How to remove extra software I installed by mistake?

Question

Although I wanted to install just a VPN, I mistakenly used a tutorial that also installed all of gnome. I realized this when I found a lot of unexpected apps in my dash. When I checked the history.log in var/log/apt I discovered that this command apt-get install network-manager-vpnc gnome installed all this:

Install: libdleyna-core-1.0-5:amd64 (0.6.0-5build1, automatic), fonts-cantarell:amd64 (0.303-2, automatic), swell-foop:amd64 (1:41.0.1-1, automatic), hitori:amd64 (3.38.3-1, automatic), gir1.2-geocodeglib-1.0:amd64 (3.26.2-2build2, automatic), brasero-common:amd64 (3.12.3-1, automatic), libcaribou0:amd64 (0.4.21-7.2, automatic), librygel-renderer-gst-2.6-2:amd64 (0.40.3-1ubuntu2, automatic), gir1.2-champlain-0.12:amd64 (0.12.20-1build1, automatic), rygel-playbin:amd64 (0.40.3-1ubuntu2, automatic), gir1.2-rest-0.7:amd64 (0.8.1-1.1build2, automatic), gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly:amd64 (1.20.1-1, automatic), gnome-sound-recorder:amd64 (42.0-1, automatic), gir1.2-clutter-1.0:amd64 (1.26.4+dfsg-4build1, automatic), gnome-software:amd64 (41.5-2ubuntu2, automatic), gir1.2-dazzle-1.0:amd64 (3.44.0-1, automatic), gir1.2-cogl-1.0:amd64 (1.22.8-3build1, automatic), libisofs6:amd64 (1.5.4-1, automatic), gnome-user-share:amd64 (3.34.0-5, automatic), libzapojit-0.0-0:amd64 (0.0.3-5, automatic), gnome-weather:amd64 (41.0-3ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-klotski:amd64 (1:3.38.2-1build1, automatic), libfolks-eds26:amd64 (0.15.5-2, automatic), desktop-base:amd64 (11.0.3ubuntu1, automatic), gnome-software-common:amd64 (41.5-2ubuntu2, automatic), libaprutil1-dbd-sqlite3:amd64 (1.6.1-5ubuntu4.22.04.2, automatic), dleyna-server:amd64 (0.6.0-2build2, automatic), gnome-nibbles:amd64 (1:3.38.2-2, automatic), libperl4-corelibs-perl:amd64 (0.004-2, automatic), libapr1:amd64 (1.7.0-8ubuntu0.22.04.1, automatic), gnome-color-manager:amd64 (3.36.0-1build1, automatic), libcmark0.30.2:amd64 (0.30.2-5, automatic), libmalcontent-0-0:amd64 (0.10.4-1, automatic), libapache2-mod-dnssd:amd64 (0.6-3.2, automatic), libopencore-amrnb0:amd64 (0.1.5-1, automatic), gir1.2-tracker-3.0:amd64 (3.3.0-1, automatic), gnome-tweaks:amd64 (42~beta-1ubuntu2, automatic), libopencore-amrwb0:amd64 (0.1.5-1, automatic), gir1.2-gfbgraph-0.2:amd64 (0.2.5-2, automatic), gnome:amd64 (1:42+3), evolution-plugins:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), libevolution:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), libcaribou-common:amd64 (0.4.21-7.2, automatic), gnome-online-miners:amd64 (3.34.0-4, automatic), gir1.2-gtkchamplain-0.12:amd64 (0.12.20-1build1, automatic), gir1.2-caribou-1.0:amd64 (0.4.21-7.2, automatic), grilo-plugins-0.3:amd64 (0.3.14-1ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-shell-extensions:amd64 (42.1-0ubuntu1, automatic), folks-common:amd64 (0.15.5-2, automatic), libfolks26:amd64 (0.15.5-2, automatic), libchamplain-gtk-0.12-0:amd64 (0.12.20-1build1, automatic), gnome-software-plugin-snap:amd64 (41.5-2ubuntu2, automatic), apache2-bin:amd64 (2.4.52-1ubuntu4.9, automatic), grilo-plugins-0.3-extra:amd64 (0.3.14-1ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-robots:amd64 (1:40.0-2, automatic), gir1.2-gtkclutter-1.0:amd64 (1.8.4-4build2, automatic), gnome-2048:amd64 (3.38.2-2, automatic), hoichess:amd64 (0.22.0-2, automatic), libgfbgraph-0.2-0:amd64 (0.2.5-2, automatic), gnome-maps:amd64 (42.3-0ubuntu1, automatic), evolution-plugin-pstimport:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-contacts:amd64 (41.0-2, automatic), fonts-quicksand:amd64 (0.2016-2.1, automatic), libaprutil1:amd64 (1.6.1-5ubuntu4.22.04.2, automatic), gnome-backgrounds:amd64 (42.0-1, automatic), four-in-a-row:amd64 (1:3.38.1-1build1, automatic), libsidplay1v5:amd64 (1.36.60-1, automatic), evolution-plugin-bogofilter:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), libproxy1-plugin-webkit:amd64 (0.4.17-2, automatic), gir1.2-mediaart-2.0:amd64 (1.9.5-2build1, automatic), libmpeg2-4:amd64 (0.5.1-9, automatic), chrome-gnome-shell:amd64 (10.1-5, automatic), gnome-music:amd64 (41.1-0ubuntu1, automatic), libdleyna-connector-dbus-1.0-1:amd64 (0.3.0-2build1, automatic), gnome-tetravex:amd64 (1:3.38.2-3, automatic), evolution:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), nautilus-extension-brasero:amd64 (3.12.3-1, automatic), five-or-more:amd64 (1:3.32.3-1, automatic), libgnome-autoar-gtk-0-0:amd64 (0.4.3-1, automatic), gir1.2-evince-3.0:amd64 (42.3-0ubuntu3.1, automatic), libytnef0:amd64 (2.0-1, automatic), libgail-3-0:amd64 (3.24.33-1ubuntu2, automatic), bogofilter-bdb:amd64 (1.2.5-1build2, automatic), libgsl27:amd64 (2.7.1+dfsg-3, automatic), quadrapassel:amd64 (1:40.2-1, automatic), gir1.2-gst-plugins-bad-1.0:amd64 (1.20.3-0ubuntu1.1, automatic), gnome-session:amd64 (42.0-1ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-games:amd64 (1:42+3, automatic), libchamplain-0.12-0:amd64 (0.12.20-1build1, automatic), libgsf-bin:amd64 (1.14.47-1build2, automatic), gnome-core:amd64 (1:42+3, automatic), liba52-0.7.4:amd64 (0.7.4-20, automatic), bogofilter-common:amd64 (1.2.5-1build2, automatic), caribou:amd64 (0.4.21-7.2, automatic), tali:amd64 (1:40.6-1, automatic), gnome-sushi:amd64 (42.0-0ubuntu1, automatic), libjte2:amd64 (1.22-3build1, automatic), gir1.2-coglpango-1.0:amd64 (1.22.8-3build1, automatic), gnome-shell-extension-prefs:amd64 (42.9-0ubuntu2, automatic), gir1.2-grilo-0.3:amd64 (0.3.14-1build1, automatic), gnome-chess:amd64 (1:41.1-1, automatic), libgslcblas0:amd64 (2.7.1+dfsg-3, automatic), rygel-tracker:amd64 (0.40.3-1ubuntu2, automatic), gnome-taquin:amd64 (3.38.1-2, automatic), rhythmbox-plugin-cdrecorder:amd64 (3.4.4-5ubuntu1, automatic), libaprutil1-ldap:amd64 (1.6.1-5ubuntu4.22.04.2, automatic), bogofilter:amd64 (1.2.5-1build2, automatic), libpst4:amd64 (0.6.76-1, automatic), iagno:amd64 (1:3.38.1-2, automatic), evolution-common:amd64 (3.44.4-0ubuntu2, automatic), cdrdao:amd64 (1:1.2.4-2, automatic), libbrasero-media3-1:amd64 (3.12.3-1, automatic), lightsoff:amd64 (1:40.0.1-1, automatic), libburn4:amd64 (1.5.4-1, automatic), liboauth0:amd64 (1.0.3-5, automatic)

Including things like chess,mines, swell foop and more. Is there a way to get rid of all of this? If I uninstall the network manager will this be gone? And also I have two app store now, why? The store above is new

Answer 1

There is no simple, automatic way to undo the installation of a metapackage such as gnome. Such packages will bring in a lot of software. Moreover, these will only install required packages that are not already on your system.

Removing such metapackage only removes the package itself. The components of such metapackage (including what was already on your system before installing it) are marked as "manually installed". Therefore, an autoremove will not remove any of these.

For practical purposes, I recommend to just remove the software that you now see in the application overview but do not wish to have. Just use Ubuntu Software for that. Head to the "Installed" tab and remove any icons in the "Applications" section that you do not wish. Since the Software Center may not autoremove unneeded dependencies, you can run sudo apt autoremove to regain some additional disk space afterwards.

The alternative would be technical and still be manual. APT maintains a log file: /var/log/dpkg.log listing all packages that were installed, removed, configured. On the other hand, apt show gnome shows dependencies and recommended packages of the package gnome. That would, in principle, allow to compile a list of packages added by installing the gnome metapackage.