Re: [tor-talk] "Hidden Services" vs "Onion services"

[Roger Dingledine <arma@xxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Nov 12, 2014 at 03:39:05PM -0800, Virgil Griffith wrote:
> I am working on fixing up some aspects of tor2web.  I've heard talk of
> using the term "onion service" or "tor service" instead of "hidden
> service".  I actually like both of these better than "hidden service"
> (which I feel is too ambiguous about which aspects are
> hidden/not-hidden).

Hi Virgil,

I think onion service is a fine phrase. It makes people have to learn
what it is rather than guessing (and often guessing wrong).

I worry that "Tor service" will confuse people, first because it might
make them think it's a thing run by Tor, but second because it might
reinforce that this use case of Tor is what Tor is. (I already have
journalists contacting me asking if other social media sites should
let their users reach them via Tor, and that isn't what they mean to be
asking but here we are.)

I also floated the phrase "protected service" on
https://blog.torproject.org/blog/facebook-hidden-services-and-https-certs
but I don't think it stuck (and also it's a bit klunky).

The other one I've heard and liked was "Tor-enabled service", but I think
the jury is still out on whether that's a good one or too confusing like
"Tor service".

> However, I'm not going to start using a term unless the consensus is
> that that "onion service" or "tor service" is an acceptable synonym.

Thanks for checking first. There sure is a lot going on these days,
and I can see how some things might not seem to be land mines but
then turn out to be.

I'd say pick your favorite and start using it and see if it catches on?

I'm pretty sure by now if you say "onion service" people will know what
you mean, so that might be another vote in its favor.

--Roger

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