diff --git a/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/alert.rst b/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/alert.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28d0cf1bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/alert.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+alert() Netscript Function
+============================
+
+.. js:function:: alert(message)
+
+    :RAM cost: 0 GB
+    :param string message: message to display
+
+    Spawns an alert box.
+
+    Example:
+
+    .. code-block:: javascript
+
+        alert("Reached $1b");
diff --git a/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/toast.rst b/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/toast.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16a9443af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/netscript/basicfunctions/toast.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+toast() Netscript Function
+============================
+
+.. js:function:: toast(message[, variant])
+
+    :RAM cost: 0 GB
+    :param string message: message to display
+    :param success|info|warning|error variant: color of the toast
+
+    Spawns a toast (those bottom left notifications).
+
+    Example:
+
+    .. code-block:: javascript
+
+        toast("Reached $1b");
+        toast("Failed to hack home", "error");
diff --git a/src/Message/MessageHelpers.ts b/src/Message/MessageHelpers.ts
index a5e080702..90dd104d1 100644
--- a/src/Message/MessageHelpers.ts
+++ b/src/Message/MessageHelpers.ts
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ import { Reviver } from "../utils/JSONReviver";
 function sendMessage(msg: Message, forced = false): void {
   msg.recvd = true;
   if (forced || !Settings.SuppressMessages) {
-    showMessage(msg);
+    showMessage(msg.filename);
   }
   addMessageToServer(msg, "home");
 }
 
-function showMessage(msg: Message): void {
+function showMessage(name: string): void {
+  const msg = Messages[name];
+  if (!msg) throw new Error("trying to display unexistent message");
   const txt =
     "Message received from unknown sender: <br><br>" +
     "<i>" +
@@ -39,12 +41,11 @@ function addMessageToServer(msg: Message, serverHostname: string): void {
   }
   for (let i = 0; i < server.messages.length; ++i) {
     const other = server.messages[i];
-    if (typeof other === "string") continue;
-    if (msg.filename === other.filename) {
+    if (msg.filename === other) {
       return; //Already exists
     }
   }
-  server.messages.push(msg);
+  server.messages.push(msg.filename);
 }
 
 //Checks if any of the 'timed' messages should be sent
diff --git a/src/NetscriptFunctions.ts b/src/NetscriptFunctions.ts
index cc0192905..d748a8b77 100644
--- a/src/NetscriptFunctions.ts
+++ b/src/NetscriptFunctions.ts
@@ -1336,7 +1336,7 @@ function NetscriptFunctions(workerScript: WorkerScript): NS {
       if (scriptname.endsWith(".lit")) {
         let found = false;
         for (let i = 0; i < currServ.messages.length; ++i) {
-          if (!(currServ.messages[i] instanceof Message) && currServ.messages[i] == scriptname) {
+          if (currServ.messages[i] == scriptname) {
             found = true;
             break;
           }
@@ -1462,20 +1462,11 @@ function NetscriptFunctions(workerScript: WorkerScript): NS {
       for (let i = 0; i < server.messages.length; i++) {
         if (filter) {
           const msg = server.messages[i];
-          if (msg instanceof Message) {
-            if (msg.filename.includes(filter)) {
-              allFiles.push(msg.filename);
-            }
-          } else if (msg.includes(filter)) {
+          if (msg.includes(filter)) {
             allFiles.push(msg);
           }
         } else {
-          const msg = server.messages[i];
-          if (msg instanceof Message) {
-            allFiles.push(msg.filename);
-          } else {
-            allFiles.push(msg);
-          }
+          allFiles.push(server.messages[i]);
         }
       }
 
@@ -1770,7 +1761,7 @@ function NetscriptFunctions(workerScript: WorkerScript): NS {
         }
       }
       for (let i = 0; i < server.messages.length; ++i) {
-        if (!(server.messages[i] instanceof Message) && filename.toLowerCase() === server.messages[i]) {
+        if (filename.toLowerCase() === server.messages[i]) {
           return true;
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/SaveObject.tsx b/src/SaveObject.tsx
index fb03e56fa..ddbbb382a 100755
--- a/src/SaveObject.tsx
+++ b/src/SaveObject.tsx
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ function evaluateVersionCompatibility(ver: string): void {
     if (anyPlayer.corporation === 0) {
       anyPlayer.corporation = null;
     }
+    // convert all Messages to just filename to save space.
+    const home = anyPlayer.getHomeComputer();
+    for (let i = 0; i < home.messages.length; i++) {
+      if (home.messages[i].filename) {
+        home.messages[i] = home.messages[i].filename;
+      }
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Server/BaseServer.ts b/src/Server/BaseServer.ts
index d1f06f372..a69478c95 100644
--- a/src/Server/BaseServer.ts
+++ b/src/Server/BaseServer.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export class BaseServer {
   // For Literature files, this array contains only the filename (string)
   // For Messages, it contains the actual Message object
   // TODO Separate literature files into its own property
-  messages: (Message | string)[] = [];
+  messages: string[] = [];
 
