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