Add New Circuit button to TorButton

From the blog:

https://blog.torproject.org/blog/tor-browser-bundle-30alpha3-released#comment-33436

ME:

Can we PLEASE have a NEWNYM function in the alpha TorButton now that Vadalia GUI is gone? The "New Identity" feature in TorButton is not the same thing as NEWNYM, they do not serve the same function, not at all.

I've asked a few times and no one has responded :( I even asked Mike directly on Tor-talk . . .

Many times a user doesn't want to clear all their tabs and re-launch, they just want a new exit node.

Please, please, please, add the damn NEWNYM function.

SOMEONE ELSE:

+1 Agree with this comment.

It's too bad to not have that option

Arma:

Hm. Is this because the website you're trying to reach is trying to block Tor, and you're trying to find an exit relay that isn't blocked yet? Or some other issue?

I think a lot of the reasons people click newnym are somewhat harmful to the Tor network (more circuits made), so I'm torn.

ME:

Hi arma,

Thanks for your response :) And I'm very sorry for being a bit rude, it's been a long day and I'm kind of grumpy by nature. You guys are amazing for not being rude back, you're a better man than I.

The reason I like having newnym is:

a.) Try to find faster circuit, which may be "somewhat harmful to the Tor network" even though you guys added the forced delay (grayed out button) for N seconds after it was used.

b.) To prevent cross site traffic, e.g. I clear cookies and cache, then use NEWNYM when on site A, before I open a new tab to visit site B. I'm not sure if this is less 'safe' then clearing all tabs and re-lunching, but it sure is a lot better in terms of usage (being forced to close all tabs really sucks). I really dislike having to close all tabs when I want a new IP address, I often surf multiple sites concurrently, so the New Identity feature in TorButton is not an option for me.

I guess the best option here would be if Mike was able to figure out finer-grained cookie control (IIRC, that he wrote about before), e.g. per tab. Then there would be less of a need to re-launch TorBrowser when someone clicks "New Identity."

As always I defer to TPO's much greater knowledge than my own.