apt autoremove wants to delete over 1gb of files?

Question

After running apt remove *gnome* to get rid of gnome, apt autoremove wants to delete a whole lot of files, some which seem like they shouldn't be deleted?

    alsa-base apg app-install-data appstream aptdaemon aptdaemon-data argyll argyll-ref aspell aspell-en at-spi2-core avahi-utils bluez bluez-obexd bogofilter bogofilter-bdb bogofilter-common brasero-common cheese-common cups-pk-helper
  dconf-cli dictionaries-common diffstat dleyna-renderer dleyna-server dvd+rw-tools emacsen-common empathy-common enchant espeak-data evince-common evolution-common evolution-data-server-common fairymax finger folks-common
  fonts-cantarell fonts-opensymbol fonts-stix freepats freerdp-x11 gconf-service gconf-service-backend gconf2 gconf2-common gedit-common genisoimage geoclue geoclue-2.0 geoclue-ubuntu-geoip gir1.2-accountsservice-1.0 gir1.2-atk-1.0
  gir1.2-atspi-2.0 gir1.2-cogl-1.0 gir1.2-coglpango-1.0 gir1.2-freedesktop gir1.2-gck-1 gir1.2-gdesktopenums-3.0 gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0 gir1.2-gdm-1.0 gir1.2-git2-glib-1.0 gir1.2-goa-1.0 gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-1.0 gir1.2-gstreamer-1.0
  gir1.2-ibus-1.0 gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0 gir1.2-json-1.0 gir1.2-mediaart-2.0 gir1.2-networkmanager-1.0 gir1.2-notify-0.7 gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0 gir1.2-pango-1.0 gir1.2-polkit-1.0 gir1.2-secret-1 gir1.2-telepathyglib-0.12
  gir1.2-telepathylogger-0.2 gir1.2-totem-plparser-1.0 gir1.2-tracker-1.0 gir1.2-upowerglib-1.0 gir1.2-xkl-1.0 gir1.2-zeitgeist-2.0 glib-networking glib-networking-common glib-networking-services grilo-plugins-0.2-base
  grilo-plugins-0.2-extra growisofs gsettings-desktop-schemas gsettings-ubuntu-schemas gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-nice gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad-faad gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad-videoparsers gstreamer1.0-plugins-base
  gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly-amr gstreamer1.0-pulseaudio gstreamer1.0-x gtk2-engines gtk2-engines-pixbuf gvfs-fuse hardening-includes hoichess hunspell-en-us hwdata i965-va-driver
  ibus-gtk iio-sensor-proxy im-config indicator-datetime indicator-messages indicator-power indicator-sound intltool-debian ippusbxd iputils-arping liba52-0.7.4 libaacs0 libabw-0.1-1v5 libaccounts-glib0 libaccounts-qt5-1 libao-common
  libao4 libappindicator1 libappstream-glib8 libappstream3 libapt-pkg-perl libarchive-zip-perl libarchive13 libaspell15 libass5 libatk-adaptor libatk-bridge2.0-0 libatkmm-1.6-1v5 libatspi2.0-0 libaudio2 libavahi-gobject0 libavc1394-0
  libavcodec-ffmpeg56 libavfilter-ffmpeg5 libavformat-ffmpeg56 libavresample-ffmpeg2 libavutil-ffmpeg54 libbdplus0 libbluetooth3 libbluray1 libbonobo2-0 libbonobo2-common libbonoboui2-common libboost-date-time1.58.0
