4 10 106 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/12a9946d3c388db96702cc6e60d89ae6.jpg a11c43be4eff1bfae168aab48bcf5943 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/66075ee80fd6521ed29c3cafa920258a.jpg c4d8f18a8eb12436d68b1bf5487e664d https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/0057a9c53a1b1e5679b816786564042a.jpg bc088e6bba0f22baaf592a5bcbbcfd57 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/cc5fde984acde33263af8f4bd3481230.jpg 063b9bf49a605cae3fdd073e4dfbcf7e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Electric—Nortel Networks Collection Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/Nortel_Logo.png" alt="Nortel_logo" width="25%" height="25%" border="0" /> The collection is dedicated to the corporate history of  Northern Electric and Manufacturing, Northern Electric, Northern Telecom, Bell-Northern Research, and Nortel Networks. Description An account of the resource Northern Electric and Manufacturing Company was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1895. It's main business was the manufacturing of telephone equipment for Bell Telephone Company of Canada. In 1914, the Northern Electric and Manufacturing Company merged with the Imperial Wire and Cable Company of Montreal to form the Northern Electric Company.  Although the new company's main business continued to be telecommunication equipment, Northern Electric also ventured into consumer electronics market manufacturing radios, television sets, console radio-phonographs, hi-fi amplifiers, and so on. In 1971, Northern Electric and Bell Canada formed Bell-Northern Research (BNR) — an Ottawa-based telecommunications research and development company. Around the same time, Northern Electric introduced its first electronic  PBX (Private Branch Exchange — a private telephone network used within a company or organization) named the SG-1. Four years later, BNR introduced the  SL-1 PBX  which was the world's first all-digital PBX aimed at medium-sized businesses.  In 1976, Northern Electric Company changed its name to Northern Telecom Limited and the company focused its operations exclusively on fully digital telecommunications products.  Northern Telecom was the first company in its industry to deliver a complete line of fully digital telecommunications products. Its SL-1 became the world’s most successful PBX and, by 1991, the company  was the world’s largest PBX supplier offering its Meridian communication systems line. In 1998, the company's name was changed to Nortel Networks to emphasize its focus on networking solutions for telecommunication over the Internet and other communications networks. In 2009, the company filed for bankruptcy protection. Abbreviations: <ul> <li>BNR: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.</li> <li>WC: W. Clipsham</li> <li>NT: Northern Telecom</li> <li>NOR: Nortel Networks</li> <li>WEC: Western Electric Company</li> <li>WB: items donated by Walter Banks</li> <li>KB: items donated by Keith Brickman</li> <li>HB: items donated by Henry Wiebe</li> <li>GR: items donated by Greg Reynolds</li> <li>ZS: items donated by Zbigniew Stachniak</li> <li>JM: items donated by John Morden</li> <li>RR: donated by Robert Roden</li> <li>SC: items donated by Stanley Chow</li> <li>DC: items donated by David Cuddy</li> </ul> HARDWARE <ul> <li>Digital Multiplex Switching System DMS-100 schematic diagram, Northern Telecom, 1979-1980 [SC]</li> <li>BNR XMS (eXtended Multicomputer System) workstation with two built-in 8" floppy drives [SC]</li> <li>BNR XMS workstation (prototype?)</li> <li>Two external 8" floppy diskette drives for the BNR XMS workstation[SC]</li> <li>Northern Telecom/Nortel Passport 50 DS1 MVPE module, [GR]</li> <li>Nortel Networks Passport 50 E3A FP module, [GR]</li> <li>Nortel Networks Passport 50 OC3S FP module, [GR]</li> <li>Nortel Networks Passport 50 CP module, [GR]</li> <li>Nortel's 1 MEG Modem, NTEX35AA, [ZS]</li> <li>Nortel Display Phone</li> <li>Northern Electric paper calculator, 1973 [JM]</li> <li>Dual NAND silicon microcircuit, Northern Electric, 1960s? [RR]</li> <li>Northern Telecom Alex videotex terminal, 1988</li> <li>Northern Telecom Displayphone telephone and data terminal, 1981</li> <li>Northern Telecom Displayphone 220 telephone and data terminal, 1987</li> <li>Nortel Europa smartphone [DC]</li> </ul> Corporate Documents <ul> <li>Northern Electric Company incorporation documents (original), 1914. [Nortel]</li> <li>Northern Telecom worldwide senior management structure, May 1983, [KB]</li> <li>Northern Telecom Inc., Major Business Units, May 1, 1985, [KB]</li> <li>Northern Electric Organization structure, September 1972. [KB]</li> <li>A file of Northern Telecom and BNR Human Resources publications and documents, 1979-1988</li> </ul> NEWSLETTERS and MAGAZINES <ul> <li>Northern Circuit, Northern Electric, Spring 1965. [KB]</li> <li>Northern News, Northern Electric, vol. 44, no. 7 (1969). [JM]</li> <li>The Networks, Northern Electric, September 1973. [JM]</li> <li>telesis, BNR issues: vol. 3, no. 2 (1973) [WB]; vol. 4, no. 3 (1975); vol 4., no. 1 (1976) [WC]; vol. 5, no. 2 (1977) and no. 9 (1978) [WB]; vol. 6, no. 1 (1979) [WB]; vol. 8, no. 4 (1981); vol. 12, no. 1 and 2 (1985) [WC, DC]; issues 92, 93 (1991), 98 (1994). [WC]</li> <li>the, Northern Electric, Ottawa, issue 2 (1969), 4, 5 (1970). [WC]</li> <li>Miscellany, BNR, vol. 2, 3 (1987), 4, 5 (1988), 6, 7 (1989). [WC]</li> <li>Printed Circuit, Northern Telecom at Bramalea vol. 18, no. 7 (1991). [JM]</li> <li>Lachine Journal, Northern Telecom at Lachine, no. 5 (1992). [JM]</li> <li>Network news, Northern Telecom, May 1992. [JM]</li> <li>Between-Us, Northern Telecom at Lachine and Laurentian no. 4 (1993). [JM]</li> <li>Protel Technical Notes, BNR, Language Development Group; issues: vol. 1, nr. 1--7, 1980.</li> <li>Data Packet, Data Networks Division, Northern Telecom, vol. 2, issue 3 )198?) [WC]</li> </ul> MANUALS, USER GUIDES, REPORTS, PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL 1940-1949 <ul> <li>No. 1 Crossbar Dial Telephone System, Photographs, Educational Bulletin No. 2.5, WEC, December 1947. [HW]</li> </ul> 1950-1959 <ul> <li>No. 5 Crossbar Dial Telephone System, Completion of a Call, Educational Bulletin No. 2.5 B-1, WEC, April 1954. [HW]</li> <li>The Step-By-Step Dial Telephone System, Telephone System Training, Lesson No. 3, No. 2.5 B-1, WEC, June 1954. [HW]</li> </ul> 1960-1969 <ul> <li>E.H. Lanham, A Brief Story of the Growth, Evolution, and Expansion of Telephone Systems from the Magneto Era to the Present, Technical Memorandum TM 8161-2-64, Northern Electric, December 31st, 1964.</li> <li>Toronto Works, Telephone Directory, Northern Electric Company, Switching Division, 1 November 1966 [WBr] 1 Nov. 1966. [HB] Preliminary Version, IPSA (29 November, 1970) [WK].</li> </ul> 1970-1979 <ul> <li>Time to switch... SP-1 electronic switching systems, Northern Electric, October 1973. [JM]</li> <li>Datapac: Standard Network Access Protocol, Trans-Canada Telephone System, 30 November, 1974. [WC]</li> <li>Datapac: Overview, Trans-Canada Telephone System, 1974? [WC]</li> <li>Datapac: Four papers presented to the Third International Conference on Computer Communications, Toronto, Canada (August 1976). [WC]</li> <li>An Introduction to GRAPPLE Programming, ver. 4.21, BNR 13490, July 1974. [WB]</li> <li>GRAPPLE Console Users Manual, ver. 1.0, BNR(?), 18 June, 1975. [WB]</li> <li>GRAPPLE Language Reference Manual, ver. 5.10, BNR 13500, June 1975. [WB]</li> <li>Datapac: Standard Network Access Protocol Specification, Trans-Canada Telephone System, 1976. [WC]</li> <li>Datapac: Four papers presented to the Third International Conference on Computer Communications, Toronto, August 1976, Trans-Canada Telephone System, 1976. [WC]</li> <li>W. Clipsham, SL10 Data Network Processor: General Description, BNR, Issue 1, September 1976. [WC]</li> <li>D. Drynan, SL10 Data Network Processor: Trunk System, BNR, February 1977. [WC]</li> <li>Integrated Software Engineering System: Cost-Benefit Analysis, BNR, November 1978. [WC]</li> <li>Integrated Software Engineering System: Overview, BNR, November 1979. [WC]</li> <li>Integrated Software Engineering System: System Requirements Specification, BNR, November 1979. [WC]</li> </ul> 1980-1989 <ul> <li>Introducing a major advancement in the evolution of the telephone: Displayphone, promotional brochure, Northern Telecom, April 1981 [DC]</li> <li>Does your telecommunications system give you access to your internal database? Displayphone promotional brochure, Northern Telecom, 198? [DC]</li> <li>SL-1 Displayphone promotional brochure, Northern Telecom, 198? [DC]</li> <li>Displayphone User Guide, Northern Telecom, February 1982 [ZS]</li> <li>Displayphone User Guide, Northern Telecom, issue 3 [ZS]</li> <li>Displayphone 220 User Guide, Northern Telecom, 1987 [ZS]</li> <li>ALEX Installation Guide, Northern Telecom, issue 1 [ZS]</li> <li>DMS-100 System Description, BNR, 1986. [SC]</li> <li>Writing Handbook, BNR, 1987. [WC]</li> <li>DPN: Data Networking System Reference Handbook, Northern Telecom, 1986. [WC]</li> <li>DMS-100/200 NT-40 Instruction Set, BNR, 1987. [SC]</li> <li>H. Johnson, Object-Oriented Programming in PROTEL (draft), BNR, 1988. [SC]</li> <li>H. Johnson, An Object-Oriented Language Based on PROTEL (draft), BNR, 1989. [SC]</li> <li>DPN-100: Data Networking Reference Handbook, Northern Telecom, 1988. [WC]</li> <li>B. Baker, Multiprocessing Core for DMS, BNR, 1989. [SC]</li> <li>Telephony, BNR, Technical Educational Department, 198?</li> <li>Meridian M4020 Integrated Terminal: Bringing integrated data and voice to the desktop, Northern Telecom, 1985. [DC]</li> </ul> 1990- <ul> <li>DPN-100/500: Data Networking General Description, Release 1.0, BNR, February 11, 1990. [WC]</li> <li>DPN: Data Networking System, BNR, October 1990. [WC]</li> <li>Advaced Telephone Terminals Design: Driving the Development of Next-Generation Terminals, Nortel-Northern Telecom, July 1997. [DC]</li> </ul> PAPERS and OTHER PUBLICATIONS <ul> <li>W.A. Depp and W.H.T. Holden, Circuits for Cold Cathode Glow Tubes, Bell Telephone System Technical Publications, Monograph B-1685, compliments of Northern Electric, 1949. Originally published in Electrical Manufacturing, vol. 44, pp. 92-97 (1949).</li> <li>J.H. Felker, Typical block diagram for a digital computer, Bell Telephone System Technical Publications, Monograph 2046, compliments of Northern Electric, 1952. Originally published in Transactions of American Institute of Electrical Engineers, vol. 71, part 1 (1952), pp. 175-182.</li> <li>Datapac and the SL-10 Packet Switching System: Selected Published Papers, 1976-79, BNR.</li> <li>M. Fridrich and W. Older, Helix: The Architecture of the XMS Distributed File System, reprint with the permission from IEEE Software (May 1985). [SC]</li> <li>N. Gammage and L. Casey, XMS: A Rendezvous-Based Distributed System Software Architecture, reprint with the permission from IEEE Software (May 1985). [SC]</li> <li>Northern Telecom: The Anatomy of Transformation, 1985--1995, Nortel/Northern Telecom (November 1996). [WC]</li> <li>H. Johnson, PROTEL A programming Language for Large Real-Time Applications, publisher: ? (1984).</li> <li>SINC Network Description, SINC Technical Document, Bell/BNR SINC Design Team (October 31, 1974). [WC]</li> <li>DPN Technical Papers 1985-1986, BNR. [WC]</li> <li>W.W. Clipsham, F.E. Glave, and M.L. Narraway, Datapac Network Overview, Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computer Communication, P.K. Verma (ed), Toronto. 3-6 August 1976; the material includes memos and slides prepared for the presentation. [WC]</li> <li>The BNR Network (197?) [WC]</li> <li>I. Cunningham, Host to Network Protocol for the Bell-Northern Research Network, version 1.2, BNR (October 1973). [WC]</li> <li>B. Clipsham et al, First Level Protocol for a Data Switch, version V, August 14, 1972, CASE: R3777. [WC]</li> <li>C.C. Martel, I.M. Cunningham, and M.S. Grushcow, The BNR Network: A Canadian Experience with Packet Switching Technology, BNR. [WC]</li> <li>N. Dam, D. Schenkel, and W.Prater, Micro-SNAP - An X.25 Microcomputer System, MSNAP-BNR (197?) [WC]</li> <li>B. Hobbs, Chrysalis: Transforming The Way We Do Business, Northern Telecom S321 (September 19, 1991). [JM]</li> <li>32 photographs of the Northern Telecom constructions at 8200 Dixie Rd. taken between February 23 and December 8, 1987. [JM]</li> <li>Four photographs of the Northern Electric Calgary Cable Plant, 19?? [JM]</li> <li>Various promotional Nortel Networks brochures, 1995--2003. [ZS]</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nortel Europa smartphone Subject The topic of the resource smartphone Description An account of the resource Nortel Europa (description courtesy of <a href="https://www.mobilephonemuseum.com/phone-detail/one-orbitor">Mobile Phone Museum</a>) The Nortel One (also known as the Europa handset) was an early instance of what’s come to be known as a ‘smartphone’, developed to show off the future that Nortel envisioned as a product family it called the Orbitor. Work on the Orbitor vision started at Bell-Northern Research (Nortel’s R&D subsidiary) in the early 1990s with a series of concept models focusing on what a handheld personal communicator could be like.  Once this proof-of-concept was validated through extensive user and chooser research, the design for Nortel One started apace in early 1995. It used the GSM radio and physical interface module from theNortel 92x/1920 phones with a digital signal processor (DSP) core for speech recognition and added an ARM processor module that interfaced with the touchscreen and powered the screen user interface.  The first working units, of which 80 were made, were delivered at the end of February 1998 in time for the GSM World Congress in Cannes, France. The development of the Nortel One device was primarily a skunk works  project undertaken at Nortel's Bell-Northern Research (BNR). It required the incorporation of many new technologies, overcoming internal corporate process challenges at Nortel, and managing a variety of logistics issues that the team working on the product had to address. The project largely flew under the radar at Nortel but succeeded thanks to a dedicated multi-disciplinary design team drawing on broad expertise at BNR (Ottawa, Canada) and AEG Mobile Communication (Ulm, Germany), then part of Matra-Nortel.   