[tor-bugs] #31459 [Applications/GetTor]: Almost impossible to get the links via GetTor email service

["Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki" <blackhole@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

#31459: Almost impossible to get the links via GetTor email service
-------------------------------------+--------------------
     Reporter:  mrphs                |      Owner:  (none)
         Type:  defect               |     Status:  new
     Priority:  Medium               |  Milestone:
    Component:  Applications/GetTor  |    Version:
     Severity:  Blocker              |   Keywords:
Actual Points:                       |  Parent ID:
       Points:                       |   Reviewer:
      Sponsor:                       |
-------------------------------------+--------------------
 I was trying to help some folks inside Iran to download the Tor Browser,
 so naturally I tried to give gettor a try...

 At first, I sent an empty email to gettor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx which apparently
 got lost in the void. Then I tried sending an email only with "help" in
 subject and body of the email. I immediately got the help message emailed
 back to me:

 {{{

 This is how you can request a tor browser bundle link.

  Send an email to: gettor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 In the body of the email only write: <operating system> <language>.

 We only support windows, osx and linux as operating systems.

 At the moment please only use en as language.
 }}}

 Then I removed the entire body of the email and typed:

 {{{
 Windows English
 }}}

 Again I got the help message. Then I noticed the last line that says
 currently only 'en' is supported for English. A line I had totally missed
 (I'm guessing I'm not the only one). So I tried again this time with
 `windows en` and yet again what I got in response was the help message. At
 the end, I had to download the Tor Browser and upload it elsewhere for
 those users to download them.

 After some more trial and error I realized ''the only way'' to get the
 links is if I compose a new email as opposed to replying to the gettor
 email. This is counter intuitive and makes it almost impossible for
 everyday users to actually get a working link.

 Being censored already sucks, and spending a considerable amount of time
 to wrestle with a bot to send you the download links to an application so
 you can finally bypass censorship makes it a lot worse.

 I suggest every time gettor fails to understand an email, it should fail
 back to sending Windows_en links which I'm assuming is the most popular
 request.

 I don't know if anyone is currently working on GetTor but I'd consider
 this a blocker for a censored user to download Tor.

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/31459>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online

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