I think you can select what should be installed and what should be updated.

This is certainly true on a per-package base. I don't remember having seen some kind of "global keep" switch - but this might be caused by my ignorance.

AFAIR, dis-selecting a package from upgrading put it in some kind of "hold state": You would need to select it for an upgrade afterwards. That's just from memory and might be untrue.

However, neither will I find out nor do I care anymore. Retired last month and will no longer waste my time with any "Redmondian Distribution".