Initially, the prototype devices were going to be manufactured at an AEG factory in Berlin, but the manufacturing was moved to an SCI factory in Bordeaux, France where the final units were built. When it was originally conceived, the Nortel Orbitor was envisaged as being a “highly featured, pocket-sized wireless device” that would use advanced voice-recognition technology and a touch-sensitive screen to deliver voice, messaging and graphical notes in “one convenient, easy-to-use mobile communications devices.” The team working on the device boldly claimed they were “creating a new vision of personal communications for this decade [the 1990s] and into the next century.” They made it clear that the Orbitor was not a telephone, pager or a personal digital assistant (PDA) but that it was “something new, different and unique.” They preferred to describe it as being part of “a new category of personal communications management products that would put the user in control of emerging services and applications.” The original idea for the Orbitor was to be a compact, lightweight personal device, about the size of a wallet, that would be attached to a person’s clothing or easily fit in a pocket or handbag. The early design ideas centred on users being able to “dial” a number by simply speaking a number or a person’s name – a concept, that at the time, seemed like science fiction. Early concept models also included a detachable speaker that was designed to fit over a user’s ear “for handsfree operation and private conversations” – akin to a detachable Bluetooth headset that would come in later years. Nortel also envisaged that the Orbitor would support multimedia capabilities allowing users to communicate in different ways. For example, sending written messages to one person while having a call with another at the same time – yet another example of a use-case that is now taken for granted. Another revolutionary feature of the Orbitor was the use of animation in the user interface rather than plain text and static graphics – a capability that was only just starting to emerge on PCs at that time. The graphics on the Orbitor were animated offering an early example of skeuomorphic design – which mimics real-world experiences in the user interface. For example, when a message was received, an envelope moved onto the Orbitor’s screen and when the user selected it, the envelope unfolded to reveal the message. When the user deleted the message, the paper crumpled up and dropped off the bottom of the screen. The designers believed these “real-world images would make the Orbitor extremely easy to use by attracting user’s attention to the action being performed in a clear, unambiguous and memorable fashion.” A further example, that is also taken for granted these days, was when the Orbitor played a voice message an animated slider on a bar moved across the display. Users could use the touch screen to stop the message and play back portions of it by touching the bar at the appropriate position. Another innovation was offering “canned messages” such as “leave a voice msg.” or “call back to reschedule” so users could respond discreetly to calls when they were in a meeting or otherwise occupied. The early concepts of the Orbitor were validated starting in late 1992, using industrial design models in videos where various users were seen using the Orbitor in real-life situations. This was a smart approach as it avoided the costly and time-consuming process of building working prototypes. Screen simulations were super-imposed onto the devices used in the video which were so realistic at the time that some viewers thought the Orbitor models being used were real products. More details of the Orbitor concepts and underlying research can be found in the article that featured in the BNR in-house magazine, Telesis, Issue 97, December 1993. The first reveal of a functioning Orbitor device occurred in the BNR Futures Room at Nortel’s booth at Telecom’95 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was a fully featured device with a GSM radio, large 320 x 160-pixel eight-shade greyscale touch-sensitive screen and a graphical user interface, combined with advanced voice dialling and personal hands-free capabilities that had been pioneered on the Nortel 922 mobile phone. The prototype was powered by General Magic's MagicCap OS.  This demo garnered intense interest and was successful enough to give Nortel the confidence to progress down the road towards a commercial product. The Orbitor concept became the Europa device, which was eventually branded commercially as the Nortel One. By 1997, the design team decided to replace the MagicCap OS with Microware’s OS-9 combined with P-Java (a.k.a. Personal Java). The use of Java pioneered the notion of downloadable applications (today known as “apps”) to further personalize the user experience. The Nortel One worked in conjunction with the “Nortel One Server” which these days would be described as a “cloud platform”, or perhaps even an “app store". This allowed operators to provide customised data and services to users, including personalised menus and home screens, as well as being able to deliver apps in the form of Java applets.  Users could back up their phones to the server. Nortel believed that typical applications that would be offered on the Nortel One could include timetables and schedules, restaurant guides, stock prices, sports results, road and traffic information, ticketing, work scheduling and more. All types of content that are commonplace today. The phone had a range of features including text entry using the stylus either via character recognition or a soft keyboard, a “business card style directory”, a rudimentary browser with virtual buttons (tiles) that allowed users to access content and PIM (personal information manager) capabilities. The handset had a range of features including text entry using the stylus either via character recognition or a soft keyboard, a “business card style directory”, a rudimentary browser with virtual buttons (tiles) that allowed users to access content and PIM (personal information manager) capabilities, integrated speech recognition for voice-activated dialling, and a personal speakerphone.  A novel sliding keypad preserved the familiar 3-by-4 cellphone keypad with SEND and END buttons— when slid open the large touch-sensitive display was revealed. The first 80 pre-production handsets were manufactured in February 1998 to be showcased at the GSM World Congress trade show that month in Cannes, France by members of the Nortel team, including Ken Blakeslee. The Nortel One appeared again at the CeBIT fair in Hannover, Germany in March 1998. Initially, Nortel had planned to showcase the device as a major feature on its exhibition stand. However, the decision was taken to move the prototype devices to a back room away from public view. They were demoed by invitation to a few selected customers and industry personnel (including Nokia's Anssi Vanjoki) who were hugely impressed by the device with its futuristic capabilities such as weather data on a greyscale map with real-time data being transferred over SMS.  Nortel was also secretly working with the UK’s BT Cellnet to deploy the Nortel One offering a complete end-to-end solution combining the handset and a server solution hosting Java applications that could be downloaded onto the device. The team at BT Cellnet comprised several individuals including Simon Robinson, Tony Eales, Brian Greasley and others. The trial was destined to take place following GSM World Congress in 1998 with a goal of launching in the summer of 1998. The device and service portfolio was also shown to a number of retailers including Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone. Sadly, the BT Cellnet trial never came to fruition when John Roth, the then CEO of Nortel, abruptly ended the project. He felt that Nortel lacked the expertise required to be successful in consumer electronics devices and would not be able to hit the price points needed to be successful. Ultimately, this meant the future commercial iteration of the phone never came to market, but it has become a notable (albeit little-known) device in the history of the smartphone. Interestingly the patents and prior art that Nortel created around the Orbitor project have gone on to feature in several court cases concerning intellectual property in mobile phones, reflecting what a ground-breaking device it was for its time. Addendum: Nortel Europa — historical context (by Z. Stachniak) Integration of different, often disparate, functionalities within a single personal device, as exemplified by the smartphone, is not a new concept. In the 16th century, crucifix dials served as instruments to determine the time of day. These were small boxes in the shape of a crucifix typically crafted from brass and engraved with hour numbers and religious scenes. A built-in magnetic compass was used primarily, though not exclusively, to orient the instrument. It also aided in determining directions while traveling. Some of these dials incorporated other functionalities such as the conversion of "Italian hours" (24 hours of a day and night) into "common hours" (1 to 12 day hours) and vice versa carried on using built-in rulers. Thus, the dial addressed temporal and spiritual needs, provided secular guidance and helped to contemplate things eternal. <img src="https://media.britishmuseum.org/media/Repository/Documents/2014_10/8_15/ccd580a6_53f5_4382_9b07_a3be0105c968/mid_00442495_001.jpg" alt="16th century crucifix dial made by Melchior Reichle. The British Museum, museum number 1874,0727.3. " width="40%" height="40%" /> 16th century crucifix dial made by Melchior Reichle. Source: The British Museum, museum number 1874,0727.3. The rapid advancements in microelectronics during the 1970s and 1980s enabled the integration of multiple information management functionalities into single handheld devices, such as electronic organizers and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The Psion Organizer, released in 1984, offered users an electronic diary, searchable address database, flat-file database, calculator, and clock, as well as the execution of application programs and limited programmability. <img src="https://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/images/psion_at_YUCoM.jpg" alt="Nortel Orbitor prototype" width="30%" height="30%" /> The Psion Organizer, 1984. Source: York University Computer Museum. In the same year, Motorola introduced the DynaTAC 8000X phone, recognized as the first commercially available portable handheld cell phone. It offered approximately 30 minutes of talk time on full charge and limited call management features. The immediate social acceptance of PDAs and cell phones contributed to the popularization of the concept of personal, portable communication and information management devices. It was inevitable that sooner or later, a new generation of personal electronic devices combining PDA-like functionality with mobile telephony into a single device would emerge, and several companies began to work on such projects, including IBM (the Simon smartphone launched in 1994), Nokia (the Communicator released in 1996), and Alcatel (the One Touch Com introduced in 1998). Notably, BNR began its work on its vision for such a device (known as the Orbitor) in 1992.  Comprehensive market research was conducted to identify the types of products and services that would address crucial user needs through the use of such devices, as well as key user values for personal communications and data management. The Orbitor project was initiated by the BNR's Corporate Design Group which aimed at defining and implementing a new vision for personal communications. Initially, the device was envisaged as <blockquote>compact, lightweight, personal device—the size of the wallet—that would attach to a person's clothing or fit easily into a packet or purse. Offering voice, messaging, and graphical notes capabilities, Orbitor would be operated via voice-recognition capabilities and a touch-sensitive screen. Users could "dial" a telephone number simply by speaking a number or a person's name (provided that name has been entered in the personal directory) into the Orbitor's microphone. Orbitor would be designed with a detachable speaker that would fit comfortably over a user's ear for hands-free operation and private conversation. Orbitor would also be equipped with a detachable stylus to enable users to write messages, destined for other users, directly on the screen. As envisaged, Orbitor would also incorporate a multimedia capability that would let users communicate in different ways with more than one party at a time -- sending written messages to one person, while carrying on a voice conversation with another, for example. [1] </blockquote> <img src="https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/cc5fde984acde33263af8f4bd3481230.jpg" alt="Nortel Orbitor prototype" width="50%" height="50%" /> One of the Orbitor's concept designs. Source: [1]. The concept was first visualized in 1992 through videos produced by BNR as part of their extensive behavioural research. A variety of potential communication services were demonstrated by simulating them on a non-operational mock-up of the device. During the following three years, the Orbitor's design progressed to a state where its main features could be showcased in a working prototype. “We’ve been talking about and working with this concept for some time now, and we wanted to show our customers that its market implementation is not that far away," explained Arlan Anderson, manager of BNR's Portable Terminals Platform Development, in a press release from 1995 [2].  "We decided the best way to do that was to develop an operational prototype that could be demonstrated on a real switch.” In October 1995, such a technology demo was prepared for the Telecom ’95 trade show held in Geneva, Switzerland. "I was recruited/tasked to create a tiger team to create a working demo that could be put on display at T’95," recollected David Cuddy, former director of Nortel's Advanced Terminals Technologies group [3]. "This wasn’t a prototype of a product. It was a technology demo, or more accurately perhaps, a concept demo. What we built wasn’t based on Java - that design decision came later - but used the Magic Cap platform created by General Magic. [...] Given the positive response from prospective NT customers and trade journalists who saw our T’95 Orbitor demo, a decision was subsequently made to launch a product development program." The Orbitor's demonstration—among four special presentations featured at the BNR Futures Room at Nortel’s Telecom ’95 booth—showcased simultaneous voice and data communications through the DMS GSM system at Nortel's booth. “We demonstrated new audio and acoustic values that we call “Personal Handsfree,” which allow you to conduct a high-quality telephone conversation without having to hold the handset to your head," Arlan added [2]. "We also demonstrated several different types of messaging – handwritten messages, voice mail, and text messaging – accessed through the handset display.” During the 10-day event, the Orbitor demo was shown to over 800 customers and key government officials. According to Arlan, feedback was overwhelmingly positive: <blockquote>There is a lot of excitement around personal communications services in general, and people were very enthusiastic about what they saw and heard. The need for the types of user values exhibited by the Orbitor prototype was clearly acknowledged. In particular, the service providers noted the potential of Orbitor as a new wireless communications format that can help them evolve their business and differentiate themselves from competitors,</blockquote> Des Ryan, senior product design manager, Corporate Design Group, concurred. “The prototype enabled our customers to experience a future of their business where high-value services will be very easy to use, and showed that this future is within reach today.” [2] In the following two years, the Orbitor's design foundations underwent major transformation driven by many factors, most notably the commercialization of the Internet and the introduction of Sun Microsystems' Java. In 1986, NSF created its NSFNET network which soon became the primary Internet backbone. However, the network's mandate limited its usage exclusively to research and educational support endeavors. The "privatization of the Internet" culminating in NSF's retirement of its network in 1995, widely expanded Internet accessibility and paved the way for a wide range of new services from personal and corporate websites to e-commerce platforms. The release of Java 1.0 software in 1996 marked another pivotal factor impacting Orbitor's development. The BNR design team promptly recognized the significance of Sun's platform as an enabler of a vast array of sophisticated communications services. Consequently, in the same year, BNR decided to implement Orbitor as a Java-enabled device  code-named "Europa" — the first personal communications device of this kind. In an article for Talking Business magazine back in 1996, Ken Blakeslee, former head of the Business Development team at Nortel's Wireless Networks UK office, observed, "People understand what they want to do with mobile phones. It's only now that the technology arrived to enable it." The Europa handset, later rebranded as “Nortel One” [5], was officially unveiled during the 1998 GSM World Congress in Cannes in February 1998 and, a month later demonstrated at the CeBIT'98 International Trade Fair that took place in Hanover. The device had evolved into a full Java-enabled smartphone, running Microware OS-9 as the core operating system. It offered an advanced touch-sensitive graphical user interface, speech recognition, personal handsfree, and other advanced features. In addition, thanks to the Java underpinnings, it supported downloadable ‘apps’ as part of a client-server architecture. Sadly, as part of Nortel corporate refocusing, the Orbitor/Europa project was abruptly terminated in 1998. Nortel subsequently withdrew from the telephone handset market, divesting its portfolio of GSM, wireless, enterprise and landline telephones. The Advanced Terminal Technologies group was dismissed in 2000, and the following year, Nortel shut down the entire Corporate Design Group. Several groups within Nortel/BNR and outside companies participated in the Orbitor/Europa project including: <ul> <li>Corporate Design Group, Nortel,</li> <li>Advanced Terminal Technologies Group, Nortel,</li> <li>Nortel Wireless Networks, UK,</li> <li>Marta Communication Cellular Terminals, France,</li> <li>AEG Mobile Communications,  Germany,</li> <li>Sun Microsystems, USA.</li> </ul> In 1997, over 50 contributors from various BNR/Nortel groups and departments involved in the R&D  project signed a commemorative Europa poster. <img src="https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/66075ee80fd6521ed29c3cafa920258a.jpg" alt="Europa poster" width="50%" height="50%" /> Nortel Europa poster, 1997. Source: York University Computer Museum. References [1] Brown, M., Fairless, J., French-St.George, M., Lindsay, M., Roberts, T., and Ryan, D.,"Orbitor: a new personal communications concept," Telesis 97 (1993), pp. 5--13. [2] Orbitor, Nortel press release(?) (1995). [3] David Cuddy, private communication (2024). [4] Talking Business Magazine, Sun Microsystems (1996). [5] Nortel One: Nortel's Multimedia & Service Delivery Solution, promotional brochure, Nortel (1998) . Nortel Europa main features and technical specifications (as of 1998) Main features: <ul> <li>Java-powered cellular handset: Java enabled secure access to data from both the Internet and local Intranets,</li> <li>touch screen graphical user interface with handwriting character recognition and animated graphics (operated via touch, stylus, and keypad)</li> <li>business card style directory,</li> <li>ink notes: set-to-set ink messaging, allowing to send electronic hand written notes, diagrams, etc. from one device to another,</li> <li>text editor,</li> <li>built in help facility,</li> <li>Personal Information Manager (PIM) functions,</li> <li>integrated message center including SMS, voice, fax, e-mail, as well as notification and voice-mail interface,</li> <li>Internet browsing: Inpact browser,</li> <li>voice activated dialing,</li> <li>hands-free operation.</li> </ul> Hardware specifications: <ul> <li>motherboard: based on the Nortel 920 and 922 handsets,</li> <li>daughter card (the Europa Daughter Card, a.k.a. the EDC) containing: CPU, RAM, Intel Flash, and other components,</li> <li>CPU: Digital Equipment Corp. StrongARM SA-1100,</li> <li>RAM: 524,288 x 8-bit, implemented using eight Mitsubishi M5M5408ATP static RAM chips,</li> <li>flash memory: several types including Intel StrataFlash T28F800 and boot sector flash memory AMD AM29LV002B,</li> <li>SIM card: micro SIM,</li> <li>wireless network protocol: GSM, TI Gemini processor(?),</li> <li>keyboard: sliding, 20 keys (12 alphanumeric and 8 direction, phone, and function keys),</li> <li>display: 320x160 pixels touch screen, back-lit, 8-shade grey scale, controlled by the National Semiconductor COP472-3 liquid crystal display controller,</li> <li>audio-analog front end: Philips UCB 1200 (aka Betty),</li> <li>dimensions: 166x64x30,</li> <li>weight: 300g.</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>operating system: Microware OS-9,</li> <li>Personal Java platform, compliant with Java Telephony Application Programming Interface (JTAPI) ver. 1.2,</li> <li>GUI written in Java,</li> <li>variety of planned downloadable user applications, including: timetables/schedules, work scheduling, What's-on-Guide, restaurant guides, ticketing, stock prices, e-commerce, sports results, road and traffic information.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Nortel Europa 900, SN 004900 01 015129 0,</li> <li>Telesis, Nortel, issues 93, (December 1993) and 103 (July 1997),</li> <li>Nortel One: Nortel's Multimedia & Service Delivery Solution, promotional brochure, Nortel (1998),</li> <li>other Orbitor related holdings can be reviewed in the museum's Nortel archive,</li> <li>A 1997 commemorative Europa poster.</li> </ul> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unveiled in 1995 at Telecom’95 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bell-Northern Research Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource donated by David Cuddy https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/64f7a130ab28c0b92c9e207e416deef4.jpg c73b90d716eb6383fd2f664470ac2d08 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nelma Persona Subject The topic of the resource hardware: desktop computer Description An account of the resource Historical Context: Nelma Data Corporation was a desktop computer manufacturer based in Mississauga Ontario. In 1982, the company announced its Persona desktop computer (the NDC 100 Persona). In Fall 1983, the computer was shown at computer expo trade show COMDEX'83 held in Las Vegas, and advertised as "the professional small business computer." The Persona was distributed through ComputerLand which, at that time, was possibly the world’s largest computer retail chain. Since its introduction in August 1981, the IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly referred to as the IBM PC) had been rapidly gaining in popularity despite the fact that it operated under little known DOS operating system from Microsoft instead of the popular  CP/M operating system from Digital Research.  The main idea behind the Persona's development was to offer an affordable desktop computer with capabilities (and appearance) similar to that of the IBM PC but running CP/M instead of DOS. Later, to deal with the popularity of the IBM PC and rapidly expanding IBM PC clone market, Nelma offered a hardware kit to turn the Persona into an  IBM PC compatible computer. The Nelma Persona was designed by Jose Laraya -- the same engineer who in the early 1970s was leading the design of the MCM/70 personal computer at Micro Computer Machines of Toronto. Technical specifications: <ul> <li>CPU: Zilog Z80A</li> <li>RAM: 64Kb</li> <li>external storage: two  180Kb floppy drives</li> <li>ports: serial and parallel</li> <li>keyboard: QWERTY-style, detachable, with keypad and 11 program function keys</li> <li>display: a stand alone 12 inch CRT, monochrome (green)</li> </ul> Nelma offered a range of optional hardware for Persona including: <ul> <li>Intel 8086 processor kit</li> <li>360Kb floppy diskette drives</li> <li>10Mb Winchester hard drive</li> <li>additional 64Kb or 128Kb RAM</li> <li>high resolution color graphics</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>CP/M operating system version 2.2, Digital Research</li> <li>WordStar word processor, MicroPro</li> <li>MailMerge mailing list handler, MicroPro</li> <li>CalcStar spreadsheet, MicroPro</li> <li>InfoStar database, MicroPro</li> <li>SpellStar spelling checker, MicroPro</li> <li>MBasic, Microsoft</li> <li>Persona communications package, Nelma</li> <li>Persona Professional Accounting, Nelma</li> </ul> The museum has a NDC 100 Persona (serial number 8300321) with a keyboard and monitor. It was manufactured in March 1983. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nelma Data Corporation Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/09_953965e9c6.jpg 6786f2dc6cb033966d0086cbb4fefdcb hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NDS-1000 Word Processor Subject The topic of the resource hardware: word processor Description An account of the resource The NDS-1000 (also know as the Pancake) was a microprocessor-based word processor and communication system designed and manufactured by Network Data Systems between 1978 and 1985. The NDS-1000 consisted of a CPU unit (built around the Zilog Z80 microprocessor), Olivetti electric typewriter (Olivetti)), monitor, and  diskette drives (5.25 inch). The museum has an NDS-1000, model 1000, serial number 00202-01. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Network Data Systems (NDS) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977-1985 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Hardware Type The nature or genre of the resource Hardware Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.30 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1977-1985 Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No Canadian communication systems digital microprocessor NDS NDS-1000 NDS-1201 Network Data Systems Pancake wordprocessor https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/16849816538edc3c763383c31c542ae0.png 6d173fe5615606f0078230f49063db19 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/25f955c8d6d18663c37ed23378b49ef3.jpg e67dbe80d5190c3baabd73a1e83c5703 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/ff35444d6420a2c1e470ee761bcc7a06.png 94912505816007921d9dc15f22bd0cab https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/426c7803e70a4dd37dd9d57c0f27d663.png 2d9333612c6af0406109ea9cbe0832cf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU Network Collection Description An account of the resource The NABU Network was designed and implemented by an Ottawa-based company NABU Manufacturing between 1981 and 1983. The underlying idea behind the network was to link home personal computers to cable television networks that would supply a continuous, high speed stream of computer programs and information to homes. NABU Manufacturing identified cable television as uniquely ideal technology to deliver digital information services to homes and educational institutions because of cable's high bandwidth and wide coverage in North America. On October 15, 1983, NABU Network was launched on Ottawa Cablevision -- an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, VA, on Tribune Cable -- a 5,000 subscriber service. A year later the network was available on Ottawa's Skyline Cablevision and in Sowa, Japan, via a collaboration between NABU and ASCII Corp. NABU Network subscribers could rent or buy a NABU Personal Computer and dedicated network adaptor, and use an ordinary television set as a display monitor. Once connected to the network, a user could choose from various application programs and services in categories including entertainment, information and guides, education, and professional programs. Dedicated NABU magazines, newsletters, programming guides, and user groups provided subscribers with supplementary information and support. The NABU Network's public launch in 1983 marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information and services directly to homes of personal computer users. Financial difficulties lead NABU Network Corp. (formerly NABU Manufacturing) to close down its operations in 1986. Acquisition: The objects in the collection have been donated by D. Adkinson, J. Amanatides, R. Banks, J. De Carlo, F. Cuillerier, M. Kenzie, B. McNally, D. Sawyer, T. Shepard, A.G.M. Smith, Zbigniew Stachniak, and R.J. Tremblay. HARDWARE <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer, 4K ROM</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer, 8K ROM</li> <li>NABU Adaptor</li> <li>NABU 1100 workstation</li> <li>NABU 1600 desktop computer with external disk drives</li> <li>Various S-100 boards for the NABU 1100 computer made by Andicom Corp.