COME FUNZIONA TORCHAT FOR MAC

The data directory used to store data used by tor binary (mainly caches).

By default, this directory is either in Tor directory inside ~/Library/Application Support/TorChat/ (TorChat in Application directory), either inside the tor directory, itself at the same level as your configuration file (TorChat anywhere else).

The bin directory used to store tor binary itself + its signatures + dylib files.

This configuration needs two distinct directory : When you use TorChat in bundled mode, a tor instance is configured and launched for you. Is none of this path can be opened, the assistant will either ask you to create a new configuration file, either ask you to select one manually.

The same directory as your TorChat application (see upper explanations).

When TorChat.app is launched, it tries to find the configuration file in these places : No need to copy and expose your private data on the host computer. This way, you can just put TorChat.app, your configuration and your data files in a cyphered USB key / DMG, then plug-in it on any computer, chat, and eject when finished.

Be able to create an 'all-in-one' USB key / DMG.

So if the computer is not yours, you can quickly delete this file once you have finished your chat.

Don't scatter private data everywhere in the computer.

But if you put TorChat in another directory (second case), then we try to respond to those specific purposes : If you put TorChat in the Applications directory (first case), then it's supposed you want to respect standard macOS usage, and so we put stuff on the right places on your system.

If your TorChat.app is anywhere else, then your configuration file is created at the same directory as your TorChat.app.

If your TorChat.app is in /Applications/, then your configuration file is created at this path : ~/Library/Preferences/nf.

When you create a configuration file for the first time via the assistant, a configuration file is created accordingly to those specifications : Nothing related to your buddies, chats, etc.

You have to manually configure the hidden service, and configure TorChat to use it.Īll your settings are written on a file called nf - some other settings can be put in ~/Library/Preferences/ by macOS, but it's mainly settings related to interface (Windows positions, last preference panel selection, last directory selected, etc.).

You will prevent to break your anonymity by events correlation (see basic mode drawbacks).

If you use tor for anything other than just chatting, this will prevent to have multi instance or tor running at the same time.

If your tor instance is already running for a while, each time you quit / launch TorChat, you will appear online and see other contacts quicker.

COME FUNZIONA TORCHAT FOR MAC

This mode just connect TorChat for Mac to an already existing configured tor instance. If your IP appear on the tor network and then your torchat identity appear online, this can help malicious person to break your anonymity by correlating the two events.Because tor have some bootstrapping process (connect to network, declare your address, etc.), you have to wait a moment each time you quit / launch the application before being able to chat (this can take up to about 5 minutes).More easily when you use TorChat in nomadic.Easy to use, you just have to launch the application, and that's all.You have almost nothing to do to start to chat.

TorChat for Mac launch a bundled tor binary, configure it and configure a torchat address the first time. TorChat for Mac offers two modes : bundled mode and custom mode.

The current version needs macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) minimum to work.

TorChat for Mac is written in Objective-C with Cocoa framework. TorChat for Mac is a macOS native and unofficial port of torchat.

Come funziona torchat