Telidon

Telidon was a Canadian videotex system developed by the Department of Communications and first demonstrated in 1978. It was designed to be a user-friendly, interactive information system accessible from home or office via telephone lines and a television or computer monitor. Telidon's key innovation was its graphics generation capability, allowing for the creation of more sophisticated and visually appealing displays than other contemporary systems.

The system utilized a character-based protocol but also incorporated a set of geometric drawing commands, enabling the creation of vector graphics. This made it more versatile for displaying information like maps, diagrams, and advertisements. Users could access a wide range of databases containing news, weather, financial information, shopping catalogs, and educational content. The interface was designed to be navigated using a keypad or keyboard, with on-screen menus guiding users through the available options.

Telidon was intended to be a platform for public access to information and for businesses to offer new services. Several trials and pilot projects were conducted across Canada to test its feasibility and public acceptance. However, despite its technological advancements and the enthusiasm of its developers, Telidon ultimately did not achieve widespread commercial success. Factors contributing to this included the high cost of early terminals, competition from other emerging technologies, and the slow development of a critical mass of content providers. While Telidon itself faded, its underlying concepts and graphical capabilities influenced later developments in online services and the internet.