In-Browser Emulation:

Telidon Computer Graphics

John Durno
University of Victoria Libraries

Every Object An Orchestra: A Software Preservation & Emulation Showcase
Digital Preservation Coalition
2026.04.28

What was Telidon?

A project of the Canadian Federal Department of Communications to develop consumer-facing computer networks, that ran from 1978 through 1985.

Some commercial use through the mid-1990s (Prodigy)

Notable characteristics

  • Interactive
  • Sophisticated (for the time) graphics
  • Relied on specialized hardware & software

Why do we care?

  • Used by dozens of Canadian artists
  • Some of the earliest telematic art in Canada
  • Exhibited at São Paulo '83, Venice '86, Expo '86
  • Long though lost due to technical obsolescence

Strategy

  • Recover, convert files
  • Create display controller using MVDI object library
  • Run emulations in DOSBox

Live Demo

Nell Tenhaaf, Us And/Or Them

Translation & descriptive text

jdurno@uvic.ca

https://www.durno.ca