Add -proxytoo option, which allows proxy use non-exclusively, unlike the -proxy option. #1306

This is an option I use regularly, as I find that sometimes things work more reliably through tor, and at other times directly. This option allows my peers to use both, thereby improving overall connectivity.

How can "things work more reliably through tor"? Tor routes your connections through several other nodes, it's never been set up for reliability but for privacy. Connecting through Tor 50% of the times annihilates 100% of that hard won privacy.

You seem to have routing issues with your network. Fix these, or use a load-balancing proxy or VPN to work around it. But don't try to fix this in bitcoin.

This option is only confusing. NACK.

@laanwj you are of course correct, in that there is probably software which could take care of the routing, routing some via tor, some directly, etc. I'm not aware of any, but I'm sure it exists. Would you be willing to let me know of the software that does this?

I think it's a simple enough change, and I agree that a minority of people will use it. Would it be more agreeable if the proxytoo option was not mentioned in the syntax output?

I agree with @laanwj, I think "sometimes things work more reliably through tor, and at other times directly" is a sign that you either have issues with your connection, or the peer selection algorithms are doing a woefully poor job (depending on what, exactly you mean by work more reliably). I cant really see any legitimate reasons for this to be used...maybe you want to elaborate?

@TheBlueMatt he has a very limited internet connection, whose provider regularly resets TCP connections, it seems.

Oh, well in that case I would say a) you should look into other providers (if available) or complain because you arent getting access to the internet, you are getting access to some filtered, crappy version of it and b) do we handle getting our connections dropped that poorly? I know during initial block download we do (though that should be fixed with #1271), but other than that just getting a connection dropped and getting a new connection to a new node to replace it should never be a problem, atleast in bitcoin?

I'd like to close this. I think few people would use proxying as a way to increase reliability.

@sipa I agree that it would be only a few people, but it's also only a few people who would want to see "IRC got who" events also, and we're keeping that in....

We certainly need to deal with connection management in a better way (detect bad connections, find better ones, parallellize block download, ...), but abusing a proxy for this seems wrong.

Well, your proxy might feel abused, but mine loves the attention :)

Consensus seems against, closing.