[tor-dev] Stem roadmap, and ideas for the interpreter?

[Damian Johnson]

Hi Nick. While sipping my morning coffee I just realized that you
might not be aware of my sinister long schemes, and that might be to
the detriment of us both.

The roadmap I have for myself goes something like...

Step 1: Write Stem so we have a well tested, stable controller
library.  (Done [1])
Step 2: Write a control interpreter to greatly simplify low level
controller troubleshooting.  (Done [2])
Step 3: Rewrite arm, both simplifying the codebase and smoothing the
rough edges that have confused users for years.  (In progress, gonna
keep me busy for the better part of a year)
Step 4: Write a web interface similar to arm, so relay operators can
have a nice monitor by going to localhost.  [3]

I bring this up because honestly we don't communicate much. I don't
know core tor's long term plans, and I get the impression you don't
know much about Stem either.

My hope had been that at step #3 we'd start bundling arm and Stem with
the Tor relaying bundle, providing users both a terminal monitor and
the tor-prompt command. But since we axed that with the removal of
Vidalia I suppose I'll need to hit step #4 before proposing that we
re-introduce those bundles (... and by extension making it so Windows
and OSX users can once have an easy option for relaying).

Have you ever used Stem's tor-prompt before?

  https://stem.torproject.org/tutorials/down_the_rabbit_hole.html

If not then I'd appreciate input so this can be a useful tool to you
before proposing that we make it more widely available.

Cheers! -Damian

PS. More general ideas on directions to take Stem, the tor-prompt, and
this whole space are also welcome both from you and the list!

[1] https://stem.torproject.org/
[2] https://stem.torproject.org/tutorials/down_the_rabbit_hole.html
[3] https://www.torproject.org/getinvolved/volunteer.html.en#relayWebPanel