Feature #7924: FAQ: Explain that users are not supposed to edit torrc

Feature #7924

FAQ: Explain that users are not supposed to edit torrc

Added by sajolida 2014-09-21 12:07:28 . Updated 2015-04-29 12:31:56 .

Status:

Resolved

Priority:

Normal

Assignee:

sajolida

Category:

Tor configuration

Target version:

Tails_1.4

Start date:

2014-09-21

Due date:

% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:

faq/7924-torrc

Type of work:

End-user documentation

Blueprint:

Starter:

Affected tool:

Deliverable for:

Description

That’s a pretty frequent one, with different arguments:

* exclude nodes
* force exit nodes from a given country

See https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#ChooseEntryExit

Subtasks

History

#1 Updated by sajolida 2014-09-21 12:33:01

Description updated

#2 Updated by emmapeel 2014-11-17 10:13:36

Bump. I really would like to have an explanation on the website, so I can point our users to it. Many people wants to edit the .torrc

Cheers

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2014-11-17 10:16:24

emmapeel wrote:
> Bump. I really would like to have an explanation on the website, so I can point our users to it. Many people wants to edit the .torrc

Propose a patch? :)

#4 Updated by sajolida 2014-11-19 09:10:55

Assignee set to emmapeel

Indeed, and that’s on your plate already, see: https://tails.boum.org/contribute/working_together/roles/front_desk/

“Improve the FAQ incrementally based on the work done by email, and do whatever small tasks will make the frontdesk job’s easier in the future.”

#5 Updated by emmapeel 2014-11-19 11:55:06

‘We own our silences, but are enslaved by our words’…

Problem is that I don’t really know what to say about the .torrc. Let me test a reasoning:

- Many programs important to Tails rely and edit this configuration
- Tails is tailored to people that doesn’t know so much about internet security and they could make a mistake, putting themselves at risk

Something along those lines?

#6 Updated by intrigeri 2014-11-19 12:31:32

> Problem is that I don’t really know what to say about the .torrc. Let me test a reasoning:

> - Many programs important to Tails rely and edit this configuration
> - Tails is tailored to people that doesn’t know so much about internet security and
> they could make a mistake, putting themselves at risk

> Something along those lines?

I think pointing to the “We recommend you do not use these” part of https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#ChooseEntryExit should be enough. Not sure it’s worth making a more general point about editing torrc, apart of “it’s not supported, use at your own risks”.

#7 Updated by sajolida 2014-11-30 01:04:22

You could get inspired by the tone of https://tails.boum.org/support/faq/#index9h2.

#8 Updated by BitingBird 2015-01-07 16:57:57

Category set to Tor configuration

#9 Updated by intrigeri 2015-01-10 09:49:38

Subject changed from FAQ: Explain users are not supposed to edit torrc to FAQ: Explain that users are not supposed to edit torrc
Affected tool deleted (~~FAQ~~)

Any news on that one?

#10 Updated by BitingBird 2015-04-10 19:32:45

emmapeel, do you still plan to work on this, or can I steal it from you?

#11 Updated by emmapeel 2015-04-21 03:19:38

So, what about:

How can I make sure my connection does not look like coming from certain country?
————————————————————————————————————————-

As mentioned in the Tor Browser [FAQ](https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#ChooseEntryExit),
using ExcludeExitNodes is not recommended by Tor because “overriding the entry / exit nodes can mess up your anonymity in ways we don’t understand”.

Editing the rest of the Tor Browser configuration file is possible as a root user, but it is not advised.

(On the FAQ, after ‘Can I install other add-ons in Tor Browser’)