> A committed Windows user who just noted they depend on iMessages probably isn't a great prospect for your proselytizing, anyway

Thank you for your advice, but if you've been following the recent trends, more and more committed Windows users are switching to Linux. Especially among the technical audience that comments on HN. Examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47548437, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47614197, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47995030. Concerning the iMessage, there is nothing one can do here: It's a well-designed walled garden. You either embrace it or leave.

Yes, JS-heavy websites are a nightmare for most non-recent hardware. Nobody promised you that you won't have to make any compromises to fight for your freedom though.

> my phone being locked down by my employer's IT policy

This is basically lying, whereas I truly own a legitimate smartphone which they do not support - and they have to respond somehow.

My example was that specific user, FWIW.

I send and receive iMessages perfectly fine on my non-iOS devices. It's doable, much more so than running ancient hardware is, but there's a reason I don't constantly bring it up with people who haven't asked.

The PinePhone Pro wasn't a compromise, it was unusable. Maybe that's improved since then.

I set the IT policy for my devices. I sleep fine saying I can't install crapware on it. It's my primary business device and that cones with sensible restrictions.