tor-webwml.git

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@

       certification, etc.</li>

     </ul>

+    <a id="irc"></a>

     Tor users and developers can also be found in the following channels on <a

     href="http://www.oftc.net/oftc/">oftc</a>:

@@ -323,3 +323,35 @@ table .name {

 	line-height: 18px;

 }

+/* PROJECTS TABLE ----*/

+

+#projects {

+  font-family: sans-serif;

+  width: 100%;

+  border-collapse: collapse;

+}

+

+#projects td, #projects th {

+  font-size: 1.2em;

+  border: 1px solid #98bf21;

+  padding: 3px 7px 2px 7px;

+}

+

+#projects th {

+  font-size: 1.4em;

+  text-align: left;

+  padding-top: 5px;

+  padding-bottom: 4px;

+  background-color: #A7C942;

+  color: #fff;

+}

+

+#projects tr.alt td {

+  color: #000;

+  background-color: #EAF2D3;

+}

+

+#projects a {

+  text-decoration: none;

+}

+

@@ -66,10 +66,476 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     You are using Tor!" in any language.</li>

     </ol>

+    <a id="Projects"></a>

+    <h2><a class="anchor" href="#Projects">Projects</a></h2>

+    

+    <p>

+    Below are a list of Tor related projects we're developing and/or

+    maintaining. Most discussions happen on IRC so if you're interested in any

+    of these (or you have a project idea of your own), then please <a

+    href="<page about/contact>#irc">join us in #tor-dev</a>. Project

+    contributors are listed by their IRC nicks.

+    </p>

+    

+    <table id="projects">

+      <tr>

+        <th>Name</th>

+        <th>Category</th>

+        <th>Language</th>

+        <th>Activity</th>

+        <th>Contributors</th>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-tor">Tor</a></td>

+        <td>Core</td>

+        <td>C</td>

+        <td>Heavy</td>

+        <td>nickm, arma, etc</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-tbb">TBB</a></td>

+        <td>Usability</td>

+        <td>Multiple</td>

+        <td>Heavy</td>

+        <td>helix</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-torsocks">Torsocks</a></td>

+        <td>Usability</td>

+        <td>C</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>mwenge</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td>*<a href="#project-torouter">Torouter</a></td>

+        <td>Usability</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>ioerror, Runa</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-vidalia">Vidalia</a></td>

+        <td>User Interface</td>

+        <td>C++, Qt</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>chiiph</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-arm">Arm</a></td>

+        <td>User Interface</td>

+        <td>Python, Curses</td>

+        <td>Heavy</td>

+        <td>atagar</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-orbot">Orbot</a></td>

+        <td>User Interface</td>

+        <td>Java</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td>n8fr8</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-torbutton">Torbutton</a></td>

+        <td>Browser Add-on</td>

+        <td>Javascript</td>

+        <td>Moderate</td>

+        <td>mikeperry</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td>*<a href="#project-thandy">Thandy</a></td>

+        <td>Updater</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>Sebastian, helix</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-torctl">TorCtl</a></td>

+        <td>Library</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>mikeperry</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td>*<a href="#project-jtor">JTor</a></td>

+        <td>Library</td>

+        <td>Java</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td></td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-metrics">Metrics</a></td>

+        <td>Client Service</td>

+        <td>Java</td>

+        <td>Heavy</td>

+        <td>karsten</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-torstatus">TorStatus</a></td>

+        <td>Client Service</td>

+        <td>PHP</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td></td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-weather">Weather</a></td>

+        <td>Client Service</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>Light</td>

+        <td>kaner</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-gettor">GetTor</a></td>

+        <td>Client Service</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td></td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-torcheck">TorCheck</a></td>

+        <td>Client Service</td>

+        <td>Python, Perl</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td></td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td><a href="#project-bridgedb">BridgeDB</a></td>

+        <td>Backend Service</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td>kaner</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr class="alt">

+        <td><a href="#project-torflow">TorFlow</a></td>

+        <td>Backend Service</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td>mikeperry</td>

+      </tr>

+      

+      <tr>

+        <td>*<a href="#project-torbel">TorBEL</a></td>

+        <td>Backend Service</td>

+        <td>Python</td>

+        <td>None</td>

+        <td>Sebastian</td>

+      </tr>

+    </table>

+    

+    <sub>

+    * Project is still in an alpha state.

