[tor-bugs] #18203 [Metrics/Metrics website]: Base direct user estimates on responses to directory requests, rather than responses (was: Base direct user estimates on responses to directory requests)

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#18203: Base direct user estimates on responses to directory requests, rather than
responses
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 Reporter:  karsten                  |          Owner:
     Type:  enhancement              |         Status:  new
 Priority:  Medium                   |      Milestone:
Component:  Metrics/Metrics website  |        Version:
 Severity:  Minor                    |     Resolution:
 Keywords:                           |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:                           |         Points:
 Reviewer:                           |        Sponsor:
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Comment (by dcf):

 Counting responses rather than requests may fix a problem we observe in
 #18203, where a Tor blocking event in Turkey caused a paradoxical
 ''increase'' rather than decrease in the direct-user graph. dgoulet found
 that the increase in the graphs corresponded with an increase in the
 number of failed consensus downloads from the directory authorities.

 comment:13:ticket:21014:
 > This indeed makes me think that the metrics graphs are overcounting
 users in this case where consensus downloads are being interrupted. That's
 why the direct-user graphs show ''more'' users when in reality there are
 probably fewer.
 >
 > #18203 is a proposal to base direct-user counts on directory
 ''responses'', rather than directory ''requests''. Doing that might solve
 this overcounting issue.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/18203#comment:2>
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