That's correct: I use FOSS where possible, and if I must use closed source it must store data in an open standard.
As you insist on evidence: I can create and open 100% of my archives in all systems I use now or in the foreseeable future without installing additional software. RAR fails that test.
The other reason: RAR is a closed format, and like I said there are better alternatives that are not proprietary.
Likewise your philosophy is that RAR is best and you are free to have that opinion also without providing evidence.
Personally I choose to not deal with RAR and use a format that isn't proprietary, isn't patent encumbered, and is FOSS. These are rational, evidence based choices. There are plenty of alternatives that fit my needs better as well as those of my clients and peers.
I can find faults in any of them, but mostly hate working with Redhat/CentOS/Fedora. Strongly prefer Debian over Ubuntu, and I strongly prefer Gentoo over Arch. SUSE is an unknown, not sure about that one.
Indeed, I don't trust those either. As for RAR being "bad", no I don't agree with that - but I've only ever seen it used in that context. If someone sent me one it would raise an eyebrow, much more so than if someone sent me a .7z file. Likewise if I used it professionally, it would arouse suspicions amongst my peers more than if I used 7zip.
I've never come across a legitimate use of RAR, you are quite right about the link to warez/virus/trojans and other malware but it will never shake that association. As for Kaspersky, I trust that steaming pile of Russian spyware even less.
This is great news, I've just switched to Firefox & Firefox Focus on Android as a longtime user of Mobile Chrome and Desktop Firefox. It always felt weak on mobile, but things have changed. Still hating the purple though, and the placement of the new tab button but that's a small price to pay.
It's much the same when I send .tar.gz / .tgz files. Folk get uppity about it not being .zip. I don't bother with other formats purely because I know I can expand them anywhere without installing additional software.
As for .rar, I always view them with suspicion. Dodgy.
I know I'm probably in the minority here but.... I'm a desk jockey.
I don't use Lemmy on a handheld. I didn't use Reddit that way either. The web interface works well enough for me, or rather whatever lemmy.ca uses is good when set to vaporwave-light. Try the different themes, some are better than others.
The pagination though... it's a little short for my taste but I prefer it over doomscrolling.
I kinda dabbled in most of them, except 4chan. In no particular order: Various webrings, usenet, tumblr, stumbleupon, digg, kiro5hin, reddit, slashdot, twitter, lots of rss. More reading than posting.
I use ChromeOS because I use Google Workspace. It gives me a cheap portable machine for work, and for meetings I rather carry that than a £2000 overspec'd heavy 15" laptop. It's the cheapest of the cheap, and it can run Linux in a VM with Firefox. It has fantastic battery life. I also run Linux on the laptop, and on a Desktop PC, as well as servers.
In my mind, ChromeOS works. It's literally a browser with a screen, a keyboard, and some deep-rooted privacy concerns.
As for Windows, that I don't understand the need in 2023. I switched to Debian, and immediately saw better thermals, less fan noise, faster boot, longer battery life, and all sort of other improvements. Given Linux/Windows/MacOS/DOS/iOS/Android are all effectively launchers for apps and provide broadly the same services I don't really care which, but I will choose the ones that make me most productive.
Here's hoping that happens, but it still won't fix two things: Firefox is kinda weird and clumsy on mobile, and it'll still need attestation if that's implemented on key websites as a hard-barrier to usage. I'm now on Android (I alternate between the two, so next cycle will be Apple), and even as a highly technical type I don't sideload on there anyway, so I think few will sideload on iOS either.
This is good in some ways and I welcome the BBC to the fediverse as an important step to universal acceptance. It's far better than using flaky bridges from other social networks.
What is disappointing is the very small range of content provided so far, Radio 4 & 5 plus some curiosities. I'd hoped for the excellent 6 Music channel. Let's see if they keep up with the sports in particular on 5. I'm glad that it's divided by station / topic so I can follow only what interests me.
I too would like more national broadcasters to get onboard. CBC I'm sure have some interesting content to share with the world, as do ABC, RTE, NZBC, others? I'd love to have culture from across the globe, which is the real value for Mastodon for me rather than as a news feed.
That's correct: I use FOSS where possible, and if I must use closed source it must store data in an open standard.
As you insist on evidence: I can create and open 100% of my archives in all systems I use now or in the foreseeable future without installing additional software. RAR fails that test.
The other reason: RAR is a closed format, and like I said there are better alternatives that are not proprietary.
Likewise your philosophy is that RAR is best and you are free to have that opinion also without providing evidence.