+    </sub>

+    

+    <br /><br />

+    

+    <a id="project-tor"></a>

+    <h3>Tor (<a href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/tor.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Tor+Client&component=Tor+Relay&component=vidalia&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Central project, providing the core software for using and participating in

+    the Tor network. Numerous people contribute to the project to varying

+    extents, but the chief architects are Nick Mathewson and Roger Dingledine.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#resistCensorship">Improving Tor's ability to resist

+    censorship</a></i><br />

+    <i><a href="#unitTesting">Improve our unit testing process</a></i><br />

+    <i><a href="#simulateSlowConnections">Simulator for slow Internet connections</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-tbb"></a>

+    <h3><a href="<page projects/torbrowser>">Tor Browser Bundle</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/torbrowser.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Tor+bundles/installation&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    The Tor Browser Bundle is an easy-to-use portable package of Tor, Vidalia,

+    and Firefox preconfigured to work together out of the box. This is actively

+    being worked on by Erinn Clark.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#auditTBB">Audit Tor Browser Bundles for data leaks</a></i><br />

+    <i><a href="#usabilityTesting">Usability testing of Tor</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torsocks"></a>

+    <h3><a href="http://code.google.com/p/torsocks/">Torsocks</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/torsocks.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Torify&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Utility for adapting other applications to work with Tor. Development has

+    slowed and compatibility issues remain with some platforms, but it's

+    otherwise feature complete.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#torsocksForOSX">Make torsocks/dsocks work on OS X</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torouter"></a>

+    <h3><a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/TheOnionRouter/Torouter">Torouter</a> (<a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Torouter&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Project to provide an easy-to-use, embedded Tor instance for routers. This

+    had a couple months of high activity, but has since been rather quiet.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-vidalia"></a>

+    <h3><a href="<page projects/vidalia>">Vidalia</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/vidalia/vidalia/trunk/">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Vidalia&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    The most commonly used user interface for Tor. Matt Edman started the

+    project in 2006 and brought it to its current stable state. Development

+    slowed for several years, though Tomás Touceda has since taken a lead with

+    pushing the project forward.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#vidaliaStatusEventInterface">Tor Controller Status Event Interface for Vidalia</a></i><br />

+    <i><a href="#vidaliaNetworkMap">An Improved and More Usable Network Map in Vidalia</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-arm"></a>

+    <h3><a href="http://www.atagar.com/arm/">Arm</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/arm/trunk/">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=arm&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Command-line monitor for Tor. This has been under very active development

+    by its author, Damian Johnson, since early 2009 to make it a better

+    general-purpose controller for *nix environments.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#armClientMode">Client Mode Use Cases for Arm</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-orbot"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://guardianproject.info/apps/orbot/">Orbot</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/projects/android/trunk/Orbot/">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Orbot&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Provides Tor on the Android platform. This was under very active

+    development up through Fall 2010, after which things have been quiet.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#orbotDevelopment">More on Orbot & Android OS-specific development</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torbutton"></a>

+    <h3><a href="<page torbutton/index>">Torbutton</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/torbutton.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Torbutton&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Firefox addon that addresses many of the client-side threats to browsing

+    the Internet anonymously. Mike has since continued to adapt it to new

+    threats, updated versions of Firefox, and possibly <a

+    href="https://blog.torproject.org/blog/google-chrome-incognito-mode-tor-and-fingerprinting">Chrome

+    as well</a>.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#torbuttonForThunderbird">Torbutton equivalent for Thunderbird</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-thandy"></a>

+    <h3>Thandy (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/thandy.git">code</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Updater for Tor. The project began in the Summer of 2008 but wasn't

+    completed. Recently interest in it has been rekindled and many aspects of

+    its design (including the language it'll be in) are currently in flux.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torctl"></a>

+    <h3>TorCtl (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/pytorctl.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Torctl&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Python bindings and utilities for using the Tor control port. It has been