  libboost-iostreams1.58.0 libbrlapi0.6 libbs2b0 libburn4 libcacard0 libcairo-gobject2 libcairomm-1.0-1v5 libcamel-1.2-54 libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk0 libcanberra-pulse libcanberra0 libcaribou-common libcaribou-gtk-module
  libcdio-cdda1 libcdio-paranoia1 libcdio13 libcdparanoia0 libcdr-0.1-1 libcgi-fast-perl libcgi-pm-perl libchromaprint0 libclass-accessor-perl libclone-perl libclucene-contribs1v5 libclucene-core1v5 libcmis-0.5-5v5 libcogl-pango20
  libcogl-path20 libcogl20 libcoverart1 libcoverartcc1v5 libcrystalhd3 libdata-alias-perl libdbusmenu-glib4 libdbusmenu-gtk3-4 libdbusmenu-gtk4 libdc1394-22 libdca0 libde265-0 libdee-1.0-4 libdiscid0 libdleyna-connector-dbus-1.0-1
  libdleyna-core-1.0-3 libdmapsharing-3.0-2 libdotconf0 libdouble-conversion1v5 libdv4 libdvdnav4 libdvdread4 libe-book-0.1-1 libebackend-1.2-10 libebook-1.2-16 libebook-contacts-1.2-2 libecal-1.2-19 libedata-book-1.2-25
  libedata-cal-1.2-28 libedataserver-1.2-21 libemail-valid-perl libenchant1c2a libeot0 libespeak1 libetonyek-0.1-1 libexempi3 libexiv2-14 libexporter-tiny-perl libexttextcat-2.0-0 libexttextcat-data libfaad2 libfarstream-0.2-5
  libfcgi-perl libfcitx-config4 libfcitx-gclient0 libfcitx-utils0 libflite1 libfluidsynth1 libfolks-telepathy25 libfolks25 libfreehand-0.1-1 libfreerdp-cache1.1 libfreerdp-client1.1 libfreerdp-codec1.1 libfreerdp-common1.1.0
  libfreerdp-core1.1 libfreerdp-crypto1.1 libfreerdp-gdi1.1 libfreerdp-locale1.1 libfreerdp-plugins-standard libfreerdp-primitives1.1 libfreerdp-rail1.1 libfreerdp-utils1.1 libfwupd1 libgail-common libgail18 libgcab-1.0-0 libgconf-2-4
  libgdata-common libgdata22 libgdict-common libgdm1 libgee-0.8-2 libgeoclue-2-0 libgeoclue0 libgeocode-glib0 libgeonames0 libgif7 libgit2-24 libgit2-glib-1.0-0 libglade2-0 libglew1.13 libglib2.0-bin libglibmm-2.4-1v5 libglu1-mesa
  libgme0 libgmime-2.6-0 libgoa-1.0-0b libgoa-1.0-common libgom-1.0-0 libgom-1.0-common libgpgme11 libgpod-common libgpod4 libgrilo-0.2-1 libgsf-1-114 libgsf-1-common libgsf-bin libgsl2 libgsm1 libgsound0 libgssdp-1.0-3
  libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0 libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0 libgstreamer-plugins-good1.0-0 libgstreamer1.0-0 libgtkglext1 libgtkmm-2.4-1v5 libgtksourceview-3.0-common libgtkspell0 libgtop-2.0-10 libgtop2-common libgupnp-1.0-4
  libgupnp-av-1.0-2 libgupnp-dlna-2.0-3 libgupnp-igd-1.0-4 libgvnc-1.0-0 libgweather-common libgxps2 libharfbuzz-icu0 libhttp-parser2.1 libhunspell-1.3-0 libhyphen0 libibus-1.0-5 libical1a libidl-2-0 libiec61883-0 libimage-magick-perl
  libimage-magick-q16-perl libimobiledevice6 libindicator7 libinput-bin libinput10 libio-pty-perl libio-string-perl libipc-run-perl libisofs6 libjansson4 libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0 libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18 libjte1 libkate1
  libkpathsea6 liblangtag-common liblangtag1 liblightdm-gobject-1-0 liblinear3 liblircclient0 liblist-moreutils-perl libllvm3.8 liblua5.2-0 liblua5.3-0 libmad0 libmagick++-6.q16-5v5 libmbim-glib4 libmbim-proxy libmeanwhile1
