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TorChat is an unofficial port of torchat for Max OS X.
TorChat for Mac is an Xcode project written in Objective-C 2.0 with Cocoa framework. It uses ARC and libdispatch. The current version need OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) minimum to work.
TorChat for Mac offers two mode : basic mode and advanced mode.
This mode try to handle things for you. TorChat for Mac launch a bundled tor binary for you, configure it for you and configure a torchat address for you (the first time). You have almost nothing to do to be able to chat.
Benefits :
- Easy to use, you just have to launch the application, and that's all.
- Easier when you use TorChat in nomadic.
Drawback :
- Because
torhave 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 15 minutes). - If your IP appear on the
tornetwork and then your torchat identity appear online, this can help malicious person to break your anonymity by correlating the two events.
This mode just connect TorChat for Mac to an already exiting configured tor instance.
Benefits :
- If your
torinstance is already running since a while, each time you quit / launch TorChat, you will appear online and see other contacts faster. - If you use
torfor anything else than just chatting, this will prevent to have multi instance ortorrunning at the same time. - You will prevent a way to break your anonymity (see basic mode drawbacks).
Drawback :
- You have to manually configure the hidden service, and configure TorChat to use it.
The configuration file torchat.conf can be stored in the same directory as your TorChat application or in your Home directory. The tor data will be placed in the same directory as your configuration file.
This unusual behavior (usually, configuration and data are placed in ~/Library/Caches | Preferences | Application Support, etc.) responds to specific purposes :
- Don't scatter private data everywhere in the computer. So if the computer is not yours, you can quickly delete this files once you have finished your chat.
- Be able to create a "all-in-one" USB key / DMG. 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. No need to copy and expose your private data on the host computer.
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