About Qortal
A New Internet
Qortal is a network of computers, similar to the internet, but with vast improvements. Like the internet, Qortal enables people to host and access content such as websites, apps, blog posts, and videos. But, Qortal does so via decentralized, peer-to-peer protocols that prevent censorship and maintain privacy. If the top technologists of the world could take the lessons learned from the past four decades of the internet's existence and rebuild it from scratch, they would arguably build something that looks a lot like Qortal.
What's Wrong with the Internet as it is?
The current internet has limitations that cause it to trend towards further and further centralization. Centralization of data, centralization of control, centralization of profit. This was not the intent of the original pioneers of the early internet. The hope was that the internet would level the playing field and promote an environment of free speech and free markets.
Using their financial power and influence, transnational corporations and governments have turned the internet into a system of surveillance and control. Today, users who speak truth to power are censored, demonetized, and/or deplatformed. Profits are siphoned off by Big Tech. Data is aggregated into massive repositories that are mined and analyzed by tyrannical governments. Qortal offers an alternative network free of these transgressions.
Comparing Qortal to Ethereum
Ethereum was the first blockchain that could host small programs called smart contracts. Ethereum enables developers to build and host decentralized applications (dapps) where the core logic of the app is distributed across Ethereum nodes and cannot be censored nor controlled.
But while Ethereum apps are unstoppable in some sense, they are still reliant on other aspects of the internet that can be surveilled and controlled (domain names, web hosting, data storage, ISPs). Similar to Ethereum, the Qortal network is built upon blockchain technology, but with Qortal all aspects of sites are hosted on decentralized nodes, from their name to their code to their data, making the entirety of Qortal sites truly unstoppable.
Some of the tyranny of the current internet could potentially be solved with a blockchain like Etherem, if it weren't so expensive and so painfully slow. Ethereum has an active developer community, and they are working on these issues, but there is a lot of politics involved when making any major re-design decisions with blockchains, so design flaws at the foundation are difficult to rectify.
Next gen blockchains like Qortal have learned from the mistakes of their predecessors like Ethereum. Qortal has addressed the core problems from the ground up, in a green-field environment. The Qortal consensus algorithm ensures true decentralization of its nodes while maintaining high performance. And the Qortal community understands the importance of anonymity and data privacy, both of which are lacking in Ethereum.
Comparing Qortal to Tor
Tor (The Onion Router) is an anonymous network that makes up the vast majority of the Dark Web. It enables users to host and access content while obfuscating their identities. Tor markets primarily use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Monero in order to preserve the anonymity of buyers and sellers.
Like Tor, Qortal also has privacy and anonymity built into its core protocols. Qortal, however, offers advantages over Tor. When building a site on Tor, developers must configure servers (or find hosting providers) that preserve the creator's anonymity and also offer redundancy so that the site cannot be censored by authorities. Qortal has these hosting services (web hosting, data storage) built into its foundation at the protocol level, ensuring sites hosted on Qortal are decentralized and censorship resistant.
Another advantage of Qortal over Tor is how Qortal handles illicit content that some users may find morally objectionable. While any content can be hosted on Qortal, Qortal provides the concept of "Groups" which give users full control over what portions of the Qortal network are visible to them, and what content is or is not stored locally on their machines.
And being that Qortal is built on blockchain, Qortal makes it simple to integrate cryptocurrency transactions into a site.
Integrating it All Together
The Qortal founders looked at the internet, blockchain, and privacy networks like Tor, and combined the best parts into a single, all encompassing, cutting-edge network. It is a truly unique network that has the potential to surpass all others, once people understand its capabilities as well as its necessity. The more the world moves in the direction of authoritarism under the current internet, the more the world needs to transition to something like Qortal.
Learn more about Qortal
If you are interested in learning more about the Qortal network, here are some useful links:
https://qortal.org/
https://wiki.qortal.org/
Getting started with Qortal
Qortal software must be installed on your local machine in order to access content on the Qortal network. While this content can be searched via Subaxiom without running Qortal locally, when you click links in the Subaxiom search results you will be prompted to install Qortal to proceed.
