I seem to recall that something called haystack, with a remarkably similar webpage was the software and donations portal developed by @austinheap during the Iran election. Since Heap's twitter is still linked from the haystacknetworkcom page, I assume that this project remains the offspring of that effort. I can't comment directly, but I recall that the effort seemed pretty legitimate at that time. I assume that it's still legitimate, even if not free software in the strictest sense. The Censorship Research Center is San Francisco non-profit, started by Heap. They do have a contact form on their about page: http://www.censorshipresearch.org/about/
While I think that free (as in speech as in Stallman) software is the best way to go, I can understand why someone of good intentions might think otherwise. I reckon that haystack is not a malicious honeypot, or cynical effort to relive people of their cash. However, I do think that the project may not be overly successful, and that donations would do more good elsewhere. On 25 May 2010 02:45, Scott Bennett <[email protected]> wrote: > I don't know who "Censorship Research Center" might be, but they claim > to have a development project going for another encrypted proxy service. > However, they say it will be free software, but *not* be open source, so no > one can examine what they have done in order to look for bugs, design > flaws, > etc. :-( There isn't much real information at the web site, > > http://www.haystacknetwork.com > > but what little there is looks very much like an attempt to sucker people > who don't understand much about security. > Oh. I almost forgot. Their FAQ page mentions tor, complaining about > tor's publicly available directory and arguing that their method is better, > while not mentioning bridges. > > > Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG > ********************************************************************** > * Internet: bennett at cs.niu.edu * > *--------------------------------------------------------------------* > * "A well regulated and disciplined militia, is at all times a good * > * objection to the introduction of that bane of all free governments * > * -- a standing army." * > * -- Gov. John Hancock, New York Journal, 28 January 1790 * > ********************************************************************** > *********************************************************************** > To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to [email protected] with > unsubscribe or-talk in the body. http://archives.seul.org/or/talk/ >
