{"id":4303,"date":"2024-12-06T13:28:21","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T18:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/?p=4303"},"modified":"2024-12-06T13:28:24","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T18:28:24","slug":"the-history-of-the-nabu-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network","title":{"rendered":"The History of &#8220;The Nabu Network&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Have you heard of this network? Back in the early 1980s, Ottawa was a renowned hub for high technology. Prominent companies like <em>Bell Northern Research<\/em> and <em>Mitel<\/em> spurred the development of a cluster of small yet incredibly progressive and ambitious IT enterprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of these companies ceased operations due to competitive pressure or other reasons. <a href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\"><em>Ottawa Future<\/em> <\/a>delves into the history of <em>Nabu<\/em>, a company that shone brightly and stood out from the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28743bc769c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28743bc769c\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#What_Did_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D_Stand_For\" title=\"What Did &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Stand For?\">What Did &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Stand For?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#Business_Strategy_of_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\" title=\"Business Strategy of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;\">Business Strategy of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#Network_Services_in_Ottawa\" title=\"Network Services in Ottawa\">Network Services in Ottawa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#The_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D_Line_Falls_Short_of_Expectations\" title=\"The &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Line Falls Short of Expectations\">The &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Line Falls Short of Expectations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#Closure_of_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\" title=\"Closure of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;\">Closure of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#Reasons_for_Failure\" title=\"Reasons for Failure\">Reasons for Failure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/eternal-4303-the-history-of-the-nabu-network\/#Reconstructing_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\" title=\"Reconstructing &#8220;Nabu&#8221;\">Reconstructing &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Did_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D_Stand_For\"><\/span>What Did &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Stand For?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ambitious computer companies were gradually closing their doors in Ottawa. Some residents still remember names like <em>Gandalf Data<\/em>, <em>Norpak<\/em>, and <em>Xicom<\/em>, along with other IT ventures. The decline of these companies was not only due to intensifying competition but also rapid technological change, insufficient funding, and weak consumer demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Nabu<\/em> drew its name from the Babylonian god of wisdom and writing. The acronym stood for &#8220;Natural Access to Bidirectional Utilities.&#8221; Initially registered as <em>Nabu Manufacturing Corporation<\/em>, the company debuted on the Toronto Stock Exchange in December 1982, raising $26 million during its initial public offering. Based in Ottawa, the company was the product of carefully planned mergers and acquisitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some Ottawa residents still recall <em>Nabu<\/em>\u2019s distinctive advertising campaigns, featuring renowned Canadian magician Doug Henning. An image from the 1984 campaign remains a historical artifact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"264\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-27.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-27.png 350w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-27-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Business_Strategy_of_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Business Strategy of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The company employed about 900 people, with roughly half of its workforce based in Ottawa. Here&#8217;s a closer look at <em>Nabu<\/em>\u2019s business strategy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Entering the Market with Desktop Computers: In 1983, <em>Nabu<\/em> launched the 16-bit NABU 1600 for text processing and data management at its factory in Almonte.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canada\u2019s First Home Microcomputer: The company aimed to compete with giants like Commodore, IBM, Xerox, and Apple, which went public in December 1980.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offering Online Services: The strategy included selling or renting <em>Nabu<\/em> home microcomputers, allowing Ottawa families to use their TVs as monitors for accessing programs and data. Subscribers to <em>Nabu<\/em> packages gained access to a wide range of financial and educational programs, video games, news, sports updates, and weather information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>One unique feature of <em>Nabu<\/em> was its bidirectional communication enabled by <em>Telidon<\/em>, a videotext and teletext service developed by the Canadian Communications Research Centre. This allowed users to perform banking transactions, shop online, access email, and store data remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"590\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-28.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-28.png 590w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-28-300x229.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Network_Services_in_Ottawa\"><\/span>Network Services in Ottawa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Nabu<\/em> launched its network services in Ottawa on October 26, 1983, but initially only for residents west of Bank Street (serviced by Ottawa Cablevision).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The costs at the time may interest modern readers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <em>Nabu<\/em> home computer cost $950.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rental options were available for $19.95 per month, plus an additional $9.95 monthly fee for <em>Nabu<\/em> software.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1984, residents east of Bank Street could also access these services. That spring, <em>Nabu<\/em> hired Thomas Wheeler, former president of the National Cable Television Association in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"740\" height=\"785\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-29.