Installing Qortal is fairly straightforward and you can find the latest
version of Qortal compatible with your operating system here:
https://qortal.org/downloads/
body {
font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;
--scrollbar-width: calc(100vw - 100%);
}
* {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
}
h1, h2, h3, h4 {
font-weight: normal;
display: block;
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
margin: 10px 0px;
padding:8px;
width:calc(100% - 20px);
}
h1 {
border-radius:4px;
margin-top:40px !important;
margin-bottom:40px !important;
}
hr {
margin-top: 60px;
margin-bottom: 40px;
}
p {
font-size: 15px;
line-height:2em;
vertical-align:middle;
padding:0px 8px 16px 8px;
}
.big_link {
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size:20px;
}
.standard_link {
text-decoration:none;
color:blue;
}
.standard_link:visited {
color:blue;
}
.standard_link:hover {
text-decoration:underline;
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._hidden_ {
visibility: hidden;
width:0px;
height:0px;
overflow: hidden;
}
#loader_message {
text-align: left;
height: 200px;
background-color:#101020;
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 13px;
color:orange;
border: solid 2px orange;
border-radius: 6px;
padding:6px;
}
#countdown_container {
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
color:#90A0C0;
border-radius: 20px;
background-color:#101830;
font-weight:bold;
padding:16px 0px;
width:600px;
margin-left: calc(max(50vw - 300px - (.5 * var(--scrollbar-width)), 4px));
margin-right: calc(max(50vw - 300px - (.5 * var(--scrollbar-width)), 4px));
}
.countdown_number {
font-size:50px;
}
.countdown_unit {
font-size:18px;
}
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position: fixed;
top: 4px;
right: 8px;
width:72px;
height:30px;
border-radius: 18px;
margin:0px;
cursor: pointer;
z-index: 101;
}
.App {
text-align: left;
padding: 80px 0px;
}
#subaxiom_logo {
padding: 0px;
}
#search_qortal_network {
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 18px;
letter-spacing: 4px;
width:400px;
margin-top:100px;
margin-left: calc(max(50vw - 196px, 4px));
margin-right: calc(max(50vw - 212px, 4px));
background-image: url("/?request=image&filename=search_icon_large.png");
background-position: 26px 0px;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
#qortal_logo {
vertical-align: middle;
margin:4px;
}
#nav_bar {
position: fixed;
top: 0px;
left: 0px;
right: 0px;
z-index: 100;
height:56px;
}
.nav_bar a {
color: blue;
}
.small_logo {
position: fixed;
top: 2px;
left: 8px;
cursor: pointer;
z-index: 101;
}
.search_texbox_container {
cursor: text;
z-index: 103;
border-radius: 20px 20px 20px 20px;
}
#search_results_search_texbox {
position: fixed;
width:600px;
top: 6px;
left: 260px;
}
#search_results_home_texbox {
position:absolute;
width:600px;
margin-left: calc(max(50vw - 300px - var(--scrollbar-width), 4px));
margin-right: calc(max(50vw - 300px + var(--scrollbar-width), 4px));
}
#search_results_container {
margin-top:60px;
margin-left: 280px;
max-width:900px;
overflow:hidden;
}
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font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;
padding-left:20px;
vertical-align: middle;
width: 547px;
font-size: 15px;
height: 40px;
border: 0px none;
background: transparent;
border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px;
outline: none;
}
.search_button {
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: middle;
border-radius: 0px 20px 20px 0px;
height: 40px;
color: limegreen;
width: 32px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
text-align: center;
white-space: nowrap;
}
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text-align:left;
width:100%;
border-radius: 20px;
font-size: 15px;
}
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list-style-type: none;
}
#autocomplete_dropdown li {
padding:2px 2px 4px 20px;
border-radius:2px;
}
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cursor:pointer;
}
#autocomplete_dropdown li:last-child {
border-radius: 0px 0px 20px 20px;
}
.sample_text {
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: underline;
color: blue;
font-style: italic;
}
.horizontalCenter {
width: 100%;
text-align: center;
}
.search_result_name {
padding-left:100px;
}
.search_result_title {
padding-left:200px;
}
.searchResultsItem {
font-family: Futura, "Product Sans", sans-serif;
margin: 36px 0px;
color: #464a4f;
overflow:hidden;
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white-space: nowrap;
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.result_item_header div {
display: inline-block;
margin-right: 8px;
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.siteIcon {
width: 32px;
height: 32px;
}
.result_item_header_site_name {
font-size: 15px;
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.result_item_header_url {
max-width: 600px;
display: inline-block;
white-space: nowrap;
overflow:hidden;
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 12px;
color:#505870;
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color: #1a0dab;
font-size: 20px;
text-decoration: none;
line-height: 1.8em;
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.resultItemTitle:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
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.result_item_metadata {
font-size: 14px;
line-height: 1.4em;
color:#646878;
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#footer {
box-sizing:border-box;
width: 100%;
margin-top:40px;
padding:15px 30px;
height: 150px;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-position: center;
}
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float:left;
padding-right:50px;
}
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float:right;
width:600px;
font-size:18px;
line-height:24px;
font-family: 'Georgia';
font-style: italic;
color:#C0C0D0;
