[tor-talk] General questions about Tor proxy

[Joe Btfsplk]

On 5/19/2014 1:26 PM, Akater wrote:
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>> Some people think the only valid / conceivable form
>> of community / comms on the net are 'forums'.
>> Well, they're free to set one up.
> No pro-forum argument, but one can see why someone would prefer forums
> to mailing lists. Some reasons can be clearly identified. And it's true
> for other forms of communication.
I'm not avidly pro list or forum for something like Tor.  There are pros 
& cons, no matter what format is used.

Mailing lists aren't as user friendly to search old topics.  Yes, 
there's an archive.
It's not a friendly / easy to search as forums with (good) software.

Mailing lists (& email) are harder to follow on longer topics - where 
one wants to actually follow the entire thread.

On forums or similar layout, it's all laid out on one page (often can 
specify # of comments to a page).
In email, even in "conversation view," have to move from one response to 
next to next.

Sometimes, people top post or bottom post in mailing lists (no amt of 
reminders will ever change this).
In forums, the posting format is fixed.

It's much more difficult to quotes & use certain other formatting for 
the plain text mailing list messages (and keep the formatting easy to 
read).  Attachments or images aren't possible in plain text mailing 
lists (except thru links).

I know nothing about *difficulty of maintaining* mailing lists vs. 
forums.  I'd assume mailing list is easier.
However, many small (one man), open source freeware devs choose forums 
over mailing lists.
Probably because they think it's easier / more useful for many users - 
for various reasons.
Some small devs may make a little $ off adds on their sites (an 
incentive to set up forum), but many of them have few trackers on their 
sites, to deliver the ads;
many like that may barely break even.  But, I guess ? they think a forum 
is important enough to warrant it?  Not sure.

My guess is, a properly run, well-supported forum would attract more 
"avg" users to Tor.  It's a more familiar way for them to get help & 
self help.  One question is, w/ the current complexity* of the browser / 
network & support from a mailing list, will numbers of Tor users keep 
growing at fast enough pace to grow the network, so it will become 
easier to get lost in the crowd?
Continually adding large numbers of users likely means attracting avg 
technical capability users?
*IF* ... the decision is, Tor doesn't want / need avg users (for various 
reasons), so be it.

*Complexity:  Not in the installation or connecting to Tor network, but 
in correct browser use, so anonymity isn't blown.
Complexity of torrifying other apps, etc.  All the things that require 
more technical ability than most avg users have.

Yes, these things are easy to regulars here, or to programmers, etc.  
Those types of things are Greek to avg users & the lack of a single, 
well laid out, up to date user / help manual will likely stop the vast 
majority of avg users from ever trying it.  Not belittling anyone - just 
observations, from having worked w/ many "avg users."

If ever there was a "seriously complicated, difficult & vitally 
important" software, that probably needs more support than a mailing 
list typically gives, it has to be Tor.