manual / copy symlinks

Hello,

The manual says that symlinks in a directory get copied as a files (the target gets copied), unless 'symlink' or 'linkcopies' is set in the 'copy:' statement.
That manual also says for 'linktype' : "This [linktype] only applies if the file is linked rather than copied because it matches a pattern set by symlink."

BUT, 

1) although I haven't set 'symlink' nor 'linkcopies' in my update.conf (or anywhere), links do get copied as links (?!)

2) I have to set 'linktype=copy' to obtain the proper/expected behaviour (copy target not link itself)

3) The order of options seems to matter :

# NOT OK
copy:

   # all the content gets copied
   $(masterinputs)/inputs      dest=$(workdir)/inputs/
                                 define=inputs_changed
                                 recurse=1
                                 owner=root
                                 group=root
                                 mode=700
                                 purge=true # OK BECAUSE $(masterinputs) NOT NFS MOUNTED
                                 timestamps=preserve
                                 type=binary
                                 ignore=.*
                                 exclude=*.lst
                                 exclude=*~
                                 exclude=#*
                                 linktype=copy # <===== AT THE END : NOT OK

# OK
copy:

   # all the content gets copied
   $(masterinputs)/inputs      dest=$(workdir)/inputs/
                                 linktype=copy # <===== AT THE BEGINNING : OK
                                 define=inputs_changed
                                 recurse=1
                                 owner=root
                                 group=root
                                 mode=700
                                 purge=true # OK BECAUSE $(masterinputs) NOT NFS MOUNTED
                                 timestamps=preserve
                                 type=binary
                                 ignore=.*
                                 exclude=*.lst
                                 exclude=*~
                                 exclude=#*


Maybe I'm misunderstanding something ?