I just checked and my second gmail login downloaded 500 KB before it became usable. Browser allows for caching of downloaded code.
> do not risk having to do it when being on a metered or spotty connection because your cache is not warm or the webmail got yet another update, which can happen at any time. You can apply Thunderbird updates when you are on a good connection.
I agree with your point. I think that it's possible to implement a separate update for web apps with explicit request, but it's rarely done and unusual for web.
> You can access your mails offline, you don't re-download them each time you open them. It's faster, even on a good connection.
Web browser allows for local storage and offline work which could be utilized for those features. You can enable offline mode in Gmail. I just checked, it works.
Sure, but tomorrow? This afternoon?
500 KB is 1-2 seconds on the connection I'm currently using (not at home right know). It's 4-5 seconds on the train to get there… in the sections were connectivity is available. 500 KB is huge. That's 1% of my previous monthly mobile data plan.
I think we should revisit our idea of what amount of data is fine to do anything on the web today. Data transfer is not free, it needs infrastructure and electricity.
500 KB should be the amount of data to download for getting the full web application with cold caches, tops. Can you imagine the number of instructions you can fit in 500 KB of code, especially high level? I can't.
> Web browser allows for local storage and offline work which could be utilized for those features. You can enable offline mode in Gmail. I just checked, it works.
I guess, but I don't trust this. And as a web developer, I am well aware that local storage is limited in size and there is no way my gigabytes of mails are going to fit.
https://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/151823/how-to-se...
Compare to the mutt package, a fully features mail client, weighting in at ~1.8 MiB — without the need for an additional gigantic runtime.
I'm not saying mutt is an alternative to GMail for most people. But just to give some feeling for the size relations here.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities...
You do it only once, do not risk having to do it when being on a metered or spotty connection because your cache is not warm or the webmail got yet another update, which can happen at any time. You can apply Thunderbird updates when you are on a good connection.
You can access your mails offline, you don't re-download them each time you open them. It's faster, even on a good connection.
> configure
The configuration part for most providers is essentially typing one's email address and password, so there is not much to say.
> allow unlimited access to your computer
That is why I am reluctant to run non-free software, but Thunderbird is free, I can reasonably trust it. Especially the version packaged by my OS vendor. I agree a better isolation for native desktop apps may be desirable though.