[tor-mirrors] Outdated mirrors hide / Link to the 'Mirrors' at title page

Fri Jun 21 12:47:23 UTC 2013

> >  that the current mirror (on which script is executed)
> Well, you didn't mean server-side
Yes, I meant a client script. I just discovered that the site really 
doesn't include any client-side scripts, so my suggestion to implement a 
script is useless due to this policy. Maybe someone can suggest 
something better.

On 06/21/2013 04:39 PM, Taiga-san wrote:
>> It will run on user's computer and will try to access the other mirrors'
> timestamps and if it will discover, that the current mirror (on which script
> is executed) is definitely outdated, the warning and some links to
> up-to-date mirrors will appear. Maybe even automatic redirect.
> In other words you want some JavaScript code on the TOR page contacting a
> lot of different pages from an eventually outdated list silently in the
> background and additionally change the page wether the user wants it or not.
>
> JavaScript can compromise your privacy which is exactly why it's disabled in
> the TOR Browser. I'm not paranoid, however, if I'm looking for some strong
> privacy/anonymity proxy like TOR, there are some things I don't want so see
> like some JS contacting other sites, ads, lots of cookies etc.
>
>   >  that the current mirror (on which script is executed)
> Well, you didn't mean server-side, still: I'm against server-side scripts.
> The PHP engine is disabled for the TOR mirror on my server and anything else
> like CGI, Perl, SSI etc. is globally disabled (module not loaded) and I
> won't change that.
>
> While I agree that there's the need of making it better, I can't imagine a
> good technical way to do it. That's probably why the things are like they
> are at the moment.
>
> PS: Sorry for any mistakes made.
>
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: tor-mirrors [mailto:tor-mirrors-bounces at lists.torproject.org] Im
> Auftrag von Thwarth Wrhalthssen
> Gesendet: Freitag, 21. Juni 2013 13:22
> An: mirroring the tor website and distribution directory
> Betreff: Re: [tor-mirrors] Outdated mirrors hide / Link to the 'Mirrors' at
> title page
>
>> Mostly because people find the mirrors in search engine results, and
>> when it links to our page, they find they're out of date. This is a
>> hint to not use them.
> People, who should probably use a mirror, will not access the TorProject.org
> with actual statuses of mirrors. Instead, they will access some random
> mirror, possibly outdated, with the outdated mirror list. So, the
> information about a status of any particular mirror which they will gather
> from it, will be unuseful. So, I think there is no actually need in keeping
> outdated mirrors in the list non-hidden.
>
>> If torproject.org is blocked, finding the mirrors page isn't going to
>> help you.
> If TorProject.org is blocked, it will be a small chance to find an
> up-to-date mirror on the net. For now, if you find some mirror, you never
> know if it is updated or not. Apparently, there need to be a method to
> display the mirror status, maybe on the title page.
>
> Some script on the title page can be implemented, that will gather
> information from all known updated mirrors about latest actual timestamp. It
> will run on user's computer and will try to access the other mirrors'
> timestamps and if it will discover, that the current mirror (on which script
> is executed) is definitely outdated, the warning and some links to
> up-to-date mirrors will appear. Maybe even automatic redirect. I think it
> can be implemented easily and will add a plenty of accessibility and
> popularity to the mirrors.
> 	
> Suggestions from all the operators concerned are very welcome.
>
> On 06/20/2013 01:54 AM, Andrew Lewman wrote:
>> On Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:27:47 +0400
>> Thwarth Wrhalthssen<wrhalthssen at ya.ru>   wrote:
>>
>>> I think the mirrors page should be redesigned a little. What is the
>>> purpose of displaying all outdated and non-accessible mirrors? The
>>> owners of such mirrors are barely interested in maintaining them, so,
>>> I think, the best option is just to remove or hide them from the
>>> list. If owner of such mirror is interested in running it updated,
>>> he'll notice, that his site isn't listed anymore, he'll update it and
>>> his mirror will show up again in the list. Additionaly, it would be
>>> great to add a Javascript code to the list to make it possible to
>>> filter mirrors by country and services accessible (and a tiny country
>>> flags, just for lucidity).
>> Mostly because people find the mirrors in search engine results, and
>> when it links to our page, they find they're out of date. This is a
>> hint to not use them.
>>
>> Frankly, the whole mirroring system needs a rewrite and update.
>>
>>> The second issue is the access to the mirrors page. For now you need
>>> to scroll down to the bottom page and find a tiny 'Mirrors' link in
>>> the 'Get Involved' section. Isn't it difficult enough? The Tor
>>> software is blocked in variety of countries and the mirrors are
>>> essential part of maintaining Tor website accessible, so isn't it
>>> right to make a link to the mirrors list somehow more accessible? I
>>> mean, for example, put 'Mirrors' list in the top navigation section
>>> ('Home', 'About Tor' etc). I believe lot of people failed to find
>>> this list just because it's location on the site is non-obvious.
>>> Maybe a crucial part of them are simply don't know the mirrors list
>>> exist.
>> Mostly because we know people find the mirrors via search engines, not
>> linking to our site. If torproject.org is blocked, finding the mirrors
>> page isn't going to help you.
>>
>> We're open to ideas here.
>>
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