[tor-relays] OS diversity of tor relays (was Re: Relay uptime versus outdated Tor version)

[Scott Bennett]

Duncan <dguthrie at posteo.net> wrote:

> In theory hot-patching kernels is a great idea.
>
> However, they're technically not loading a new kernel. Something like 
> kexec in theory lets one load a new kernel.
>
> Furthermore, these hot-patching programs usually only support Linux. If 
> we want to increase the diversity of the Tor network, as we most 
> certainly should, then we need more BSD relays, so these hot-patching 
> programs don't cut it.
>
     The tor project has made the point that OS diversity is important,
but it has failed to show the courage of its conviction.  It commits great
effort to maintain a "safe" tor browser for the OS for which tor relays
currently abound, yet still offers no version of that browser to entice
*BSD, Solaris, MINIX, or other OS users to run tor relays.  Instead, such
users are apparently expected either to use clearly unsafe browsers or to
run VMs of other than their native OS to run a safe browser.  The tor
community is thus very lucky for what diversity of relay OS currently exists.
     I've pointed this problem out several times, but to the best of my
memory, none of the tor developers has ever responded on this issue.


                                  Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
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