I've never even questioned deleting the system messages. I too refer back once in a while & like having them to refer to. I've always felt that Dave is the one governing it & it's his space we're taking up with cached system messages & he must have the room or he would let us know. As long as Dave is in the driver's seat I'm not a bit concerned with it. I figure Dave must have a couple billion terabytes (or more).
This did prompt me, like so many others, to go look.
438 pages???????
Geez Louise!