[tor-dev] Scaling tor for a global population

[Mike Perry]

M. Ziebell:
> Besides the fact that this could be a great opportunity for tor in many
> ways I see two problems we should consider:
> 
> - this vastly growth would be "artificial". What happens to all the
>   users and servers if they stop supporting the product or close-down?

In this case, presumably the users would disappear, as this vendor's
browser product would no longer include Tor (and I would hope push out
an update that removed the feature).

> - IMHO it is a problem if the network expands because the SOME users
>   pay for it. Don't get me wrong. I know that many people are willing
>   to spend their private money to run tor-relays ... but I know of no
>   user who have to pay for it. (Expect torplug, but that is a different
>   story) 

Well, I think the model we are considering is that a vendor is
monitizing their users some other way (perhaps because they purchased
the phone that comes with Tor on it, or through advertising revenue
during non-private mode).

This vendor would presumably then have an interest in contributing
either relays, money, or both to make sure the Tor network is fast
enough to be useful to their users.

I am worried that this particular vendor is thinking about just using
our Tor Browser patches without talking to us on the engineering side,
but I guess this is still in the initial stages of discussion.

-- 
Mike Perry
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