   // Name of company/faction/etc. that this server belongs to.
   // Optional, not applicable to all Servers
diff --git a/src/Terminal/commands/cat.ts b/src/Terminal/commands/cat.ts
index d3b433c6f..196843e96 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/commands/cat.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal/commands/cat.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { IRouter } from "../../ui/Router";
 import { IPlayer } from "../../PersonObjects/IPlayer";
 import { BaseServer } from "../../Server/BaseServer";
 import { showMessage } from "../../Message/MessageHelpers";
-import { Message } from "../../Message/Message";
 import { showLiterature } from "../../Literature/LiteratureHelpers";
 
 export function cat(
@@ -29,12 +28,12 @@ export function cat(
     for (let i = 0; i < server.messages.length; ++i) {
       if (filename.endsWith(".lit") && server.messages[i] === filename) {
         const file = server.messages[i];
-        if (file instanceof Message) throw new Error(".lit file should not be a .msg");
+        if (file.endsWith(".msg")) throw new Error(".lit file should not be a .msg");
         showLiterature(file);
         return;
       } else if (filename.endsWith(".msg")) {
-        const file = server.messages[i] as Message;
-        if (file.filename !== filename) continue;
+        const file = server.messages[i];
+        if (file !== filename) continue;
         showMessage(file);
         return;
       }
diff --git a/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx b/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
index 165df17d7..51956e8d8 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
+++ b/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { ITerminal } from "../ITerminal";
 import { IRouter } from "../../ui/Router";
 import { IPlayer } from "../../PersonObjects/IPlayer";
 import { BaseServer } from "../../Server/BaseServer";
-import { Message } from "../../Message/Message";
 import { getFirstParentDirectory, isValidDirectoryPath, evaluateDirectoryPath } from "../../Terminal/DirectoryHelpers";
 
 export function ls(
@@ -103,8 +102,7 @@ export function ls(
   for (const script of s.scripts) handleFn(script.filename, allScripts);
   for (const txt of s.textFiles) handleFn(txt.fn, allTextFiles);
   for (const contract of s.contracts) handleFn(contract.fn, allContracts);
-  for (const msgOrLit of s.messages)
-    msgOrLit instanceof Message ? handleFn(msgOrLit.filename, allMessages) : handleFn(msgOrLit, allMessages);
+  for (const msgOrLit of s.messages) handleFn(msgOrLit, allMessages);
 
   // Sort the files/folders alphabetically then print each
   allPrograms.sort();
diff --git a/src/Terminal/commands/scp.ts b/src/Terminal/commands/scp.ts
index a675cc668..03b8b25ed 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/commands/scp.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal/commands/scp.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function scp(
     if (scriptname.endsWith(".lit")) {
       let found = false;
       for (let i = 0; i < server.messages.length; ++i) {
-        if (!(server.messages[i] instanceof Message) && server.messages[i] == scriptname) {
+        if (server.messages[i] == scriptname) {
           found = true;
           break;
         }
diff --git a/src/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.ts b/src/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.ts
index 184f07e40..d65c8834d 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export function determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion(
 
   function addAllLitFiles(): void {
     for (const file of currServ.messages) {
-      if (!(file instanceof Message)) {
+      if (!file.endsWith(".msg")) {
         allPos.push(file);
       }
     }
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ export function determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion(
 
   function addAllMessages(): void {
     for (const file of currServ.messages) {
-      if (file instanceof Message) {
-        allPos.push(file.filename);
+      if (file.endsWith(".msg")) {
+        allPos.push(file);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.test.ts b/test/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.test.ts
index b75bdda21..832b3addc 100644
--- a/test/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.test.ts
+++ b/test/Terminal/determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion.test.ts
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ describe("determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion", function () {
     Player.getHomeComputer().writeToTextFile("note.txt", "oh hai mark");
     Player.getHomeComputer().writeToScriptFile("/www/script.js", "oh hai mark");
     Player.getHomeComputer().contracts.push(new CodingContract("linklist.cct"));
-    Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push(new Message("asl.msg"));
+    Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push("asl.msg");
     Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push("af.lit");
     expect(determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion(Player, "rm ", 0)).equal([
       "/www/script.js",
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ describe("determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion", function () {
 
   it("completes the cat command", () => {
     Player.getHomeComputer().writeToTextFile("/www/note.txt", "oh hai mark");
-    Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push(new Message("asl.msg"));
+    Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push("asl.msg");
     Player.getHomeComputer().messages.push("af.lit");
     expect(determineAllPossibilitiesForTabCompletion(Player, "cat ", 0)).equal([
       "asl.msg",