Nice Little Improvement in Linux Mint 13

In the past with Ubuntu and Linux Mint it's been difficult to remove some relatively useless packages,  since removing any of these would result in gnome or the like being removed. Not useful, and not logical. Why do I need thunderbird to use my desktop? But now with Mint 13 a simple sudo apt-get remove successfully removes all of the following without making apt think I want to throw away my desktop environment:

• xchat
• xchat-common
• pidgin
• thunderbird
• bluez
• bluez-alsa
• bluez-cups
• bluez-gstreamer
• libbluetooth3 

Trying to remove libgnome-bluetooth8 still results in apt wanting to get rid of the desktop, but being able to easily delete all the above detritus is a big improvement, so I am not complaining.

So I just installed Linux Mint 13 last night on my primary desktop. This is the Mate 64b version. Last week I installed the 32b Cinnamon version on my laptop, and after a couple days, installed Mate and started using that instead. Cinnamon's a valiant effort and to be applauded, but has some significant usability problems.

As long as I'm detailing what I got rid of in Linux Mint 13, here's the initial additions I make and a complete list of what I remove. Additions first:

• ccrypt emacs tcsh
• ispell rhythmbox mirage
• openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-source openjdk-7-doc
• jflex
• haskell-platform ghc-mod
• texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-base-doc texlive-latex-extra
• gftp
• dia
• opera
• gparted
• easytag
• openssh-server
• sound-juicer
• xsane
• alacarte
• gtk-recordmydesktop

Now the removals:

• banshee
• tomboy
• gthumb
• avahi-daemon avahi-autoipd
• vino
• xchat xchat-common
• pidgin
• thunderbird
• bluez bluez-alsa bluez-cups bluez-gstreamer
• libbluetooth3

BTW, above I used thunderbird as an example of something to be removed. I like thunderbird--it's a good tool. But now I do all my e-mail through web-based interfaces, which is concerning in some respects, but until I decide to break this bad habit, I' do not need a mail client.