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Semantically: those services are acting more like encrypted proxies, with some kind of exit far away from you physically. VPN's are usually used to create Virt
by dijit 4y ago
Semantically: those services are acting more like encrypted proxies, with some kind of exit far away from you physically.
VPN's are usually used to create Virtual private networks. Extending your LAN across several sites using software, or granting you access to your LAN when you're not physically located close to it.
It's hard to imagine why the meaning has changed as much as it has, because even though a consequence of this connection can be that you exit to the internet via your destination networks internet connection; I feel like this isn't the original use case at all, similar to how you can use a chair as a ladder.
- combyn8tor 4y agoI see your point. > encrypted proxies I suggest "encrypted tunnels"
- bedast 4y agoPerhaps something like...stunnel...released in 2000-ish?
- shp0ngle 4y agoIn 2022, VPN is mostly about “getting around netflix geoblocking” or “getting around Chinese firewall”
- brk 4y agoOr, "making public/hotel/random wifi less of a security risk", which happens to be my current usage of Tailscale.
- NoraCodes 4y ago> It's hard to imagine why the meaning has changed as much as it has Because the supporting infrastructure was historically called that, and it stuck. Just like how pocket computers are called "phones" because they evolved from telephones.
- solarkraft 4y agoAnd "Proxy" is already connected with other supporting infrastructure, so it's a bit hard to switch. FWIW I think I'll still try.
- dijit 4y ago> Just like how pocket computers are called "phones" Yeah, that's a really good point. I guess at least we have the modifier "mobile" and "smart" to differentiate the different types of phone (up to and including the pocket computer). I don't think there is a written equivalent of a VPN which is only acting as an exit node.