Installing Postgresql on Debian (-E parameter question)

Hello

In the past (a few years ago) i was always compiling Postgresql from
source. I remember that during the first initdb i was passing a -E
parameter to control the cluster's default encoding, which used to
influence search results and so on.

Now, i need to use Postgresql again, on Debian machines. I thought that
perhaps i can use standard Debian packages for installing Postgresql,
however i fail to understand some things:

a) Is it still essential to pass the -E proper parameter at the stage of
'initdb' in order to support various encodings fully?
b) If so, how does one pass this parameter when installing from a
standard *.deb package (or *.rpm, for that matter)?
c) If so (in reference to question (a)), is there any tutorial around
for installing Postgresql on Debian, that includes instructions for the
-E parameter?
d) Is there anything else that i should be aware of, relating to proper
character-set support in recent versions of Postgresql?

Please assist

Panos