[tor-bugs] #2644 [Vidalia]: Chosing to relay should not default to being an exit

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#2644: Chosing to relay should not default to being an exit
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 Reporter:  StrangeCharm  |          Owner:  chiiph
     Type:  enhancement   |         Status:  new   
 Priority:  major         |      Milestone:        
Component:  Vidalia       |        Version:        
 Keywords:                |         Parent:        
   Points:                |   Actualpoints:        
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 In the 'Sharing' tab on Vidalia, there are three choices:
 -Run as a client only
 -Relay traffic for the Tor network
 -Help censored users reach the Tor network

 The second option creates an exit node, not just a middleman relay. A user
 has to manually go to the 'Exit Policies' sub-tab and un-check all the
 boxes if they only want to be a middleman.

 Running a non-exit relay is very easy, requires almost no work, and is
 unlikely to create trouble for the user. Running an exit takes a much more
 considerable amount of work, and can make life very difficult if the user
 isn't expecting it. Since only prepared or experienced users should
 consider being exits, it makes more sense to make non-exit relays
 Vidalia's default.

 To further reinforce this point, perhaps setting up an exit should be
 accompanied by a more extensive disclaimer, referencing /Tips for Running
 an Exit Node with Minimal Harassment/, or a similar resource. I suspect
 that many folks avoid running relays because they use these default
 options, receive a nasty letter from their ISP, and don't realize that
 they can run a non-exit relay instead. Another choice to reduce the pain
 (and therefore attrition rate) of exits might be to offer the "reduced
 exit policy' as an option out of the box, rather than forcing the user to
 find and implement those resources on their own.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/2644>
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