Software updater snuck in a package that is unwanted

[Tom H]

On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 4:44 AM, Oliver Grawert <ogra at ubuntu.com> wrote:
>
> the whole purpose of a meta package is to install its dependencies
> alongside with it, suggested packages do not get installed along...
>
> additionally a hard dependency on a package will always remove the
> metapackage together with the dependency you remove.
>
> a recommended package will automatically get installed along but not
> tear out the top level meta package when you remove it... so in fact
> "recommends" is the only thing to do here to help bret to not have the
> meta package removed when he wants to remove unattended-upgrades but
> still have it installed along for all other people installing the mate
> metapackage for the first time...

Unless the mate maintainers want unattended-upgrades to be installed
no matter what. That would be their right.