</li> <li>Joysticks for the NABU Personal Computer</li> <li>External disk drive station for the NABU Personal Computer</li> <li>NABU 4404 terminal</li> <li>NABU 3100 terminal</li> <li>NABU 3116 terminal</li> <li>NABU 1200 motherboard</li> </ul> SOFTWARE <ul> <li>NABU CP/M Plus operating system and utility software for the NABU Personal Computer, NABU Network & Digital Research</li> <li>CP/M operating system for the NABU 1600 computer</li> <li>CP/M operating system for the NABU 1100 workstation</li> <li> Heli Tank computer game, NABU 1983 (ASCII Corp. version)</li> <li>NABU Network cycle for CABSERVE development system (1982--1986)</li> <li>Software development tools for CABSERVE development system (1982--1986)</li> <li>NABU Network DOS (historical software reconstruction), YUCoM 2008</li> <li>NABU Network main menu (1983 version, historical software reconstruction), YUCoM 2008</li> <li>XENIX 1.1 NABU 1600 Release Note, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 On-Board Monitor, Part FS-1200-XXX, Rev. 1, November 1982</li> <li>Qnix on the Fulcrum Technologies 1600, August 1984</li> </ul> MANUALS, GUIDES, TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer User's Guide, first edition, November 1982, NABU Manufacturing</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer User's Guide, Second edition, September 1983, NABU Manufacturing</li> <li>NABU Basic User's Reference Manual, first edition, September 1984, NABU Network Corp.</li> <li>NABU Network Guide, first edition, November 1982, NABU Manufacturing Corp.</li> <li>CP/M Plus (Operating System) User's Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li>CP/M Plus (Operating System) Programmer's Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li> CP/M Plus (Operating System) System Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li>Programmer's Utilities Guide For the CP/M Family of Operating Systems , Digital Research, 198?</li> <li>Symbolic Instruction Debugger Productivity Tool Reference Manual for the CP/M-80 Family of Operating Systems , Digital Research, 1981</li> <li>NABU Logo Learner's Guide, Interim Version, NABU Network, 1983</li> <li>NABU PC Disk Drive User's Guide, Interim Version, NABU Network, May 1984</li> <li>The NABU Network: Technical Specifications, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer Application Programmer's Manual, NABU Manufacturing report 50-90020490, June 8, 1984</li> <li>The NABU Network Product Training Kit, NABU Manufacturing, October 10, 1983</li> <li>NABU 3100 Users Manual, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982(?)</li> <li>NABU 1600 User's Operating Guide, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>NABU 1600 MS-DOS User's Guide, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>NABU 1600 Word Processing Reference Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 XENIX Command Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 User's Operating Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 XENIX Pre-Release Technical Supplement, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Engineering Specification, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Specification Control Drawing, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Product Bulletin, NABU Manufacturing Corp.: January 18,  October 02, February 9, February 11, and October 18, 1983</li> <li>Floppy Diskk Drive, NABU Part 10050017-00, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> <li>MS-DOS Quick Regference Card, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> </ul> CORPORATE DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Conference on the Electronic Mall (New York, December 9--10, 1981), December 15, 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Western Cable Show (Anaheim, December 14, 1981), December 14, 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. HOME NABU: A Proposal for the Initial Product Line. August 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. NABU: Proposed Product Planning Process. August 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. HOME NABU: Four Perspectives on the Home NABU. 1st draft, August 1981</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corporation. Wood Gundy Ltd. prospectus for a public offering of securities, October 26, 1981</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corp. Financial Statements, 1982</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (Las Vegas, January 7--10, 1982), January 15, 1982.</li> <li>Portfolio of early documents describing the NABU Network sent by P.A. Wilson and E.R. Goodwin to S. Paterson, June 9, 1982</li> <li>NABU Introduces Personal Computer, news release, Nabu Manufacturing, May 1982</li> <li>Acquisition of Volker-Craig by NABU Manufacturing Corp., a letter from A. Werenko, VP Sales, Volker-Craig, to distributors, OEM's, and House Accounts, January 29, 1982</li> <li>Volker-Craig Limited Announces Acquisition by NABU Manufacturing Corporation, news release, Volker Craig, January 7, 1982</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis. Broadcast data transmission methods (NABTS, DIDON, etc.). Memorandum, June 8, 1982</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Trip Report on the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (Las Vegas, 1983), January 14, 1983</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis and W.D.M. Sawyer. Cable Computing Comes of Age. Presentation notes for the BNR Old-Boys Club (date unknown, possibly 1983)</li> <li>Consumer/Education Division. Market and Business Analysis, Release 1.0. NABU Manufacturing, August 31, 1983</li> <li>Neil Telling. Products and Services for CATV Products, memorandum (date unknown)</li> <li>NABU and Rogers Launch the NABU Network in Vancouver, news release, NABU Manufacturing, August 18, 1983</li> <li>Rogers Cable TV-Vancouver launches the NABU Network broadcast software service this fall in Vancouver, news release, August 18, 1983</li> <li>NABU Network Corporation Common Shares certificate, February 15, 1984</li> <li>Engineering Change Order, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> </ul> PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL <ul> <li>MicroCable Plus: Right for the Times, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li> Introducing MicroCable Plus, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>Order Entry/Billing, General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Sales Analysis, software promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network... a business so right for cable, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corporation, corporate brochure, 1982</li> <li>The NABU 1600: The Beginning of a New Era of Computers, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3116 Video Display Terminal, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3055 Letter Quality Printer, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3201 Correspondence Quality Printer, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network: A technological breakthrough. Our technology. Your breakthrough, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>Tune in to a continuing adventure in computer programming, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 1982</li> </ul> NEWS LETTERS, NETWORK GUIDES, and OTHER PUBLICATIONS <ul> <li>The Hard Copy, vol. 1, no. 1, 2, 4, 1986 (monthly newsletter)</li> <li>The Changing Times, March 1985 (bi-monthly newsletter)</li> <li>The Education Channel, Computers, Children & Education, the education channel guide, NABU Network, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network Content Guide (monthly guide), August 15--September 15, 1984</li> <li>P. O'Connor, NABU: the brains network; in Canadian Bu$iness, March 1982</li> <li>C. Nesbitt, Nabu Manufacturing Corporation, McLeod Young Weir, January 31, 1984</li> <li>Nabu Network price list, August 18, 1983</li> </ul> OTHER DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>NABU's Writer Tutorial, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>NABU CALC application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Fancy Font application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>< Music Maker application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Kiddy Park game information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Fancy Font NABU Network subscription receipts, 1985-1986</li> <li>The NABU Network is changing for you, letter to customers, Richard Haas, NABU Network, August 9, 1985</li> <li>A letter to NABU subscribes, Ottawa CableVision Ltd., October, 1983</li> <li>A letter to NABU subscribes, Ottawa CableVision Ltd., March 16, 1984</li> <li>A letter to a customer regarding purchasing of the NABU CP/M Plus operating system, May 22, 1984.</li> <li>Share the NABU Experience, a note to customers, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network CCTA Satellite Demonstration, one page handout prepared for the 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983.</li> <li>Correspondence between Terry Shepard and the NABU Network, September-October, 1985</li> <li>Cable Options... We've only just begun. 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis and W.D.M. Sawyer. Cable Computing Comes of Age. In Cable Options... We've only just begun. 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983, pp. 13--19</li> <li>A binder documenting the use of a NABU 1600 system by D.J. Adkinson.</li> </ul> PHOTOGRAPHS and VIDEOS <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer, a photograph, 1983, CJOK CTV video, 1984</li> <li>Leo Binkowski September 29/84, CJOK CTV video, 1984</li> </ul> Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/nabu_logo.jpg" alt="MCM_logo" width="20%" height="20%" border="0" /> The collection documents the development and installation of the NABU Network created by Nabu Manufacturing. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Zbigniew Stachniak hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU Personal Computer Subject The topic of the resource hardware: personal computer Description An account of the resource Historical Context   The whole crew is instilled with the fervent enthusiasm of   Those Who Have Seen The Light. On everyone's lips is   the sacred name of the ancient Babylonian god of writing.   NABU. Bringer of wisdom and understanding.   NABU. Bringer of great pots of money. [P. Kinsman, NABU, NABU! One More Time From the Top, Enterprise, July 1981] The growing popularity of home and personal computing in the late 1970s and early 1980s created a  vibrant software industry supplying microcomputer users with a vast range of software products. During that period, the main form of the commercial microcomputer software distribution was packaged software sold in computer stores and outlets in the form of ROM cartridges, tape cassettes, and floppy diskettes. Even though the prices of personal and home computers were falling sharply in the early 1980s, the cost of good quality software remained the same reflecting, in part, high distribution costs. Electronic distribution of software directly into homes of computer owners originated in the second half of the 1970s. It was a novel, fast, and cost-effective alternative to packaged software's expensive, long, and multi-stage delivery process. A computer or a video game console owner could subscribe to an electronic distribution of software service (EDS service) that and gain an electronic access to software and data for a low monthly fee (of, approximately, the cost of a single commercial packaged software). By the early 1980s, several North American and European companies were already distributing software using common communication links (such radio waves, cable television (CATV), or telephone networks). While Europe was experimenting with EDS via teletext and videotex television services, several North American companies were looking into using CATV's superior high-speed digital information delivery capability for the purpose of mass-market distribution of home and recreational software. By the early 1980s, a large percentage of urban households in North America had a direct link to cable TV. Furthermore, a strong growth of the home computer and video game console markets was projected until at  least mid-1980s. Such forecasts supported the prospects of vast new sources of revenues for cable providers derived from bundling EDS with other CATV-based nonprogramming services. The NABU Network was possibly the most advanced and foremost among the early CATV-based EDS services. It was a brainchild of a Canadian entrepreneur John Kelly. The NABU Manufacturing Corp., which would spawn the NABU Network Corp., was incorporated in June 1981. It was initially created through the amalgamation of three companies: Bruce Instruments Ltd. (manufacturer of cable TV converters based in Almonte), MFC Microsystems International Inc. (a distributor of computer hardware and software for small business systems), and Computer Innovations Ltd. (which operated computer retail stores across Canada). Soon after, NABU Manufacturing acquired Andicom Technical Products Ltd. (a manufacturer of small business computers based