There were like 3 versions of metapackage auto removal, I don't remember exactly.
I think in the beginning, we just autoremovef everything.
Then we did not mark packages as automatically installed if installed by a meta package.
Then we moved to moving the auto bit on uninstall, but maybe only if the meta is removed due to a conflict, and not when manually.
I only followed this on the sidelines.
There were like 3 versions of metapackage auto removal, I don't remember exactly.
I think in the beginning, we just autoremovef everything.
Then we did not mark packages as automatically installed if installed by a meta package.
Then we moved to moving the auto bit on uninstall, but maybe only if the meta is removed due to a conflict, and not when manually.
I only followed this on the sidelines.