this fact alone hints at an architectural issue in both instant messaging on nostr and the pop/imap protocols

they are instant messaging, yet they pile up like forever data that 99.999999% is completely worthless

this is why my idea of proper instant messaging (including large, richtext messages) should be cached but not archived, and for the most part, deleted

that is, it's primary conveyance is pure relay, no caching... caches are specialised relays that you set up to subscribe to catch your messages and store them for later... if everyone had some kind of "chanserv" for their messaging (including everything, really) you could cut out the whole relay list concept altogether and instead replace entirely with outbox where for most cases you simply send your messages to the relays where other users will read them, and those relays will be subscribed by their home and office chanservs that will archive and make these accessible to the users via the relay only relays that do middleman service

there's a whole vision i have in there about that, maybe that does give you some hint at it tho