[tor-dev] Proposal 334: A flag to mark Relays as middle-only

[Neel Chauhan]

Hi,

I have an updated proposal which addresses your concerns, along with 
David Goulet's comments on GitLab.

On 2021-09-07 12:47, s7r wrote:
> Hi Neel,
> 
> Please add a "MOTIVATION" section and explain in detail why is this
> needed for the network/heath team and how will it improve things? Also
> include in the "MOTIVATION" section the following:
> 
> - Why not play with the Exit/Guard to achieve the same goal, why not
> possible? what is the goal -- we need to know the goal to further
> discuss this.

I have an updated proposal which addresses your concerns, along with 
David Goulet's comments on GitLab.

> - It's something at Directory Authority Level only? So the client /
> relay operator has no decision whatsoever for this flag? What are the
> tie breakers or based on what is this assigned?

This is something assigned at the dirauth-level.

> - How will this work in a wonderful feature I am dreaming of where all
> the relays are Exits and maybe we make walking onions working?

I believe it shouldn't affect these scenarios, but have mentioned we 
should look out for them.

> P.S. Rendezvous point is NOT a less powerful position (at least from
> an onion service server/operator point of view), unless you are using
> vanguards plugin by Mike with rendguard component activated. Because
> it's always chosen by the client connecting to the onion service, and
> we should assume the client is always ~LE~ evil. Trust me on this :)

I have also updated this to be a strictly Middle-only flag, and am not 
giving rendezvous capabilities to MiddleOnly relays.

Sorry about this, but I have taken more-or-less a so-called "break" from 
Tor development for a while. I am technically a volunteer, and my 
$DAYJOB is at "Big Tech" (don't judge, that's where I found work).

I also got FreeBSD "commit bit" (not every Tor developer uses Debian) 
which took time away from Tor volunteer efforts. I am only getting back 
to Tor development as of the past week or two, so I need to refresh my 
memory.

Going back, this update also completes the missing paragraph reported by 
Ian, that seemed to miss me in the original proposal.

-Neel Chauhan
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