auto-update

Google is funding a project to create an auto-update feature in Vidalia. This auto-update feature will provide a better user experience for Tor users. The goal is to create a system where Vidalia can detect when a new release is available, fetch the package, verify authenticity, and assist the user in upgrading the Vidalia/Tor package. The auto-update feature preserves the user's privacy and anonymity. Over the next six months we'll develop the auto-update system for general release around November 15, 2008.

We're excited to work with Google on this project and look forward to the collaboration.

Jacob Appelbaum joins us to help out with:

• developing a translation portal. This should help us find translators
  and make their updates easier.
• coordinating the Tor translation team and getting parts that need
  translating, translated.
• helping to better document Tor for non-technical users.
• writing an auto-responder to use Google's gmail to deliver Tor to
  users who request it
• helping to get auto-updating for Tor and Vidalia working seamlessly
• maintaining the code that runs the tor exitlist
• generally advocating Tor

Matt Edman joins the Tor Project. Matt joins to help us enhance Tor's
interactions with Vidalia. Specifically, he's working on:

• integrating upnp libraries into vidalia to make it easier to setup servers
• displaying Tor's startup status more visually in Vidalia to help users
  understand what's going on as Tor starts
• assist with making translating Vidalia's interface and help files
  easier for translators
• helping to flesh out proposals in queue on or-dev
• helping to get auto-updating or Tor and Vidalia working seamlessly
• tackling the "matt" section of the TODO file.

Welcome Jacob and Matt!