  libmediaart-2.0-0 libmhash2 libmimic0 libminiupnpc10 libmission-control-plugins0 libmjpegutils-2.1-0 libmm-glib0 libmms0 libmodplug1 libmozjs-24-0v5 libmp3lame0 libmpeg2-4 libmpeg2encpp-2.1-0 libmpg123-0 libmplex2-2.1-0 libmspub-0.1-1
  libmtp-common libmtp-runtime libmtp9 libmusicbrainz5-2 libmusicbrainz5cc2v5 libmwaw-0.3-3 libmythes-1.2-0 libnatpmp1 libndp0 libneon27-gnutls libnet-dns-perl libnet-domain-tld-perl libnet-ip-perl libnice10 libnm-glib-vpn1 libnm-glib4
  libnm-gtk-common libnm-util2 libnm0 libnma-common libnotify4 libnspr4 libnss3 libnss3-nssdb liboauth0 libodfgen-0.1-1 libofa0 libopenal-data libopenal1 libopencore-amrnb0 libopencore-amrwb0 libopencv-calib3d2.4v5
  libopencv-contrib2.4v5 libopencv-core2.4v5 libopencv-features2d2.4v5 libopencv-flann2.4v5 libopencv-highgui2.4v5 libopencv-imgproc2.4v5 libopencv-legacy2.4v5 libopencv-ml2.4v5 libopencv-objdetect2.4v5 libopencv-video2.4v5 libopenjpeg5
  libopus0 liborbit-2-0 liborbit2 liborcus-0.10-0v5 libpackagekit-glib2-16 libpagemaker-0.0-0 libpangomm-1.4-1v5 libpangox-1.0-0 libpangoxft-1.0-0 libparse-debianchangelog-perl libpcre16-3 libpeas-common libperlio-gzip-perl libplist3
  libportaudio2 libpostproc-ffmpeg53 libproxy1v5 libpst4 libpulse-mainloop-glib0 libpurple-bin libpurple0 libpwquality-common libpwquality1 libqmi-glib1 libqmi-proxy libqqwing2v5 libqt5core5a libqt5dbus5 libqt5gui5 libqt5network5
  libqt5opengl5 libqt5printsupport5 libqt5qml5 libqt5quick5 libqt5sql5 libqt5sql5-sqlite libqt5svg5 libqt5webkit5 libqt5widgets5 libqt5xml5 libquvi-scripts libquvi7 libraptor2-0 librasqal3 libraw1394-11 librdf0 libreoffice-base-core
  libreoffice-calc libreoffice-common libreoffice-core libreoffice-draw libreoffice-gtk libreoffice-impress libreoffice-math libreoffice-pdfimport libreoffice-style-elementary libreoffice-style-galaxy libreoffice-style-tango
  libreoffice-writer librevenge-0.0-0 librygel-core-2.6-2 librygel-db-2.6-2 librygel-renderer-2.6-2 librygel-renderer-gst-2.6-2 librygel-server-2.6-2 libsbc1 libschroedinger-1.0-0 libsgutils2-2 libshine3 libshout3 libsidplay1v5
  libsigc++-2.0-0v5 libsignon-extension1 libsignon-glib1 libsignon-plugins-common1 libsignon-qt5-1 libsmbclient libsnapd-glib1 libsnappy1v5 libsodium18 libsofia-sip-ua-glib3 libsofia-sip-ua0 libsonic0 libsoundtouch1 libsoup2.4-1
  libsoxr0 libspandsp2 libspectre1 libspeechd2 libspeex1 libspice-client-glib-2.0-8 libsrtp0 libssh-gcrypt-4 libssh2-1 libstartup-notification0 libsub-name-perl libswresample-ffmpeg1 libswscale-ffmpeg3 libtag1v5 libtag1v5-vanilla
  libtagc0 libtbb2 libtcl8.6 libtelepathy-farstream3 libtelepathy-glib0 libtelepathy-logger3 libtext-levenshtein-perl libtheora0 libtimezonemap-data libtk8.6 libtotem-plparser-common libtotem-plparser18 libtracker-control-1.0-0
  libtracker-miner-1.0-0 libtracker-sparql-1.0-0 libtwolame0 libunity-protocol-private0 libunity-scopes-json-def-desktop libunity9 libupower-glib3 liburl-dispatcher1 libusbmuxd4 libusbredirhost1 libusbredirparser1 libv4l-0