in Toronto), Consolidated Computer Inc. (a manufacturer and distributor of key-edit systems), Mobius Software Ltd. (an Ottawa-based software consulting company), and Volker-Craig (a Kitchener-based manufacturer of video-display terminals). NABU's business plan was to capture a sizable share of the microcomputer market by offering the world's first cable-ready computers and by implementing a new delivery method for software and information -- the NABU Network. The company announced its network during the 1982 National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference in Las Vegas. In May 1983, the company transmitted its programming via satellite from Ottawa to terminals installed at the 26th Annual Convention of the Canadian Cable Television Association in Calgary. The transmission used the ANIK-D1 satellite, and it was a live feed from Ottawa. The NABU Network was officially launched on 15 October 1983 on Ottawa Cablevision, an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tribune Cable, a 5,000 subscriber service. The launch marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information, software, and digital entertainment directly to homes of personal computer users. The network was based on the concept of computers linked to cable television networks which could supply a constant stream of computer programs and information to almost unlimited number of users at high speed. NABU considered cable television a uniquely ideal technology to deliver software and data to home computers because of its high bandwidth and networking capabilities. To access NABU Network, customers had to purchase or rent a NABU Personal Computer (NABU PC) and a network adaptor that provided an interface between the NABU PC and the CATV's dedicated channel. The network provided its subscribers with a multi tier service that offered software and information in a range of categories, including entertainment, education, family information, home management, and a network guide. The November-December 1984 issue of The NABU Network magazine lists over 140 titles available on Ottawa Cablevision's NABU Network. In Ottawa, NABU program listings were available online (on NABU's Network Guide) as well as in local newspapers and dedicated NABU magazines. The NABU PC could be operated as a stand-alone desktop computer. For this purpose, NABU supplied its customers with Digital Research CP/M 3 operating system and floppy disk drives. Because of the company's financial difficulties, unfavourable market conditions, and regulatory constraints, the NABU Network went off the air on 31 August 1986 in both Ottawa and Alexandria. Rights to exploit commercial applications of NABU Network technology--that is, to selling the technology to corporations that could provide their own content--were vested in International Datacasting Corp. created in 1984. References: <ul> <li>Stachniak, Z. Early Commercial Electronic Distribution of Software, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, January-March (2014), pp. 39-51.</li> </ul> The NABU PC technical specifications: <ul> <li>CPU - ZILOG Z80A, 8-bit, 3.58MHz clock speed,</li> <li>RAM - 64Kb, NPC's main memory under the CPU's control,</li> <li>RAM - 16Kb, video display memory under the video processor's control,</li> <li>ROM - 4K or 8K (hosting software for bootstrap, self-test, and initialization),</li> <li>video processor - Texas Instruments TMS 9918A,</li> <li>sound generator - General Instrument AY-3-8910 programmable sound generator,</li> <li>external storage - floppy diskette drives; a floppy drive controller was required to be installed in one of the expansion,</li> <li>expansion ports - four 30-pin,</li> <li>keyboard - 66 key QWERTY-style (including 8 cursor and control as well as "YES" and "NO" keys), detachable, microprocessor-controlled, features two game controller connectors,</li> <li>game controllers - up to two controllers connected to the keyboard via DB-9 connectors; 8 position and fire button control,</li> <li>display - 24 lines of 40 characters, 16 colors (including transparent); requires a dedicated computer monitor or a television set connected via RF modulator,</li> <li>ports/connectors - serial EIA RS422 Adaptor interface, 8-bit parallel printer port (15-pin), EIA RS422 keyboard connector (6-PIN DIN), video connector (RCA phono jack), audio connector (RCA phono jack), cable IN ad OUT connectors (type F),</li> <li>data transmission rate - 6.312 Mbits.</li> </ul> The NABU PC systems software: <ul> <li>NABU BDOS - NABU Basic Downloadable Operating System, NABU Network Corp., 1982-1986</li> <li>XIOS1 - Extended Internal Operating Software, module 1, NABU Network Corp., 1982-1986</li> <li>XIOS2 - Extended Internal Operating Software, module 2, NABU Network Corp., 1982-1986</li> <li>Disk Utilities for NABU floppy disk drive, Digital Research, 1983 and NABU Network Corp., 1983</li> <li>RAM test utility program, NABU Network Corp., 198?</li> </ul> NABU Network applications and information programs in the museum's collection <table> <tbody> <tr> <th>title</th> <th>category</th> <th>creator</th> </tr> <tr> <td>ALPHABLAST II</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ALPHA LAB LOGO</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ANGLE TANGLE LOGO</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ANTARCTIC VENTURE</td> <td>game</td> <td>Konami, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ANTONYM ANTICS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>AQUATTACK</td> <td>game</td> <td>Interphase Technologies Inc., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ATMOSPHERE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ATOMS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BACKGAMMON</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BIORHYTHMS</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BEEVADERS</td> <td>LOGO game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>B.C. MATCH UP</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>B.C. TRIVIA</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CAPACITORS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CFONT</td> <td>office program</td> <td>SoftCraft, 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CHECKERS</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CHINESE HOROSCOPES</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CIRCUS CHARLIE</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CIRCUIT</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>COMPUTER GLOSSARY</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CORRECT-IT</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CYCLONS</td> <td>game</td> <td>Syntax Software Inc., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>DARTS AND BALLOONS LOGO</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>DECIMALS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>DEFINITION</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>DEPOT</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>EFONT Edit</td> <td>office program</td> <td>SoftCraft, 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>EMBASSY CAPER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FANCY FONT TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FLIP AND FLOP</td> <td>game</td> <td>First Star Software, 1983; NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FRACTIONS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FRENCH VERBS I</td> <td>eduactional program</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FROGGEE</td> <td>game</td> <td>Commercial Data Systems Ltd., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>GRAMMAR</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>HEAVYWAIGHT BOXING</td> <td>game</td> <td>Takara/Hal, 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>HERBS & SPICE 1</td> <td>information program</td> <td>605477 Ontario Inc., 1985</td> </tr> <tr> <td>HERBS & SPICE 2</td> <td>information program</td> <td>605477 Ontario Inc., 1985</td> </tr> <tr> <td>HYPER SPORTS</td> <td>game</td> <td>Konami, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>INTERVALS</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>KEYBOARD</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>KIDDY PARK</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>KNOW-IT-ALL</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LASER ATTACK</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LEARNING LETTERS</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LEARNING NUMBERS</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LOGO ACTIVITY HELP</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LOGO PREVIEW</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LOGO REFERENCE</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MACBETH</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MAKE UP</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MANIA</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp, 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MATH ATTACK LOGO</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MATH PUZZLE</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MATH QUIZ</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MAZE CRAZE</td> <td>LOGO game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>METRIC CONVERTER</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>METRO BLITZ</td> <td>game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MINERAL HUNT</td> <td>LOGO educational game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MINER 2049ER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MIX-IT</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MOONSWEEPER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MORTGAGE CALC</td> <td>home management</td> <td>NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MOTION AND FORCE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MOTORCYCLE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MR. CHIN</td> <td>game</td> <td>Hal, 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MUMMY'S TOMB</td> <td>game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MURDER MANSION</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU BASIC V2.0</td> <td>programming language</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU BASIC TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984; code follows directory</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU CALC</td> <td>spreadsheet</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU CALC TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU FILER</td> <td>database program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU FILER TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU LOGO, rev. 01</td> <td>programming language</td> <td>LOGO Computer Systems Inc., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU SPELLER</td> <td>office program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU SPELLER TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU WRITER</td> <td>office program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 198</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NABU WRITER TUTOR</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 198</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NEOCLYPS</td> <td>game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NIMBLE</td> <td>LOGO game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NOTES AND STAFF</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NOUNS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>O CANADA LOGO</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PAINTPOT</td> <td>educational program</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PARLOR POWER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PERCENTAGES</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PINBALL</td> <td>game</td> <td>John Allen, 1981</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PING</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PLANETS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PRINTER TUTORIAL</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>PROVINCES LOGO</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>QA DIG DUG</td> <td>game</td> <td>Namco Ltd., NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>QA GALAXIAN</td> <td>game</td> <td>Namco Ltd., NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>QA PAC-MAN</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983, 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>QUEST FOR TIRES</td> <td>game</td> <td>Sierra On-Line Inc., Sydney Development Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Q*BERT</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>RENEGADE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>RESISTORS</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ROULETTE</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>RUNES</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SARGON II CHESS</td> <td>game</td> <td>Dan and Kathleen, Hayden Book Comp. Inc., 1981</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SCHMOZZLE</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SHAPES</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SHAKESPEARE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SKETCH</td> <td>art program</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SKI SARAJEVO</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SKI WHISTLER</td> <td>game</td> </tr> <tr></tr> <tr> <td>SLEUTH</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SPORTS STUMPER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>STEP UP</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SUPER BILLIARDS</td> <td>game</td> <td>Bubble Bus Software, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>SUPER BLOOPER</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>THE INFORMER</td> <td>information program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1986</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TIME PILOT</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TONES & SEMITONES</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TOURNAMENT POKER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TRACK & FIELD 1</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TRACK & FIELD 2</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TV IQ</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>UFO'S</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WHIZ MIND LOGO</td> <td>game</td> <td>unknown</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WINE WATCH</td> <td>information program</td> <td>Wine Consultants of Canada, 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WING WAR</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WIZTYPE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WIZTYPE TUTOR</td> <td>office program</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1982</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WORD MASTERMIND</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>WORD ROTATE</td> <td>educational game</td> <td>Cymbal Software Inc, 1984, NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ZIPPER</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1983</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ZORK I</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ZOT!