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-29.png 740w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-29-283x300.png 283w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-29-696x738.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D_Line_Falls_Short_of_Expectations\"><\/span>The &#8220;Nabu&#8221; Line Falls Short of Expectations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite a sound business strategy, <em>Nabu<\/em> failed to meet its goals. The business computer line was unsuccessful, prompting a corporate restructuring in October 1983. This led to the creation of two separate entities: <em>Nabu Network Corporation<\/em> and <em>Computer Innovations<\/em>. The latter soon folded, while <em>Nabu Network Corporation<\/em> continued its struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the end of 1984, <em>Nabu<\/em> had only about 1,500 subscribers in the Ottawa area and 700 in Alexandria, Virginia. These numbers were insufficient for the company to remain viable in the highly competitive home computer market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1041\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-30.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-30.png 800w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-30-231x300.png 231w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-30-768x999.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-30-696x906.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Closure_of_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Closure of &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In November 1984, <em>Nabu<\/em> shut down. The company\u2019s primary shareholder and largest creditor, <em>Campeau Corporation<\/em>, which had invested over $25 million in <em>Nabu<\/em>, refused to provide further funding. Employees were laid off, trading in the company\u2019s shares was suspended, and in January 1985, <em>Nabu<\/em> was delisted from the stock exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of September 1984, financial reports showed assets of $4 million against liabilities of $30 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One last effort to revive the company occurred in 1984, when founder John Kelly created a private enterprise called <em>NABU Network<\/em>. This entity offered licensed software and video games to Ottawa subscribers and employed 30 former <em>Nabu<\/em> staff members. However, after an 18-month struggle, the network permanently ceased operations in August 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-31.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-31.png 791w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-31-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-31-768x427.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-31-696x387.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reasons_for_Failure\"><\/span>Reasons for Failure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1986, founder John Kelly attributed <em>Nabu<\/em>\u2019s failure to being &#8220;ahead of its time.&#8221; Other contributing factors included a downturn in the home computer industry and financial difficulties. At the time, few households owned home computers, which were considered expensive toys. While public perception later shifted, making home computers essential, <em>Nabu<\/em> did not survive long enough to benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A notable comparison is <em>America Online (AOL)<\/em>, launched in the U.S. in 1989. Despite offering inferior services compared to <em>Nabu<\/em>, AOL achieved remarkable\u2014if short-lived\u2014success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-32.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-32.png 640w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-32-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reconstructing_%E2%80%9CNabu%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Reconstructing &#8220;Nabu&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2005, York University\u2019s Computer Museum announced a program to reconstruct the <em>Nabu<\/em> network, including an online collection documenting the company\u2019s technology. The museum officially unveiled its version of the network in 2009, with <em>Nabu<\/em>\u2019s former president and CEO John Kelly as a guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the summer of 2010, development began on a <em>Nabu<\/em> network software emulator. Motivated by the network\u2019s historical significance and the limited portability of the YUNN system, the project gained support from former employees Bob McNelly and Leo Binkowski. After thorough testing, the emulator is expected to be available for PCs and mobile platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-33.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-33.png 640w, https:\/\/cdn.ottawa-future.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/image-33-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you heard of this network? Back in the early 1980s, Ottawa was a renowned hub for high technology. Prominent companies like Bell Northern Research and Mitel spurred the development of a cluster of small yet incredibly progressive and ambitious IT enterprises. Most of these companies ceased operations due to competitive pressure or other reasons. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":500,"featured_media":2752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1115],"tags":[3990,3983,3989,3982,3994,3993,3997,3985,3987,3984,3988,3996,3995,3986,3991,3992],"moimportance":[29,30,33],"motype":[1121],"moformat":[22],"class_list":{"0":"post-4303","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-it-sphere","8":"tag-development-of-a-software-emulator-for-the-nabu-network","9":"tag-nabu-and-john-kelly","10":"tag-nabu-business-strategy","11":"tag-nabu-closure","12":"tag-nabu-home-computer-purchase","13":"tag-nabu-home-computer-rental","14":"tag-nabu-line-failed-to-meet-expectations","15":"tag-nabu-network-services-in-ottawa","16":"tag-nabu-reconstruction","17":"tag-nabu-was-ahead-of-its-time","18":"tag-online-collection-documenting-nabu-technology","19":"tag-president-and-ceo-john-kelly","20":"tag-reasons-for-the-decline","21":"tag-reconstruction-and-testing-of-the-nabu-network","22":"tag-the-nabu-network-story","23":"tag-york-university-computer-museum-renovation","24":"moimportance-aktualna-bilshe-roku","25":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","27":"motype-eternal","28":"moformat-longrid-korotka"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/500"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4303"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4325,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4303\/revisions\/4325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4303"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=4303"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=4303"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa-future.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=4303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}