Usablity and accessiblity improvement on the Tor assistant page

changed milestone to %website redesign

added TorBrowserTeam201903R component::applications/tor launcher milestone::website redesign owner::linda parent::23266 priority::medium resolution::fixed severity::normal status::closed type::task ux-team labels

For the first issue, it may be a good idea to Unblock Tor assistance webpage by collateral freedom. That is to say, we may host a mirror assistant page on website like Github which is "too expensive to block" by a censor. Tor has already had some positive attempt to unblock the content by collateral freedom. One example is the gettorbrowser page hosted on Github: https://github.com/TheTorProject/gettorbrowser

For the second issue, although the best hope is that the instruction provided by Tor Launcher is clear enough for helping users configure the Tor, it will still be helpful to provide a detailed tutorial webpage on how to use Tor launcher in different cases.

Trac:
Cc: N/A to iry
Keywords: N/A deleted, ux-team added

Trac:
Cc: iry to iry, mcs

Trac:
Cc: iry, mcs to iry, mcs, adrelanos

Replying to iry:

For the first issue, it may be a good idea to Unblock Tor assistance webpage by collateral freedom. That is to say, we may host a mirror assistant page on website like Github which is "too expensive to block" by a censor. Tor has already had some positive attempt to unblock the content by collateral freedom. One example is the gettorbrowser page hosted on Github: https://github.com/TheTorProject/gettorbrowser

I agree! For now, we can set up a github page with just the part of the Tor Browser manual that has details on how to download, install, and configure a connection to Tor.

Additionally, we are creating a support portal to answer user questions and plan to have this mirrored. But that's a long-term project that will take a year or so.

For the second issue, although the best hope is that the instruction provided by Tor Launcher is clear enough for helping users configure the Tor, it will still be helpful to provide a detailed tutorial webpage on how to use Tor launcher in different cases.

We're working to improve tor launcher already! see here.

Also, if possible the assistance URL should be a direct link (it isn't at least on macOS, it's just text).

23266

Trac:
Parent: #21951 (moved) to #23266 (moved)
Type: project to task

Also, if possible the assistance URL should be a direct link (it isn't at least on macOS, it's just text).

Hi @cypherpunks !

Sorry for taking so long to discuss about this. I may be wrong but is it possible that the designers do not make it a direct link intentionally?

Making the link plain text will require users to copy and paste it to a browser, but it also prevents users from accidentally clicking on that link. And some users may prefer open that link in a different environment or a browser which is not default?

Making the link a direct one seems to preserve the way for user to copy and paste, but it may be so easy to click on that link by accident when trying to select the link?

Clicking on the link and open it in a default browser may be dangerous for some users, especially for those who live in a censored area where they need Tor Bridge to connect to the Tor network. It will let an adversary know that the user is trying to access torproject.org through their internet traffic, or leave a browser history accessing torproject.org on their local browser, while the user really need to hide the fact he/she is trying to use Tor?

What do you think, cypherpunks? :)

Ah, I hadn't considered all of this, since I wasn't here when this decision was made. We should definitely consider iry's points before making it a link.

ticket:22402#comment:8

Clicking on the link and open it in a default browser may be dangerous for some users.... It will let an adversary know that the user is trying to access torproject.org through their internet traffic, or leave a browser history

This should be written above or below the text-link itself to warn users before they copy it. Or hide the link behind an "I'll be careful" or "I accept the risk" button like how Firefox does it on its about:config page.

we may host a mirror assistant page on website like Github which is "too expensive to block" by a censor. open it in a default browser may be dangerous Should Tor launcher display all mirrors then or only one? If one, torproject.org cannot be it because it isn't always safe, so then either it always has to be a collateral freedom mirror or Tor Launcher has to determine which link to display... which is probably impossible to do safely in this case when Tor isn't able to connect, so we're back to a collateral freedom mirror.

The link could instead open a minimal static local copy of the online documentation which could be bundled with Tor Browser explicitly for help configuring Tor Launcher and listing the same contact information for out-of-band support.

Trac:
Milestone: N/A to website redesign

We could point to support.torproject.org now.

if possible the assistance URL should be a direct link

Trac:
Component: Webpages/Website to Applications/Tor Launcher

We should link to https://support.torproject.org/#connectingtotor.

Replying to antonela:

We should link to https://support.torproject.org/#connectingtotor.

Here is a patch that updates the "For assistance" link inside Tor Launcher: https://gitweb.torproject.org/user/brade/tor-launcher.git/commit/?h=bug22402-01&id=e4c4622a8e443a36480dacae3eee18d55a55a7ac

Tor Browser team: please review.

Trac:
Cc: iry, mcs, adrelanos to iry, mcs, adrelanos, tbb-team
Keywords: N/A deleted, TorBrowserTeam201903R added
Status: new to needs_review

Looks good to me. Merged to master (commit e4c4622a8e443a36480dacae3eee18d55a55a7ac).

Trac:
Status: needs_review to closed
Resolution: N/A to fixed

closed

Usablity and accessiblity improvement on the Tor assistant page

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