[tor-relays] Unwarranted discrimination of relays with dynamic IP

[Rana]

Thank you @Gamby for echoing my sentiment. 

While there can be a good tech reason for considering small relays useless, the small relay operators MUST be properly and openly advised about how useful or useless their relays are. I even have read about someone's suggestion of gamification of such feedback - which I think is a damn good idea , eg give people badges based on how USEFUL their relays are.

I heard here an idea that it's good that a lot of people run relays because their joining the party increases the size of the crowd that supports privacy. Well, a global crowd of 7000 is a pathetically small one considering the target, and people should run relays not because this makes them feel good about themselves but because they are convinced that their relays are being USED for a good purpose. If the small relays are largely unused (eg if 10% of the relays carry 90% of the Tor traffic - does anyone have an exact statistics on this?) and if, in addition,  there is no increased anonymity benefit in having a lot of small relays, then why bother? 


-----Original Message-----
From: tor-relays [mailto:tor-relays-bounces at lists.torproject.org] On Behalf Of Gumby
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2016 6:06 PM
To: tor-relays at lists.torproject.org
Subject: Re: [tor-relays] Unwarranted discrimination of relays with dynamic IP

I have followed this for some time with interest, because I've run 2 relays from "home" connections for over 2 years - at on point three, all on unused older laptops. I have an Archer C7 which can handle 31k connections (theoretically) and have never had issues. My IP address changes maybe 3 times a year.
    I am set at 1 mb up/down - largely unused compared to its capacity, but I really don't care as long as it runs. I have had as many as 3700 connections but usually 150 or so. I still do not care - I have felt that this still provides for someone, somewhere.
    I will continue, without getting upset over unused "horsepower". 
With that said however - if the authority feels I am pathetically useless (reminds me of the testosterone ego of high school jocks) then what would happen if all the small relays - like me - say piss on it? At what point does this entire Tor freedom concept become the field of rich, unlimited bandwidth mavens?

And incidentally, those jocks would never had graduated if not for the "nerds" that tutored them - the little guys provide a hell of a lot more than people realize.

Gumby