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font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 17px;
line-height:24px;
vertical-align: middle;
font-weight:bold;
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font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 14px;
line-height:18px;
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text-decoration:underline;
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border: 1px solid #C41E3A;
border-radius:6px;
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 14px;
line-height:20px;
vertical-align: middle;
padding:6px 20px 6px 12px;
width:calc(100% - 40px);
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.padding_medium {
padding:0px 60px 20px 40px;
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.settings_json_path {
background-color:white;
color:black;
font-size: 16px;
font-family: 'Arial';
padding:6px;
border:1px solid black;
}
.setting_json_file_label {
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 19px;
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.settings_json_file_content {
text-align: left;
background-color:#101020;
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 17px;
color:#607090;
border: solid 2px orange;
border-radius: 6px;
padding:20px 30px 30px 20px;
}
.settings_json_line {
font-family: 'Consolas', 'Courier';
font-size: 17px;
color:orange;
font-weight:bold;
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@media screen and (max-width: 1030px) {
.footer_right { width:380px; font-size:16px; }
}
@media screen and (max-width: 970px) {
.small_logo { clip: rect(0, 46px, 50px, 0); }
#search_results_search_texbox { left: 60px }
#search_results_container { margin-left: 80px }
.result_item_header_url { max-width: calc(100vw - 120px);}
}
@media screen and (max-width: 810px) {
.footer_right { display:none; }
}
@media screen and (max-width: 760px) {
.small_logo { clip: rect(8px, 240px, 46px, 56px); top:-6px; left:-32px; }
#search_results_search_texbox { left: 4px; top:40px; }
#search_results_container { margin-top:90px; margin-left: 18px; width: calc(100vw - 36px);}
.result_item_header_url { max-width: calc(100vw - 60px);}
#nav_bar { height: 90px; };
.settings_json_file_content { font-size: 15px; }
.settings_json_line { font-size: 15px; }
#footer span { font-size: 15px; line-height:20px;}
#footer a { font-size: 12px; line-height:16px;}
}
@media screen and (max-width: 640px) {
#search_results_home_texbox {
width: calc(100vw - var(--scrollbar-width) - 20px);
margin-left: 10px; margin-right:calc(10px + var(--scrollbar-width));
}
#search_results_search_texbox {
width: calc(100vw - var(--scrollbar-width) - 18px);
}
.search_textbox { width: calc(100vw - var(--scrollbar-width) - 52px); }
.footer_left { padding-right:30px; }
#countdown_container { width:400px;
margin-left: calc(max(50vw - 200px - (.5 * var(--scrollbar-width)), 4px));
margin-right: calc(max(50vw - 200px - (.5 * var(--scrollbar-width)), 4px));
}
.countdown_number { font-size:32px; }
.countdown_unit { font-size:12px; }
}
@media screen and (max-width: 560px) {
#search_qortal_network {
font-size: 16px;
letter-spacing: 2px;
width:300px;
margin-left: calc(max(50vw - 146px, 4px));
margin-right: calc(max(50vw - 162px, 4px));
background-position: 18px 0px;
}
.footer_left { padding-right:20px; }
}
body {
background-color: white;
}
p { color: black; }
.standard_link {
color: #1a0dab;
}
td { color: black; }
h1, h2, h3, h4 {
color: #005090;
}
h1 {
background-color: #F5F7FD;
}
hr {
border: 1px solid #C0C0D0;
}
#search_qortal_network {
/*color: #005090;*/
color: #4fadd7;
}
#autocomplete_dropdown li {
color: black;
}
.autocomplete_hover {
background-color:#002d40 !important;
color:white !important;
}
.search_texbox_container {
background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1);
border: solid #C0C0D0 1px;
}
.search_texbox_container input {
color: black;
}
#toggle_theme {
border: solid #C0C0D0 1px;
background-color: rgba(221, 239, 252, 1);
}
.search_button {
background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1);
border-left: none 0px;
}
#nav_bar {
background-color: rgba(251, 251, 253, .9);
border-bottom: 1px solid #C0C0D0;
}
::placeholder {
color: #A9C5D9;
opacity: 1; /* Firefox */
}
.result_item_header_site_name {
color:black;
}
.result_item_link {
color: #1a0dab;
}
#footer {
background-color: #F5F7FD;
background-image: url("/?request=image&filename=subaxiom_footer_lite.png");
}
#footer span {
color:#B0B8D0;
}
#footer a {
color:#005090;
}
.footer_right {
color:#8088A0;
}
.error_message {
background-color: #FAA0A0;
color: black;
}
.setting_json_file_label {
color: black;
}
body {
background-color: black;
}
p { color: #89aab8; }
.standard_link {
color: #2412ed;
}
td { color: silver; }
h1, h2, h3, h4 {
color: #6296ac;
}
h1 {
background-color: #05060C;
}
hr {
border: 1px solid #101828;
}
#search_qortal_network {
color: #4fadd7;
}
#autocomplete_dropdown li {
color: #89aab8;
}
.autocomplete_hover {
background-color:#002d40 !important;
color:#ccf0ff !important;
}
.search_texbox_container {
background-color: rgba(10, 10, 20, 1);
border: solid #101828 1px;
}
.search_texbox_container input {
color: #89aab8;
}
#toggle_theme {
border: solid #101828 1px;
background-color: rgba(10, 10, 20, 1);
}
.search_button {
background-color: rgba(10, 10, 20, 1);
border-left: none 0px;
}
#nav_bar {
background-color: rgba(4, 4, 8, .9);
border-bottom: 1px solid #101828;
}
::placeholder {
color: #294559;
opacity: 1; /* Firefox */
}
.result_item_header_site_name {
color:#72809C;
}
.result_item_link {
color: #00abff;
}
#footer {
background-color: #05060C;
background-image: url("/?request=image&filename=subaxiom_footer_dark.png");
}
#footer span {
color:#294559;
}
#footer a {
color:#6296ac;
}
.footer_right {
color:#506070;
}
.error_message {
background-color: #4A0404;
color: #FAA0A0;
}
.setting_json_file_label {
color: white;
}