+    stable for several years, with only minor revisions.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-jtor"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://github.com/brl/JTor/wiki">JTor</a> (<a

+    href="https://github.com/brl/JTor">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://github.com/brl/JTor/issues">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Java implementation of Tor. This project isn't yet complete, and has been

+    inactive since Fall 2010.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-metrics"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://metrics.torproject.org/">Metrics</a> (code: <a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/metrics-db.git">db</a>, <a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/metrics-utils.git">utils</a>, <a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/metrics-web.git">web</a>, <a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/metrics.git">general</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Metrics&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Processing and analytics of consensus data, provided to users via the

+    metrics portal. This has been under active development for several years by

+    Karsten Loesing.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    <b>Project Ideas:</b><br />

+    <i><a href="#trackNetworkStatus">Help track the overall Tor Network status</a></i>

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torstatus"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/TorStatus">TorStatus</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/torstatus/trunk/">code</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Portal providing an overview of the Tor network, and details on any of its

+    current relays. Though very actively used, this project has been

+    unmaintained for a long while.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-weather"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/Weather">Weather</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/weather.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Tor+Weather&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Provides automatic notification to subscribed relay operators when their

+    relay's unreachable. This underwent a rewrite by the <a

+    href="http://hfoss.wesleyan.edu/">Wesleyan HFOSS team</a>, which went live

+    in early 2011.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-gettor"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/EmailAutoResponder">GetTor</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/projects/gettor/">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=GetTor&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    E-mail autoresponder providing Tor's packages over SMTP. This has been

+    relatively unchanged for quite a while.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torcheck"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/TorCheck">TorCheck</a> (<a

+    href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/check/trunk/">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Tor+Check&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Provides a simple site for determining if the visitor is using Tor or not.

+    This has been relatively unchanged for quite a while.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-bridgedb"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/BridgeDB">BridgeDB</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/bridgedb.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=BridgeDB&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Backend bridge distributor, handling the various pools they're distributed

+    in. This was actively developed until Fall of 2010.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torflow"></a>

+    <h3><a href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/TorFlow">TorFlow</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/torflow.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=Torflow&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    Library and collection of services for actively monitoring the Tor network.

+    These include the Bandwidth Scanners (measuring throughput of relays) and

+    SoaT (scans for malicious or misconfigured exit nodes). SoaT was last

+    actively developed in the Summer of 2010, and the Bandwidth Scanners a few

+    months later. Both have been under active use since then, but development

+    has stopped.

+    </p>

+    

+    <a id="project-torbel"></a>

+    <h3><a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/projects/TorBulkExitlist">TorBEL</a> (<a

+    href="https://gitweb.torproject.org/tordnsel.git">code</a>, <a

+    href="https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=needs_review&status=new&status=reopened&component=TorDNSEL/TorBEL&order=priority">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    The Tor Bulk Exitlist provides a method of identifying if IPs belong to

+    exit nodes or not. This is a replacement for TorDNSEL which is a stable

+    (though unmaintained) Haskell application for this purpose. The initial

+    version of TorBEL was started in GSOC 2010 but since then the project has

+    been inactive.

+    </p>

+    

+    <!--

+    Copy and fill out the following for new projects:

+    

+    <a id="project-"></a>

+    <h3><a href=""></a> (<a

+    href="">code</a>, <a

+    href="">bug

+    tracker</a>)</h3>

+    

+    <p>

+    </p>

+    

+    -->

+    

     <a id="Coding"></a>

     <a id="Summer"></a>

-    <a id="Projects"></a>

-    <h2><a class="anchor" href="#Projects">Good Coding Projects</a></h2>

+    <h2><a class="anchor" href="#Coding">Project Ideas</a></h2>

     <p>

     You may find some of these projects to be good <a href="<page

@@ -86,6 +552,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     <ol>

+    <a id="auditTBB"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Audit Tor Browser Bundles for data leaks</b>

     <br>

@@ -112,6 +579,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     TBB, please contact Erinn.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="trackNetworkStatus"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Help track the overall Tor Network status</b>

     <br>

@@ -140,6 +608,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     Status wish list</a>.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="resistCensorship"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Improving Tor's ability to resist censorship</b>

     <br>

@@ -149,7 +618,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     <br>

     Skill Level: <i>High</i>

     <br>

-    Likely Mentors: <i>Roger, Nick, Steven</i>

+    Likely Mentors: <i>Roger, Nick, Steven, Jake</i>

     <p>The Tor 0.2.1.x series makes <a

     href="<svnprojects>design-paper/blocking.html">significant

     improvements</a> in resisting national and organizational censorship.

