In the past, there were strong reasons for the choices that had to be made while formatting a new drive, and the system administrators sometimes had damn good reasons for particular choices. Two decades ago I did a lot of system administration, so I know very well that what I'm talking about.

However, now, my post https://superuser.com/questions/1550300/setting-up-external-1tb-ssd is now closed as "opinion-based", although it handles the same question in modern times.

Why?

In my understanding, though some answers in the comments are opinion-based, other answers are argument-based. Moreover, whether the answers are opinion-based or not changes nothing on whether the question is opinion-based or not. There is a difference between opinion-based answers and opinion-based questions. Some users gave valid technical, argument-based (rather than opinion-based) reasons in comments (which are gone now, unfortunately) why particular choices make a difference today, whereas others, on the contrary, gave technical reasons why any choice would do. Saying "you can format your drive as you wish in case ... because of technical reason ..." and "you are advised to setup the file system XYZ in case ... because of technical reason ..." would provide a reader with valid answers.

In fact, the question is technical to the best of my experience. I know very well which answer I would accept, if there would be proper answers based on the comments, and for which technical reasons (rather than for which opinions).

Therefore, I kindly ask to vote for reopening the question.