[Bug 1771019] [NEW] unused packages aren't removed automatically

[nlany]

Public bug reported:

It seems that some automatically installed packages are not get removed
automatically if they depend on each other (and no manually installed
packages depend or recommend on any of them).

How to produce on Ubuntu 16.04 Desktop LTS:
1. Select "Tasks" ( predefined groups of packages for particular purpose) from packages view, then --> End-User-->"buntu desktop This task provides the Ubuntu Desktop environment. (1366)"
2. Mark entire group as automatically installed ( type "M" ). As group is not meta package, some packages in this group are shown as to be removed (package status is "idA").  
3. Search for package "lightdm", which status is still "i A" ( but should be "idA" ),  even though "lightdm" *is unused* now-- no manually installed package depends on or recommends "lightdm".  

This bug prevents user to trim down ubuntu as needed. This bug exits no
matter the "Install recommended packages automatically" is checked in
preferences. And command "apt-get autoremove" doesn't remove such unused
packages either.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: aptitude 0.7.4-2ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-124.148-generic 4.4.117
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-124-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.17
Architecture: i386
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Mon May 14 02:31:18 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-11 (1249 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20140722.2)
SourcePackage: aptitude
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2018-05-10 (2 days ago)

** Affects: aptitude (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: apport-bug i386 xenial

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1771019

Title:
  unused packages aren't  removed automatically

Status in aptitude package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  It seems that some automatically installed packages are not get
  removed automatically if they depend on each other (and no manually
  installed packages depend or recommend on any of them).

  How to produce on Ubuntu 16.04 Desktop LTS:
  1. Select "Tasks" ( predefined groups of packages for particular purpose) from packages view, then --> End-User-->"buntu desktop This task provides the Ubuntu Desktop environment. (1366)"
  2. Mark entire group as automatically installed ( type "M" ). As group is not meta package, some packages in this group are shown as to be removed (package status is "idA").  
  3. Search for package "lightdm", which status is still "i A" ( but should be "idA" ),  even though "lightdm" *is unused* now-- no manually installed package depends on or recommends "lightdm".  

  This bug prevents user to trim down ubuntu as needed. This bug exits
  no matter the "Install recommended packages automatically" is checked
  in preferences. And command "apt-get autoremove" doesn't remove such
  unused packages either.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: aptitude 0.7.4-2ubuntu2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-124.148-generic 4.4.117
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-124-generic i686
  NonfreeKernelModules: wl
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.17
  Architecture: i386
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Mon May 14 02:31:18 2018
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-11 (1249 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20140722.2)
  SourcePackage: aptitude
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2018-05-10 (2 days ago)

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