I would just use the built-in disk encryption solutions your platform offers. This is also what the TrueCrypt developer recommends.
Are there any known exploitations of weakness in XTS that might work their way back to TrueCrypt?
Most folks use TrueCrypt's disk encryption as a "file container", when they effectively want to encrypt files. Do you know of any tools (cross-platform or otherwise) that would provide the same UX as TrueCrypt while not relying on FDE?
I'm not sure what the best answer is to your second question. I wouldn't use TC for that. I would typically use PGP, but I don't think it has a good UX for general consumption. There may be room for someone to build a better product.
You can't be seriously deferring to that? The end-of-the-line announcement was so completely out of sync with all previous communications from the TC devs, so un-TrueCrypt like, that everything it said should be taken with a huge grain of salt. _Especially_ any advice pertaining to better managing one's security needs.
TrueCrypt's developers chose not to graciously turn their beloved creation over to a wider Internet development community, but rather, ... to attempt to kill it off by creating a dramatically neutered 7.2 version ... - Steve Gibson
I have no idea what's going on with TrueCrypt, Speculations include a massive hack of the TrueCrypt developers, some Lavabit-like forced shutdown, and an internal power struggle within TrueCrypt. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what develops. - Bruce Schneier.
Steve Gibson isn't a cryptographer, and your quote doesn't respond to my question.
Bruce Schneier I'll have to accept as a totally valid rebuttal to my implied point. This is something that really irritates me about Schneier, for what it's worth. He's also behind a meme that elliptic curve cryptography is less safe than RSA, when the reality is almost the opposite.
Given the context of the thread, how is this not using developer's recommendation as an endorsement? What TC dev said bears absolutely zero weight regardless of whether it aligns with your opinion or not.
My professional opinion is my own. The developer's opinion is also relevant (to people who don't buy into nonsensical conspiracy theories), so I mentioned it.