</td> <td>game</td> <td>NABU Network Corp., 1984</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The museum has several NABU PC and Adaptor units including the NABU PC 4K and 8K ROM models. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource NABU Network Manufacturing Corp., NABU Network Corp. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982--1986 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1983-1986, Ottawa (Canada), Alexandria (US), and Sowa (Japan) Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No EDS NABU network PC personal computer https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/6385e94df8dafddd3e127f51f4dcfe43.png 94912505816007921d9dc15f22bd0cab Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU Network Publications Subject The topic of the resource NABU Network magazines and newsletters Description An account of the resource Historical context The growing popularity of home and personal computing in the late 1970s and early 1980s created a vibrant software industry supplying microcomputer users with a vast range of software products. During that period, the main form of the commercial microcomputer software distribution was packaged software sold in computer stores and outlets in the form of ROM cartridges, tape cassettes, and floppy diskettes. Even though the prices of personal and home computers were falling sharply in the early 1980s, the cost of good quality software remained the same reflecting, in part, high distribution costs. Electronic distribution of software directly into homes of computer owners originated in the second half of the 1970s. It was a novel, fast, and cost-effective alternative to packaged software's expensive, long, and multi-stage delivery process. A computer or a video game console owner could subscribe to an electronic distribution of software service (EDS service) that and gain an electronic access to software and data for a low monthly fee (of, approximately, the cost of a single commercial packaged software). By the early 1980s, several North American and European companies were already distributing software using common communication links (such radio waves, cable television (CATV), or telephone networks). While Europe was experimenting with EDS via teletext and videotex television services, several North American companies were looking into using CATV's superior high-speed digital information delivery capability for the purpose of mass-market distribution of home and recreational software. By the early 1980s, a large percentage of urban households in North America had a direct link to cable TV. Furthermore, a strong growth of the home computer and video game console markets was projected until at least mid-1980s. Such forecasts supported the prospects of vast new sources of revenues for cable providers derived from bundling EDS with other CATV-based nonprogramming services. The NABU Network was possibly the most advanced and foremost among the early CATV-based EDS services. It was a brainchild of a Canadian entrepreneur John Kelly. The NABU Manufacturing Corp., which would spawn the NABU Network Corp., was incorporated in June 1981. It was initially created through the amalgamation of three companies: Bruce Instruments Ltd. (manufacturer of cable TV converters based in Almonte), MFC Microsystems International Inc. (a distributor of computer hardware and software for small business systems), and Computer Innovations Ltd. (which operated computer retail stores across Canada). Soon after, NABU Manufacturing acquired Andicom Technical Products Ltd. (a manufacturer of small business computers based in Toronto), Consolidated Computer Inc. (a manufacturer and distributor of key-edit systems), Mobius Software Ltd. (an Ottawa-based software consulting company), and Volker-Craig (a Kitchener-based manufacturer of video-display terminals). NABU's business plan was to capture a sizable share of the microcomputer market by offering the world's first cable-ready computers and by implementing a new delivery method for software and information -- the NABU Network. The company announced its network during the 1982 National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference in Las Vegas. In May 1983, the company transmitted its programming via satellite from Ottawa to terminals installed at the 26th Annual Convention of the Canadian Cable Television Association in Calgary. The transmission used the ANIK-D1 satellite, and it was a live feed from Ottawa. The NABU Network was officially launched on 15 October 1983 on Ottawa Cablevision, an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tribune Cable, a 5,000 subscriber service. The launch marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information, software, and digital entertainment directly to homes of personal computer users. The network was based on the concept of computers linked to cable television networks which could supply a constant stream of computer programs and information to almost unlimited number of users at high speed. The network provided its subscribers with a multi tier service that offered software and information in a range of categories, including entertainment, education, family information, home management, and a network guide. The November-December 1984 issue of The NABU Network magazine lists over 140 titles available on Ottawa Cablevision's NABU Network. In Ottawa, NABU program listings were available online (on NABU's Network Guide) as well as in local newspapers and dedicated NABU magazines. Because of the company's financial difficulties, unfavourable market conditions, and regulatory constraints, the NABU Network went off the air on 31 August 1986 in both Ottawa and Alexandria. Rights to exploit commercial applications of NABU Network technology--that is, to selling the technology to corporations that could provide their own content--were vested in International Datacasting Corp. created in 1984. NABU and its employees published several magazines and newsletters. The museum has the following publications: <ul> <li>The NABU Network magazine (NABU Network, monthly); holdings: November and December 1984,</li> <li>The Changing Times (NABU Network, bi-monthly); holdings: January, March, and May 1985,</li> <li>The Hard Copy Newsletter (NABU Network, monthly); holdings: vol. 1, nr. 1, 2, 4, 1986,</li> <li>The Grunt Press (newsletter published by NABU employees, irregular); holdings: issuues 7-10, 1982; issues 11-13, 1983,</li> <li>The New Grunt Press (newsletter published by NABU employees, irregular); holdings: vol. 1-3, 5-20, 1984.</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource NABU Manufacturing Corporation Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983 Relation A related resource NABU Adaptor, NABU Network collection Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Hardware Type The nature or genre of the resource Hardware Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.6 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1983-1986, Ottawa (Canada), Sowa (Japan) Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/86d443778d79c582070622e03427504d.png 69baf23bcf8c02e9f60dfa9f9f4dbb3e hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU Adaptor Subject The topic of the resource computer hardware: network adapter Description An account of the resource Historical context The growing popularity of home and personal computing in the late 1970s and early 1980s created a vibrant software industry supplying microcomputer users with a vast range of software products. During that period, the main form of the commercial microcomputer software distribution was packaged software sold in computer stores and outlets in the form of ROM cartridges, tape cassettes, and floppy diskettes. Even though the prices of personal and home computers were falling sharply in the early 1980s, the cost of good quality software remained the same reflecting, in part, high distribution costs. Electronic distribution of software directly into homes of computer owners originated in the second half of the 1970s. It was a novel, fast, and cost-effective alternative to packaged software's expensive, long, and multi-stage delivery process. A computer or a video game console owner could subscribe to an electronic distribution of software service (EDS service) that and gain an electronic access to software and data for a low monthly fee (of, approximately, the cost of a single commercial packaged software). By the early 1980s, several North American and European companies were already distributing software using common communication links (such radio waves, cable television (CATV), or telephone networks). While Europe was experimenting with EDS via teletext and videotex television services, several North American companies were looking into using CATV's superior high-speed digital information delivery capability for the purpose of mass-market distribution of home and recreational software. By the early 1980s, a large percentage of urban households in North America had a direct link to cable TV. Furthermore, a strong growth of the home computer and video game console markets was projected until at least mid-1980s. Such forecasts supported the prospects of vast new sources of revenues for cable providers derived from bundling EDS with other CATV-based nonprogramming services. The NABU Network was possibly the most advanced and foremost among the early CATV-based EDS services. It was a brainchild of a Canadian entrepreneur John Kelly. The NABU Manufacturing Corp., which would spawn the NABU Network Corp., was incorporated in June 1981. It was initially created through the amalgamation of three companies: Bruce Instruments Ltd. (manufacturer of cable TV converters based in Almonte), MFC Microsystems International Inc. (a distributor of computer hardware and software for small business systems), and Computer Innovations Ltd. (which operated computer retail stores across Canada). Soon after, NABU Manufacturing acquired Andicom Technical Products Ltd. (a manufacturer of small business computers based in Toronto), Consolidated Computer Inc. (a manufacturer and distributor of key-edit systems), Mobius Software Ltd. (an Ottawa-based software consulting company), and Volker-Craig (a Kitchener-based manufacturer of video-display terminals). NABU's business plan was to capture a sizable share of the microcomputer market by offering the world's first cable-ready computers and by implementing a new delivery method for software and information -- the NABU Network. The company announced its network during the 1982 National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference in Las Vegas. In May 1983, the company transmitted its programming via satellite from Ottawa to terminals installed at the 26th Annual Convention of the Canadian Cable Television Association in Calgary. The transmission used the ANIK-D1 satellite, and it was a live feed from Ottawa. The NABU Network was officially launched on 15 October 1983 on Ottawa Cablevision, an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tribune Cable, a 5,000 subscriber service. The launch marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information, software, and digital entertainment directly to homes of personal computer users. The network was based on the concept of computers linked to cable television networks which could supply a constant stream of computer programs and information to almost unlimited number of users at high speed. NABU considered cable television a uniquely ideal technology to deliver software and data to home computers because of its high bandwidth and networking capabilities. To access NABU Network, customers had to purchase or rent a NABU Personal Computer (NABU PC) and a network adaptor that provided an interface between the NABU PC and the CATV's dedicated channel. The network provided its subscribers with a multi tier service that offered software and information in a range of categories, including entertainment, education, family information, home management, and a network guide. The November-December 1984 issue of The NABU Network magazine lists over 140 titles available on Ottawa Cablevision's NABU Network. In Ottawa, NABU program listings were available online (on NABU's Network Guide) as well as in local newspapers and dedicated NABU magazines. The NABU PC could be operated as a stand-alone desktop computer. For this purpose, NABU supplied its customers with Digital Research CP/M 3 operating system and floppy disk drives. Because of the company's financial difficulties, unfavourable market conditions, and regulatory constraints, the NABU Network went off the air on 31 August 1986 in both Ottawa and Alexandria. Rights to exploit commercial applications of NABU Network technology--that is, to selling the technology to corporations that could provide their own content--were vested in International Datacasting Corp. created in 1984. The NABU Adaptor -- overview The NABU Adaptor (NA) was a high-speed (6.312 Mbps), addressable communications device which interfaced a NABU PC with a CATV NABU channel allowing an access to digital data provided by NABU Network to its subscribers. Such data was either processed by the adaptor for its own internal use (e.g. for updating subscription information) or passed on to the NABU PC. NA was equipped with a signal splitter allowing cable signal to be fed simultaneously to the NABU PC and to the subscriber's TV set. Because the NABU PC was designed primarily to use a TV set as a display, this arrangement permitted easy switching from the PC operations over to normal TV broadcast (this was accomplished using the TV/NABU key located on the computer's keyboard). NAs contained several dedicated memories. Each NA had a unique digital address stored in address memory at time of manufacture. This address allowed NABU Network operators to send short messages and instructions to, for instance, authorize or de-authorize the subscriber to receive programs in specific service tiers. Tire authorization data was stored in NA's tire authorization memory. Such data was updated by NABU Network operators by transmitting tire information to specific NA addresses. Each NA could be authorized for up to 31 tiers. Finally, NA's message memory was designed to store short messages for electronic mail service. NA's front panel featured  four LED indicators: POWER, CABLE, LINK, MESSAGE. They allowed to detect possible malfunctioning of a subscriber's system and could help cable operators to diagnose the system remotely. The museum has two NABU Adaptors: <ul> <li>model number NA-2, serial number 005420,</li> <li>model number NP-2, serial number 0014291.