  libv4lconvert0 libva1 libvdpau1 libvisio-0.1-1 libvisual-0.4-0 libvo-aacenc0 libvo-amrwbenc0 libvorbisfile3 libvte-2.91-common libwacom-common libwacom2 libwavpack1 libwayland-cursor0 libwayland-egl1-mesa libwebkitgtk-3.0-common
  libwildmidi-config libwildmidi1 libwinpr-crt0.1 libwinpr-dsparse0.1 libwinpr-environment0.1 libwinpr-file0.1 libwinpr-handle0.1 libwinpr-heap0.1 libwinpr-input0.1 libwinpr-interlocked0.1 libwinpr-library0.1 libwinpr-path0.1
  libwinpr-pool0.1 libwinpr-registry0.1 libwinpr-rpc0.1 libwinpr-sspi0.1 libwinpr-synch0.1 libwinpr-sysinfo0.1 libwinpr-thread0.1 libwinpr-utils0.1 libwnck-3-common libwnck-common libwnck22 libwpd-0.10-10 libwpg-0.3-3 libwps-0.4-4
  libx264-148 libx265-79 libxapian22v5 libxcb-xkb1 libxfreerdp-client1.1 libxkbcommon-x11-0 libxklavier16 libxres1 libxvidcore4 libyajl2 libyaml-libyaml-perl libytnef0 libzbar0 libzeitgeist-2.0-0 libzephyr4 libzmq5 libzvbi-common
  libzvbi0 lintian linux-sound-base lp-solve lua-lpeg media-player-info mesa-vdpau-drivers metacity-common mobile-broadband-provider-info modemmanager mutter-common nautilus-data ndiff network-manager network-manager-pptp nmap p11-kit
  p11-kit-modules patchutils pidgin-data plymouth-label pptp-linux pulseaudio-module-bluetooth python-appindicator python-bs4 python-chardet python-dbus python-gconf python-gi python-gobject python-html5lib python-lxml python-notify
  python-numpy python-pyatspi python-pyorbit python-six python-wnck python-xdg python3-aptdaemon python3-aptdaemon.pkcompat python3-brlapi python3-bs4 python3-cairo python3-cups python3-cupshelpers python3-defer python3-gi-cairo
  python3-html5lib python3-louis python3-lxml python3-mako python3-markupsafe python3-pyatspi python3-speechd python3-uno python3-xdg qttranslations5-l10n realmd rhythmbox-data rygel rygel-playbin rygel-tracker session-migration
  signon-keyring-extension signon-plugin-oauth2 signon-plugin-password signon-ui signon-ui-service signon-ui-x11 signond snapd-login-service sound-theme-freedesktop speech-dispatcher speech-dispatcher-audio-plugins
  spice-client-glib-usb-acl-helper system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-udev t1utils tcl8.6 telepathy-gabble telepathy-haze telepathy-idle telepathy-logger telepathy-mission-control-5 telepathy-rakia telepathy-salut tk8.6
  totem-common tracker tracker-extract tracker-miner-fs transmission-common ubuntu-system-service ubuntu-touch-sounds unity-control-center-faces uno-libs3 unoconv unzip upower ure usb-modeswitch usb-modeswitch-data usbmuxd va-driver-all
  vdpau-driver-all vdpau-va-driver wodim wpasupplicant xbitmaps xboard xbrlapi xterm xul-ext-ubufox yelp-xsl zeitgeist-core zenity-common zip

Answer 1

Here is a link to another discussion on apt-get autoremove.

From my experience it's best to simply disable Gnome than to remove it, if you want to start using it as a server. Gnome installs a bunch of drivers and software that you would use and if you uninstall Gnome, these packages needs to be added manually and could cause a lot of headache.