@@ -180,6 +649,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     robustness.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="armClientMode"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Client Mode Use Cases for Arm</b>

     <br>

@@ -243,6 +713,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     href="https://svn.torproject.org/svn/arm/trunk/TODO">TODO</a>.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="unitTesting"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Improve our unit testing process</b>

     <br>

@@ -269,6 +740,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     changes in performance on machines in different roles automatically.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="orbotDevelopment"></a>

     <li>

     <b>More on Orbot &amp; Android OS-specific development</b>

     <br/>

@@ -279,7 +751,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     <br>

     Skill Level: <i>Medium to High</i>

     <br>

-    Likely Mentors: <i>Nathan</i>

+    Likely Mentors: <i>Nathan, Jake</i>

     <p><b>Android Java UI work:</b> Improved home screen to show better

     statistics about data transferred (up/down), number of circuits

     connected, quality of connection and so on. The "Tether Wifi"

@@ -323,6 +795,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     from 2G to 3G to Wifi, and so forth.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="simulateSlowConnections"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Simulator for slow Internet connections</b>

     <br>

@@ -358,6 +831,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     </p>

     </li>

+    <a id="torbuttonForThunderbird"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Torbutton equivalent for Thunderbird</b>

     <br>

@@ -377,68 +851,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     </p>

     </li>

-    <li>

-    <b>Improvements for Tor+Vidalia interaction on Linux/Unix platforms</b>

-    <br>

-    Priority: <i>Medium</i>

-    <br>

-    Effort Level: <i>Medium</i>

-    <br>

-    Skill Level: <i>Medium</i>

-    <br>

-    Likely Mentors: <i>Erinn, Peter</i>

-    <p>

-    Vidalia currently doesn't play nicely with Tor on Linux and Unix platforms.

-    Currently, on Debian and Ubuntu, there is a configuration mechanism which

-    allows Vidalia to override Tor's ability to start on boot (by sourcing

-    <code>/etc/default/tor.vidalia</code> which sets <code>RUN_DAEMON=no</code> at the user's

-    request), but full implementation of <a href="<gitblob>doc/spec/control-spec.txt">ControlPort</a> 

-    communication is still required.

-    </p>

-    

-    <p>

-    A better solution on Linux and Unix platforms would be to use Tor's

-    ControlSocket, which allows Vidalia to talk to Tor via a Unix domain socket,

-    and could possibly be enabled by default in Tor's distribution packages.

-    Vidalia can then authenticate to Tor using filesystem-based (cookie)

-    authentication if the user running Vidalia is also in the distribution-specific

-    tor group.

-    </p>

-    

-    <p>

-    This project will first involve adding support for Tor's ControlSocket to

-    Vidalia. The student will then develop and test this support on various

-    distributions to make sure it behaves in a predictable and consistent manner on

-    all of them.

-    </p>

-    

-    <p>

-    The next challenge would be to find an intuitive and usable way for Vidalia to be

-    able to change Tor's configuration (torrc) even though it is located in

-    <code>/etc/tor/torrc</code> and thus immutable. In Debian and Ubuntu we handle

-    this with the aforementioned <code>/etc/default/tor.vidalia</code> but this

-    functionality could (or should) be less distribution-specific.

-    </p>

-    

-    <p>

-    The best idea we've come up with so far is to feed Tor a new configuration via

-    the ControlSocket when Vidalia starts, but that's bad because if the user is not

-    using the latest Debian/Ubuntu packages, they may not have disabled Tor's

-    ability to run on boot and will end up with a configuration that is different

-    from what they want. The second best idea we've come up with is for Vidalia to

-    write out a temporary torrc file and ask the user to manually move it to

-    <code>/etc/tor/torrc</code>, but that's bad because users shouldn't have to

-    mess with files directly.

