I think the difference is that those apps come preinstalled by Apple. Most users would think, if I install a bit of software, I can remove it later. That's normal behavior. If the KEXT installation process has a way of getting software into the special hidey-hole, it should provide a way of getting software out of it again if it is user-installed.

Wah, I misread then! I thought this was a new Apple-supplied program joining its others in being non-removable. I agree this is even worse then; I just also think I should be able to remove Safari, Chess, et al. too.

One can't remove 'Apple apps' because Apple follows the BSD logic: https://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/01

Apple, protecting the user from himself?

As for removing IE. My understanding is that this would perhaps remove the UI and certain other assets, but the engine and various other bits would remain as the rest of the Windows UI relies on it.

Or at least that seemed to be the technical side of the claim that IE could not be removed during the antitrust trial.

Yeah, IE has at least two parts: "mshtml.dll" which is the rendering engine, and "iexplore.exe" which is the UI frame around it. On my system mshtml is 23MB and iexplore is 800kB, so I think we can infer where most of the logic is.

Microsoft made the integrated help, "active desktop", and I think a few parts of Explorer depend on mshtml.dll.

As well as, what was the first wave of "Electron" apps, thankfully largely ignored.

You forgot to mention Chess. You can't trash Chess.