Re: New Tor distribution for testing: Tor Browser Bundle

[Jacob Appelbaum <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott Bennett wrote:
>      On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 22:19:54 +0100 "Michael Schmidt"
> <schmidtm524@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> top-posted:
>> Steven, i suggest to make it hardcoded default and a Must, that each user,
>> using this browser, is as well running an tor **exit** node,
>> tit for tat. like emule partials: upload is a MUST.
>> That would help a lot to have more tor-exit nodes.
>> Thanks.
>>
>      That seems a tad impractical for a portable tor bundle, don't you
> think?  If you take your computer to your friendly neighborhood coffee
> shop, I doubt that you will find them so friendly as to be willing to
> reconfigure their wireless router to let you run tor in server mode at
> all, much less as an exit server.
>      And who would determine the exit policy?  The exit policy would
> probably have to be hardcoded as well.
>      Where were you thinking that these changes would be made?  In the
> tor source tree?  Or would a modified tor be packaged into the bundle?
> Perhaps with a different version/release number?
> 
> 

While it may be impractical because of NAT, I certainly don't think it's
impractical to become a Tor server. It's a few lines in the torrc and
you're off.

However, without the ability to punch a hole in your upstream NAT ( With
UPNP or something else), I don't think it's very /useful/ for the Tor
network. Though it's certainly possible without changes to the Tor source.

The bundle ships with Vidalia, so in theory, it's just a check box away
if the user didn't wish to be a server. Still, it seems impractical
unless there's some way to actually *reach* the Tor server.

Regards,
Jacob