-    </p>

-    

-    <p>

-    A person undertaking this project should have prior knowledge of various Linux

-    distributions and their packaging mechanisms as well as some C++ development

-    experience. Previous experience with Qt is helpful, but not required.

-    </p>

-    </li>

-    

-    

+    <a id="usabilityTesting"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Usability testing of Tor</b>

     <br>

@@ -455,8 +868,14 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     fixes or new features. We get this informally at the moment, but a more

     structured process would be better.

     </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    Please note that since this isn't a coding project, it isn't suitable for

+    Google Summer of Code.

+    </p>

     </li>

+    <a id="authenticatingIrcProxy"></a>

     <li>

     <b>An authenticating IRC proxy</b>

     <br>

@@ -494,6 +913,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     </p>

     </li>

+    <a id="torsocksForOSX"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Make torsocks/dsocks work on OS X</b>

     <br>

@@ -524,6 +944,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     </p>

     </li>

+    <a id="vidaliaStatusEventInterface"></a>

     <li>

     <b>Tor Controller Status Event Interface for Vidalia</b>

     <br>

@@ -564,6 +985,7 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     design/Photoshop fu, since we might want/need some shiny new icons too.</p>

     </li>

+    <a id="vidaliaNetworkMap"></a>

     <li>

     <b>An Improved and More Usable Network Map in Vidalia</b>

     <br>

@@ -632,6 +1054,69 @@ meetings around the world.</li>

     </li>

     -->

+    <!--

+    <li>

+    <b>Improvements for Tor+Vidalia interaction on Linux/Unix platforms</b>

+    <br>

+    Priority: <i>Medium</i>

+    <br>

+    Effort Level: <i>Medium</i>

+    <br>

+    Skill Level: <i>Medium</i>

+    <br>

+    Likely Mentors: <i>Erinn, Peter</i>

+    <p>

+    Vidalia currently doesn't play nicely with Tor on Linux and Unix platforms.

+    Currently, on Debian and Ubuntu, there is a configuration mechanism which

+    allows Vidalia to override Tor's ability to start on boot (by sourcing

+    <code>/etc/default/tor.vidalia</code> which sets <code>RUN_DAEMON=no</code> at the user's

+    request), but full implementation of <a href="<gitblob>doc/spec/control-spec.txt">ControlPort</a> 

+    communication is still required.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    A better solution on Linux and Unix platforms would be to use Tor's

+    ControlSocket, which allows Vidalia to talk to Tor via a Unix domain socket,

+    and could possibly be enabled by default in Tor's distribution packages.

+    Vidalia can then authenticate to Tor using filesystem-based (cookie)

+    authentication if the user running Vidalia is also in the distribution-specific

+    tor group.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    This project will first involve adding support for Tor's ControlSocket to

+    Vidalia. The student will then develop and test this support on various

+    distributions to make sure it behaves in a predictable and consistent manner on

+    all of them.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    The next challenge would be to find an intuitive and usable way for Vidalia to be

+    able to change Tor's configuration (torrc) even though it is located in

+    <code>/etc/tor/torrc</code> and thus immutable. In Debian and Ubuntu we handle

+    this with the aforementioned <code>/etc/default/tor.vidalia</code> but this

+    functionality could (or should) be less distribution-specific.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    The best idea we've come up with so far is to feed Tor a new configuration via

+    the ControlSocket when Vidalia starts, but that's bad because if the user is not

+    using the latest Debian/Ubuntu packages, they may not have disabled Tor's

+    ability to run on boot and will end up with a configuration that is different

+    from what they want. The second best idea we've come up with is for Vidalia to

+    write out a temporary torrc file and ask the user to manually move it to

+    <code>/etc/tor/torrc</code>, but that's bad because users shouldn't have to

+    mess with files directly.

+    </p>

+    

+    <p>

+    A person undertaking this project should have prior knowledge of various Linux

+    distributions and their packaging mechanisms as well as some C++ development

+    experience. Previous experience with Qt is helpful, but not required.

+    </p>

+    </li>

+    -->

+    

     <li>

     <b>Bring up new ideas!</b>

     <br>