Quintessenz

q/uintessenz is a group of people from the fields of technology, science, journalism, and art and has maintained a presence on the Web since 1994. It is active at the interface between the digital and analog world. Based in Vienna.

q/uintessenz is a founding member of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign and the European Digital Rights Initiative.

q/uintessenz fights for the restoration of civil rights in the digital realm; for example, the freedom to communicate without being eavesdropped and to move through the streets of our cities without being monitored. Citizens have a right to be left alone, to shop or communicate anonymously, to determine how personal data is stored and used.

q/depesche, a free newsletter covering the topics of electronic surveillance, censorship, copyright, and copyleft, has been published since April 1998. Online campaigns provide information on the abuse of new technologies on a national and international level and new laws and treaties. We participate in lobbyism with respect to civil liberties. In cooperation with Privacy International and Austrian data protectors we stage the annual Big Brother Awards Austria on October 25.

Free Software: q/uintessenz is an active supporter of the GNU/Linux platform. q/uintessenz made a major contribution towards the establishment of the annual Linuxwochen, a GNU/Linux event that is well-known throughout the Austrian open source community. q/uintessenz art-IT-interface fosters the exchange of ideas between people and is rooted in art and IT. We offer our experience and technical expertise to artists worldwide.

http://www.quintessenz.at
Historic issues: http://ezines.onb.ac.at:8080/quint/