build install  to create my 
own Debian package everything good so far.

However now when I go to install anything that has a requirement on 
email I'm prompted to install Exim as it is a dependency.

eg:
 apt-get install libapache2-mod-php4 mysql-server php4-mysql 
libapache2-mod-auth-mysql
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  apache2-common apache2-mpm-prefork apache2-utils exim4 exim4-base 
exim4-config exim4-daemon-light libapr0 libexpat1 libzzip-0-12 mailx
  php4-common ssl-cert
Suggested packages:
  apache2-doc eximon4 exim4-doc-html exim4-doc-info php4-pear
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  apache2-common apache2-mpm-prefork apache2-utils exim4 exim4-base 
exim4-config exim4-daemon-light libapache2-mod-auth-mysql
  libapache2-mod-php4 libapr0 libexpat1 libzzip-0-12 mailx mysql-server 
php4-common php4-mysql ssl-cert
0 upgraded, 17 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 3311kB/8384kB of archives.
After unpacking 20.3MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] n

So far the only options I can see is:
a) roll my own package for any mail related application.
b) remove the custom package I built for Sendmail ?

I don't fancy either of those there has to be a better way? I realise 
Exim is the default MTA and I could probably get it to do everything I 
need but I would rather not use it as I've used Sendmail for years and 
know it inside out.

Cheers

Robert