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In 1983, a man acquired thousands of computers, but never used them. Years later, he needed to sell them online.
More than 2,200 vintage computers were discovered in a barn in Massachusetts, USA, and quickly became a phenomenon on the Internet.
The machines, manufactured by the Canadian company Nabu in 1983, remained forgotten for over 30 years until they were rediscovered in late 2022.
The History of Nabu Computers
Released in 1983, Nabu computers were an innovation for their time. They operated through a connection to a cable TV service, making them one of the first systems to offer functionalities similar to high-speed Internet.
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To use the computer, the user needed to connect the machine to a special adapter and subscribe to a cable TV service.
Unlike conventional computers, Nabu units did not have hard drives and depended entirely on the network to access and store data.
Despite the innovation, the computers did not achieve commercial success and were restricted to the Canadian market.
The lack of demand and the rapid evolution of technology at the time quickly rendered the devices obsolete, leading many to be stored or discarded.
The Rediscovery
After the discovery in the barn in 2022, James Pellegrini decided to sell the units on eBay with an initial price of US$ 60 (approximately R$ 290).
The interest in the computers was so great that James’s account was temporarily disabled due to the volume of sales.
James, who worked in programming in the past, revealed that he acquired the computers in the 80s with the intention of creating a telephone switching system for small businesses.
However, the project never materialized, and the computers ended up stored for decades.
The hype grew even more when YouTuber Adrian Black, who specializes in vintage devices, purchased a unit and published a video demonstrating its functionality.
The video quickly went viral and boosted the sale of a quarter of the stock in just three days.
Another enthusiast, DJ Sures, whose father and uncles worked at Nabu, decided to go further and recreate the original network of the computers.
With the help of one of the developers from the 80s project and data from York University, he managed to simulate the original experience of the computers, making them fully functional again.
The Impact on the Retro Technology Community
The rediscovery of Nabu computers sparked a growing interest in the history of computing and the innovations that preceded the modern Internet.
The community of enthusiasts grew rapidly, and the recreation of the network allowed the devices to be used as if they were still in the 80s.
Moreover, the Nabu phenomenon highlights the sentimental and historical value of retro technology. Many collectors and enthusiasts see these machines as an opportunity to relive the past and better understand the evolution of computing.
Due to the rising demand, James increased the price of the units to US$ 99 (about R$ 480), and currently, there are no more computers available on eBay, indicating that the stock has sold out completely.
With information from Vice.
Gostei do assunto, interessante…
Este comprador levou NABU.. literal MENTE. rsrs
Quem não viveu os anos 80 não sabe o que perdeu. Se aprendia muito com o bom e velho BASIC. Sem livros, sem professores, a informática era aprendida com muita dedicação e suor…