Yes, i'd guess a simple message might start at around 1kB and in a chat application you probably never exceed 2kB. Considering the massive amount of data i can store on even the cheapest smart phone, the available bandwidth even under bad conditions, i'd say, that's a totally acceptable size. It could be less for sure, but it's not bad.

And it's plain text, so storage is not even a problem, it's easily compressed!

Now, don't let me compare 1kB data download to visiting a website and all the crapload i download for the simplest webpage nowadays...

I agree, in the grand scheme of everything internet/web, it’s not even a rounding error. And yet, the 2000% overhead is viscerally bothering me.

I’m not even saying “there must be a better way” - it is quite possible that there isn’t given the politics involved and the incumbents. Delta is usable, today, with everyone; no need for buy in from your addressees.

But, it still hurts.

Yep. Actually, i've used it now with some friends and it works very well. Part of them is only using email, 2 are using the apps.

Two quirks: 1. Of course your mail provider needs to have IMAP enabled (some corporate outlook/exchange installations do not). 2. It could be a problem if you mail provider has a limit on maximum mails per day. I've not experienced that problem, but still..

They are working on it https://delta.chat/en/2020-03-11-reduced-message-size