</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource NABU Manufacturing Corp., NABU Network Corp. Relation A related resource NABU Network Collection Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.7 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1983-1986, Ottawa (Canada), Alexandria (US), and Sowa (Japan) Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No Adaptor NABU https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/a25d141ee58a8fb0d13b7a081eee5bac.jpeg 4bada6c11630b197334cd145e71282cc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU Network Collection Description An account of the resource The NABU Network was designed and implemented by an Ottawa-based company NABU Manufacturing between 1981 and 1983. The underlying idea behind the network was to link home personal computers to cable television networks that would supply a continuous, high speed stream of computer programs and information to homes. NABU Manufacturing identified cable television as uniquely ideal technology to deliver digital information services to homes and educational institutions because of cable's high bandwidth and wide coverage in North America. On October 15, 1983, NABU Network was launched on Ottawa Cablevision -- an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, VA, on Tribune Cable -- a 5,000 subscriber service. A year later the network was available on Ottawa's Skyline Cablevision and in Sowa, Japan, via a collaboration between NABU and ASCII Corp. NABU Network subscribers could rent or buy a NABU Personal Computer and dedicated network adaptor, and use an ordinary television set as a display monitor. Once connected to the network, a user could choose from various application programs and services in categories including entertainment, information and guides, education, and professional programs. Dedicated NABU magazines, newsletters, programming guides, and user groups provided subscribers with supplementary information and support. The NABU Network's public launch in 1983 marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information and services directly to homes of personal computer users. Financial difficulties lead NABU Network Corp. (formerly NABU Manufacturing) to close down its operations in 1986. Acquisition: The objects in the collection have been donated by D. Adkinson, J. Amanatides, R. Banks, J. De Carlo, F. Cuillerier, M. Kenzie, B. McNally, D. Sawyer, T. Shepard, A.G.M. Smith, Zbigniew Stachniak, and R.J. Tremblay. HARDWARE <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer, 4K ROM</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer, 8K ROM</li> <li>NABU Adaptor</li> <li>NABU 1100 workstation</li> <li>NABU 1600 desktop computer with external disk drives</li> <li>Various S-100 boards for the NABU 1100 computer made by Andicom Corp.</li> <li>Joysticks for the NABU Personal Computer</li> <li>External disk drive station for the NABU Personal Computer</li> <li>NABU 4404 terminal</li> <li>NABU 3100 terminal</li> <li>NABU 3116 terminal</li> <li>NABU 1200 motherboard</li> </ul> SOFTWARE <ul> <li>NABU CP/M Plus operating system and utility software for the NABU Personal Computer, NABU Network & Digital Research</li> <li>CP/M operating system for the NABU 1600 computer</li> <li>CP/M operating system for the NABU 1100 workstation</li> <li> Heli Tank computer game, NABU 1983 (ASCII Corp. version)</li> <li>NABU Network cycle for CABSERVE development system (1982--1986)</li> <li>Software development tools for CABSERVE development system (1982--1986)</li> <li>NABU Network DOS (historical software reconstruction), YUCoM 2008</li> <li>NABU Network main menu (1983 version, historical software reconstruction), YUCoM 2008</li> <li>XENIX 1.1 NABU 1600 Release Note, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 On-Board Monitor, Part FS-1200-XXX, Rev. 1, November 1982</li> <li>Qnix on the Fulcrum Technologies 1600, August 1984</li> </ul> MANUALS, GUIDES, TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer User's Guide, first edition, November 1982, NABU Manufacturing</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer User's Guide, Second edition, September 1983, NABU Manufacturing</li> <li>NABU Basic User's Reference Manual, first edition, September 1984, NABU Network Corp.</li> <li>NABU Network Guide, first edition, November 1982, NABU Manufacturing Corp.</li> <li>CP/M Plus (Operating System) User's Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li>CP/M Plus (Operating System) Programmer's Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li> CP/M Plus (Operating System) System Guide, version 3, Digital Research, 1983</li> <li>Programmer's Utilities Guide For the CP/M Family of Operating Systems , Digital Research, 198?</li> <li>Symbolic Instruction Debugger Productivity Tool Reference Manual for the CP/M-80 Family of Operating Systems , Digital Research, 1981</li> <li>NABU Logo Learner's Guide, Interim Version, NABU Network, 1983</li> <li>NABU PC Disk Drive User's Guide, Interim Version, NABU Network, May 1984</li> <li>The NABU Network: Technical Specifications, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>NABU Personal Computer Application Programmer's Manual, NABU Manufacturing report 50-90020490, June 8, 1984</li> <li>The NABU Network Product Training Kit, NABU Manufacturing, October 10, 1983</li> <li>NABU 3100 Users Manual, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982(?)</li> <li>NABU 1600 User's Operating Guide, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>NABU 1600 MS-DOS User's Guide, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>NABU 1600 Word Processing Reference Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 XENIX Command Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 User's Operating Guide, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 XENIX Pre-Release Technical Supplement, Preliminary Draft, NABU Manufacturing, 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Engineering Specification, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Specification Control Drawing, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 1983</li> <li>NABU 1600 Product Bulletin, NABU Manufacturing Corp.: January 18,  October 02, February 9, February 11, and October 18, 1983</li> <li>Floppy Diskk Drive, NABU Part 10050017-00, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> <li>MS-DOS Quick Regference Card, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> </ul> CORPORATE DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Conference on the Electronic Mall (New York, December 9--10, 1981), December 15, 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Western Cable Show (Anaheim, December 14, 1981), December 14, 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. HOME NABU: A Proposal for the Initial Product Line. August 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. NABU: Proposed Product Planning Process. August 1981</li> <li>D. Sawyer. HOME NABU: Four Perspectives on the Home NABU. 1st draft, August 1981</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corporation. Wood Gundy Ltd. prospectus for a public offering of securities, October 26, 1981</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corp. Financial Statements, 1982</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Report on the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (Las Vegas, January 7--10, 1982), January 15, 1982.</li> <li>Portfolio of early documents describing the NABU Network sent by P.A. Wilson and E.R. Goodwin to S. Paterson, June 9, 1982</li> <li>NABU Introduces Personal Computer, news release, Nabu Manufacturing, May 1982</li> <li>Acquisition of Volker-Craig by NABU Manufacturing Corp., a letter from A. Werenko, VP Sales, Volker-Craig, to distributors, OEM's, and House Accounts, January 29, 1982</li> <li>Volker-Craig Limited Announces Acquisition by NABU Manufacturing Corporation, news release, Volker Craig, January 7, 1982</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis. Broadcast data transmission methods (NABTS, DIDON, etc.). Memorandum, June 8, 1982</li> <li>D. Sawyer. Trip Report on the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (Las Vegas, 1983), January 14, 1983</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis and W.D.M. Sawyer. Cable Computing Comes of Age. Presentation notes for the BNR Old-Boys Club (date unknown, possibly 1983)</li> <li>Consumer/Education Division. Market and Business Analysis, Release 1.0. NABU Manufacturing, August 31, 1983</li> <li>Neil Telling. Products and Services for CATV Products, memorandum (date unknown)</li> <li>NABU and Rogers Launch the NABU Network in Vancouver, news release, NABU Manufacturing, August 18, 1983</li> <li>Rogers Cable TV-Vancouver launches the NABU Network broadcast software service this fall in Vancouver, news release, August 18, 1983</li> <li>NABU Network Corporation Common Shares certificate, February 15, 1984</li> <li>Engineering Change Order, NABU Manufacturing Corp., 198?</li> </ul> PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL <ul> <li>MicroCable Plus: Right for the Times, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li> Introducing MicroCable Plus, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 1982</li> <li>Order Entry/Billing, General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Sales Analysis, software promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network... a business so right for cable, promotional brochure, Nabu Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>NABU Manufacturing Corporation, corporate brochure, 1982</li> <li>The NABU 1600: The Beginning of a New Era of Computers, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3116 Video Display Terminal, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3055 Letter Quality Printer, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU 3201 Correspondence Quality Printer, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network: A technological breakthrough. Our technology. Your breakthrough, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>Tune in to a continuing adventure in computer programming, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network, promotional brochure, NABU Manufacturing, 1982</li> </ul> NEWS LETTERS, NETWORK GUIDES, and OTHER PUBLICATIONS <ul> <li>The Hard Copy, vol. 1, no. 1, 2, 4, 1986 (monthly newsletter)</li> <li>The Changing Times, March 1985 (bi-monthly newsletter)</li> <li>The Education Channel, Computers, Children & Education, the education channel guide, NABU Network, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network Content Guide (monthly guide), August 15--September 15, 1984</li> <li>P. O'Connor, NABU: the brains network; in Canadian Bu$iness, March 1982</li> <li>C. Nesbitt, Nabu Manufacturing Corporation, McLeod Young Weir, January 31, 1984</li> <li>Nabu Network price list, August 18, 1983</li> </ul> OTHER DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>NABU's Writer Tutorial, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>NABU CALC application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Fancy Font application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>< Music Maker application program information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Kiddy Park game information pages, original screen print, 198?</li> <li>Fancy Font NABU Network subscription receipts, 1985-1986</li> <li>The NABU Network is changing for you, letter to customers, Richard Haas, NABU Network, August 9, 1985</li> <li>A letter to NABU subscribes, Ottawa CableVision Ltd., October, 1983</li> <li>A letter to NABU subscribes, Ottawa CableVision Ltd., March 16, 1984</li> <li>A letter to a customer regarding purchasing of the NABU CP/M Plus operating system, May 22, 1984.</li> <li>Share the NABU Experience, a note to customers, 198?</li> <li>The NABU Network CCTA Satellite Demonstration, one page handout prepared for the 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983.</li> <li>Correspondence between Terry Shepard and the NABU Network, September-October, 1985</li> <li>Cable Options... We've only just begun. 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983</li> <li>A.M. Chitnis and W.D.M. Sawyer. Cable Computing Comes of Age. In Cable Options... We've only just begun. 26th Annual Convention and CABLEXPO, Calgary Alberta, May 16--19, 1983, pp. 13--19</li> <li>A binder documenting the use of a NABU 1600 system by D.J. Adkinson.</li> </ul> PHOTOGRAPHS and VIDEOS <ul> <li>NABU Personal Computer, a photograph, 1983, CJOK CTV video, 1984</li> <li>Leo Binkowski September 29/84, CJOK CTV video, 1984</li> </ul> Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/nabu_logo.jpg" alt="MCM_logo" width="20%" height="20%" border="0" /> The collection documents the development and installation of the NABU Network created by Nabu Manufacturing. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Zbigniew Stachniak hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU 1600 Desktop Computer Subject The topic of the resource hardware: desktop computer Description An account of the resource Historical Context NABU Manufacturing (incorporated in June 1981 in Ottawa) was created through the amalgamation of three companies: Bruce Instruments Ltd. (manufacturer of cable TV converters based in Almonte), MFC Microsystems International Inc. (a distributor of computer hardware and software for small business systems), and Computer Innovations Ltd. (which operated computer retail stores across Canada). Soon after, the company acquired Andicom Technical Products Ltd. (a manufacturer of small business computers based in Toronto), Consolidated Computer Inc. (a manufacturer and distributor of key-edit systems), Mobius Software Ltd. (an Ottawa-based software consulting company), and Volker-Craig (a Kitchener-based manufacturer of video-display terminals). NABU's business plan was to capture a sizable share of the microcomputer market by offering the world's first cable-ready computers and by implementing a novel system for electronic delivery of software and information to home computer users -- the NABU Network. The company announced its network during the 1982 National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference in Las Vegas. In May 1983, the company transmitted its programming via satellite from Ottawa to terminals installed at the 26th Annual Convention of the Canadian Cable Television Association in Calgary. The NABU Network was officially launched on 15 October 1983 on Ottawa Cablevision, an 85,000-subscriber company where much of NABU's testing was performed. Soon thereafter, the network made its US debut in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tribune Cable, a 5,000 subscriber service. The launch marked the creation of the first commercial computer network to provide high-speed access to information, software, and digital entertainment directly to homes of personal computer users. While NABU's focus was on cable TV-based delivery of software and data, the company also designed and sold desktop and workstation computers. One of such computers was the NABU 1600 designed by NABU's Andicom brunch. It was a 16-bit multi-user, multi-tasking desktop business computer supporting up to three user terminals. It was released by NABU Manufacturing in 1982. The system consisted of the CPU unit, the mass storage unit, and up to four terminals (e.g. the NABU 4404 terminals). The NABU 1600 technical specifications: <ul> <li>CPU: Intel 8086 at 4.916 MHz,</li> <li> floating-point co-processor: Intel 8087,</li> <li>RAM: 256 Kbytes expandable to 512 Kbytes,</li> <li>ROM: 8 Kbytes,</li> <li>mass storage unit: two diskette or hard drives in a separate unit,</li> <li>hard drive: Seagate ST412, 10 Mbytes (formatted) with Western Digital WD 1001 disk controller,</li> <li>diskette drive: Tandon TM 100-4,</li> <li>diskettes: 5.25 inch, double-sided, double-density, 800 Kbytes,</li> <li>communications: synchronous, aynchronous, 4 RS 323C ports.</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>operating systems: MS-DOS, Xenix, and CP/M-86,</li> <li>programming languages: C, FORTRAN, BASIC, Pasal, COBOL,</li> <li>applications: DOC text editor, Q-Mail (mail software), Q-Spell (spell checker), electronic spreadsheet, accounting, database management.</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource NABU Manufacturing Corp., NABU Network Corp. Type The nature or genre of the resource Hardware Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.28 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-1986 Contribution Form The set of elements containing metadata from the Contribution form. Online Submission Indicates whether or not this Item has been contributed from a front-end contribution form. No microcomputer NABU NABU 1600 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/729accd4102fc86eff421c987dde8070.png 6fe6af6af8db4cd3569a313dfa2d290b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NABU 1100 Computer System Subject The topic of the resource hardware: computer system Description An account of the resource Historical context The NABU 1100 system was manufactured by NABU Manufacturing Corp. in the early 1980s. The system consisted of the the NABU 1100 computer (designed by Toronto-based Andicom -- one of the companies amalgamated into NABU) and the NABU 4404 display terminal (designed and manufctured by Volcer-Craig Ltd. -- another Canadian company merged into NABU). Apart from being sold to Canadian customers through the Ottawa-based Computer Innovations retail stores (which become part of NABU as well), the system was internally used as software development platform for the NABU Network -- a novel cable TV-based delivery method for software and information using world's first cable-ready computers. The NABU 1100 computer hardwer was hosted in a large cabinet with casters on it for manoeuverability. A drawer at the bottom of the cabinet was provided to store software and manuals. The NABU 4404 display terminal was a stand-alone, ASCII, serial asynchronous computer peripheral that could be connected to any computer equipped with an RSC232C interface. NABU recommended other display terminals to be used with the NABU 1100 computer as well, such as the NABU 404, 3100, and 4416 terminals. NABU 1100 technical specifications <ul> <li>Bus: S-100</li> <li>CPU: Zilog Z80A CPU at 4 MHz</li> <li>RAM: 62 Kbytes</li> <li>ROM: 2 Knytes</li> <li>card slots for: CPU board (ACP-1101) floppy disk controller board (AFC-1100), I/O board (AIO-1100), and memory board (ADM-1000), and additional 4 user supplied boards</li> <li>external storage: two buil-in 8" Shugart diskette drives (SA850), double sided, capacity = 1600 Kbytes (unformated)</li> <li>ports: two RS-232C serial I/O, and parallel I/O</li> </ul> NABU 4404 Terminal specifications <ul> <li>CPU: Zilog Z80A</li> <li>display: 12" anti-glare, 24 lines, 80 characters per line, normal or revers video</li> <li>keyboard: detachable, QWERTY, upper/lower case characters</li> <li>8 switches to control the screen display</li> <li>ports: EIA RS232C communications interface</li> <li>data rates: from 110 up to 19200 baud</li> <li>options: serial and parallel interfaces, numeric key-pad and function keys, APL character set, ccoloured anti-glare display screen (amber or green)</li> </ul> NABU 1100 software and documentation <ul> <li>CP/M operating system,</li> <li>NABU 1100 User's Manual, Manufacturing Corp., 1981December 1981,</li> <li>The NABU 1100 System: A Technical Guide, Nabu Manufacturing Corp., 1981,</li> <li>VOLKER-CRAIG User's Manual, VC4404 The CHAT Video Display Terminal, Volker-Craig/NABU, Rev. 3, March 1982,</li> <li>VC4404 Video Display Terminal, Service Manual, Volker-Craig, 198?</li> <li>SA850/851 Bi-Compliant Double Sided Diskette Storage Drive Service Manual, Shugart,</li> <li>NABU 3100 Users Manual, NABU Commercial Terminals Ltd., 198?</li> <li>NABU 3100 Service Manual (preliminary), NABU Commercial Terminals Ltd. August 3, 1983.</li> </ul> The museum has a NABU 1100  computer with the above mentioned software and documentation as well as NABU 4404 and 404 terminals. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource NABU Manufacturing Corp. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context H.16 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available donated by D.J. Knigh Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada, 1980-1986 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/52a8c7d340dccbfb458b2daadc6fbb46.jpg f4cc414c041f97851aa26ceb98853939 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Multiflex Z80 Computer Kit Subject The topic of the resource computer hardware: microcomputer Description An account of the resource Historical Context: Multiflex Z80 Computer Kit was a Canadian-made, low-cost computer designed around the Z80 microprocessor by Multiflex Technology Inc. and sold by Exceltronix Components and Computing of Toronto. Its early version, offered in 1980 or earlier, was advertised as a prototyping computer kit for computer hobbyists. In 1983, modified and packaged together with display, keyboard, and disk drives, it was sold as the Multiflex Super System. According to Exceltronix, Multiflex computers were sold across Canada to companies, educational institutions, and computer hobbyists. In its basic configuration, the Multiflex Z80 Computer KIt  consisted of two boards: the mother board and the CPU board. The motherboard featured four sockets  one of which was designated for interfacing with the CPU board. The remaining three sockets were used for expanding the system with a range of expansion cards offered by Multiflex as well as by various manufacturers world-wide. The motherboard also featured a 16-key hexadecimal keypad, 14 monitor function keys, 2 user definable keys, a hexadecimal display, and an EPROM programmer for storing programs and data in EPROM chips. The CPU board was a single-board computer which was inserted into one of the expansion sockets on the motherboard.  The computer was designed to operate under Multiflex monitor (Z.MON, residing in EPROM), and later, under a dialect of CP/M operating system co-developed by National Multiplex/Pegasus and Exceltronix. The monitor software allowed full support for programming the computer in the Z80 assembly language as well as for using all the features available through the motherboard (e.g. programming EPROMs). Under the CP/M operating system, the Multiflex Z80 computer could execute a variety of popular applications software from word processors to data bases and spreadsheets. Multiflex Z80 Computer Kit -- hardware specifications: <ul> <li>bus architecture: IEEE S-100</li> <li>CPU: Z80A, 8-bit, (2-6MHz)</li> <li>RAM: up to 64KB</li> <li>ROM: 4 ROM sockets for BIOS, monitor software, etc</li> <li>disk drives: not included but supported whit an optional Multiflex disk drive controller card</li> <li>expansion sockets: 4 -- one taken by the CPU board and the remaining three were typically designated for a video card, and disk drive controller</li> <li>keypad: 16-key hexadecimal</li> <li>function keys: 14 monitor function keys plus 2 user definable keys</li> <li>display: hexadecimal display on the motherboard</li> <li>external display: not included but supported with an optional display or high-resolution card</li> <li>EPROM programmer: resident on the motherboard, could program a range of EPROMs</li> <li>ports: RS-232 serial port and 24-line parallel port</li> <li>keyboard: not included</li> <li>power supply: not included</li> </ul> Software: <ul> <li>Z.MON monitor program (in EPROM)</li> <li>CP/M operating system</li> <li>a range of applications software written to operate under CP/M including BASIC programming language, WordStar (word processor from MicroPro International,), and SuperCalc (spread sheet from Sorcim)</li> </ul> The museum has a Multiflex Z80 Computer KIt with a manual published in 1980. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Multiflex Technology Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1980 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada, 1980s https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/8dacd22e5adf510b3b51fdc13fbda8a6.JPG 4901f74afb74300216691918a7e69f29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Multiflex Video Display Terminal Kit Subject The topic of the resource computer hardware: video display terminal Description An account of the resource Historical Context: Multiflex Technology Inc. was one of the companies of the Exceltronix group controlled by Eugen Hutka. In 1979, Hutka founded Exceltronix with its retail office at 319 College Street in Toronto. In the early 1980s, Multiflex was developing complete computer systems based on the Zilog Z80, Motorola 68000, and Intel 8086 processors together with a variety of peripheral and expansion cards. The company also manufactured stand-alone intelligent terminals, video display kits, as well as a range of other electronic products including peripheral and expansion cards for the Apple ][ computer. In 1984, Multiflex designed its first in the line of BEST computers compatible with the IBM PC and AT desktops, making Exceltronix one of the largest Canadian manufacturers of microcomputers of the 1980s. Multiflex Video Display Terminal Kit -- technical description (from the Exceltronix Catalogue Supplement, Spring 1983): The video display terminal is "originally designed as a low cost access unit for our [Exceltronix] soon to be operational computerized mail-ordering and bulletin board system." The terminal "is controlled by a Z80A microprocessor and a 6845 CRT controller chip. The keyboard is fully ASCII encoded and the character generator contains the full 128-character set as well as a 128-character alternate set both of which are in 5x7 dot matrix format. The screen display is 80 characters by 24 lines if the unit is hooked to an external monitor or 64 by 24 if run through an RF modulator to a TV. There are 3 software selectable attributes (dim, reverse video, and alternate character set) which can be chosen one at a time for the whole screen... Also included are 2 RS232 ports: one for a modem and one so that a printer can be attached to the terminal... The MULTIFLEX Video Display Terminal has provisions for an on board modem freeing a serial port." The Multiflex Video Display Terminal Kit was offered in 1982 and sold by Exceltronix. The museum has a complete Multiflex Video Display Terminal Kit as well a Multiflex Video Display board (without a built-in keyboard) and a keyboard in a separate enclosure. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Multiflex Technology Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982-- Type The nature or genre of the resource computer hardware Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MULTIFLEX03 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada, 1980s