[_bxg1]

What I've noticed is that much of the distaste with Electron apps has more to do with the idea of waste than with the actual practical implications. Programmers like things to be efficient and optimized. Electron sacrifices those traits in a couple of ways, in favor of actual productivity.

So "the downsides of Electron outweigh the downsides of native apps" when you're someone who patrols the task manager looking for things to be upset about. Your chat client - one of half a dozen applications you realistically have open - using 400MB of RAM on your 32GB workstation does not have a meaningful impact on your workflow. It's just offensive.

[ckuhl]

I think it definitely depends on your use-case. Like you wrote, if everything else you have open also churns through battery life, it's unlikely having Slack open will make a difference.

However, if your other applications are a terminal, other efficient text editor (e.g. Sublime), and other generally respectful apps, I've found having Slack open is the difference between having enough battery life to work all day, and not.

[oselhn]

But that is just one one electron app. Imagine that every desktop app you use is written in electron. I am pretty sure that even 32GB workstation would be stretched to the limits.

[dictum]

32GB workstations are the exception, not the norm. I'd wager most people are using Slack from computers with 8GB RAM (e.g. every 13 inch Macbook Pro that isn't built to order) and at least one browser open at all times.

(I'm not against web APIs as a platform for desktop apps, but I'm happier using Webkit wrappers and I think this would be improved, cross-platform, if Chrome could effectively host the apps that currently ship with their own instance of Electron or CEF)