Spinnaker Software
Encyclopedia
Spinnaker Software was a 1982 founded software company known primarily for its line of non-curriculum based educational software, which was a major seller during the 1980s. It was founded by chairman Bill Bowman and president C. David Seuss.
Spinnaker pioneered the educational software market and was the first company to mass market low cost, educational software. It went public on NASDAQ in 1991 and was acquired by The Learning Company in 1994. The Learning Company was subsequently acquired by Mattel
.
, Better Homes and Gardens
and Newsweek
. The budget for advertising was huge: In 1983 $1.5 million were spent on advertising compared to sales of $11.1 million.
Robert Nason Baker of advertising agency Harold Cabot & Co., Boston designed the company logo and the multicoloured stripe that appeared on all printed material.
The initial lineup for Christmas 1982 comprised four titles: FaceMaker and The Story Machine, learning games by San Francisco-based DesignWare, and two Snooper Troops strategy games by Tom Snyder Productions.
Among the Spinnaker Software titles of 1983 were three programs designed and programmed by Interactive Picture Systems: Trains, Aerobics, and Grandma's House for Apple II, Atari 800 and Commodore 64 systems. A well-known product of 1983 was In Search of the Most Amazing Thing
by Tom Snyder Productions.
Spinnaker's educational titles included such games as Alphabet Zoo and Kidwriter. Kidwriter, a storybook authoring tool and the first word processor ever designed and developed specifically for children, was created by Jim and Jack Pejsa, who also developed Movie Creator (licensed by Spinnaker to Fisher Price Corp.) an 8 track video and 3 track music production and editing workshop for children. Alphabet Zoo was produced by Dale Disharoon, a teacher from Chico, California.
During the 1983-1988 time frame, Spinnaker consistently led the best seller charts for educational software. with Snooper Troops making the top ten list of bestselling games.
The first new product line was a collaboration with toy manufacturer Fisher-Price
. Spinnaker was responsible for creating, marketing and distributing the software and paid royalties for using the Fisher-Price name.
In October 1984 Spinnaker founded two subsidiaries, the Telarium
Corporation
and the Windham Classics
Corporation. Telarium was initially named Trillium, but Spinnaker changed the name shortly after its announcement and before launch to Telarium when another company claimed ownership of the Trillium name. Both corporations published adventure games (interactive fiction
) based on literature works. The target groups were different: Telarium geared toward grown-up adventure players and Windham Classic geared toward children players. In marketing and sales issues both subsidiaries worked closely together with their parent company. President of Telarium was C. David Seuss. The game developement was managed by Seth Godin
. Telarium focused on prime quality text and published eight adventures, partly in cooperation with established writers like Michael Crichton
, Byron Preiss
, Ray Bradbury
and Arthur C. Clarke
. Windham Classics focused on a nonviolent storyline appropriate for children and published five adventures.
By December 1984 Spinnaker had established seven product lines, with the Fisher-Price and Telarium/Windham Classics brands comprising more than ten titles each.
The Windhamc Classics corporation went defunct circa 1985/86 or later. The Telarium Corporation went defunct in 1987.
In 1990 Spinnaker bought Springboard, creator of Springboard Publisher and The Newsroom.
Spinnaker best seller during this time period was an integrated personal productivity application called "WindowWorks" which was an industry best seller, beating the Windows version of Microsoft Works to market by two years. WindowWorks was the first title ever bundled on a Compaq computer when it was selected to be included in the first price competitive Compaq released to a general public, as opposed to corporate market. WindowWorks and other Windows titles in the Betterworking series tripled Spinnaker's revenues and positioned it to acquire the pfs brand from SPC.
In January 1991 Spinnaker bought the PFS
line of business applications from Software Publishing Corporation, creators of Harvard Graphics
.
Spinnaker pioneered the educational software market and was the first company to mass market low cost, educational software. It went public on NASDAQ in 1991 and was acquired by The Learning Company in 1994. The Learning Company was subsequently acquired by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
.
Educational and entertainment titles
One of the key elements of the business plan was to change the marketing of software aimed at home users: Instead of plastic bags, the software was put into brightly colored, durable plastic boxes. To reach non-tech-savvy parents as potential buyers, full-color advertisements were run in magazines like Good HousekeepingGood Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, Better Homes and Gardens
Better Homes and Gardens (magazine)
Better Homes and Gardens is the fourth best selling magazine in the United States. The editor in Chief is Gayle Butler. Better Homes and Gardens focuses on interests regarding homes, cooking, gardening, crafts, healthy living, decorating, and entertaining. The magazine is published 12 times per...
and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. The budget for advertising was huge: In 1983 $1.5 million were spent on advertising compared to sales of $11.1 million.
Robert Nason Baker of advertising agency Harold Cabot & Co., Boston designed the company logo and the multicoloured stripe that appeared on all printed material.
The initial lineup for Christmas 1982 comprised four titles: FaceMaker and The Story Machine, learning games by San Francisco-based DesignWare, and two Snooper Troops strategy games by Tom Snyder Productions.
Among the Spinnaker Software titles of 1983 were three programs designed and programmed by Interactive Picture Systems: Trains, Aerobics, and Grandma's House for Apple II, Atari 800 and Commodore 64 systems. A well-known product of 1983 was In Search of the Most Amazing Thing
In Search of the Most Amazing Thing
In Search of the Most Amazing Thing is a computer game designed by Tom Snyder Productions and published by Spinnaker Software in 1983...
by Tom Snyder Productions.
Spinnaker's educational titles included such games as Alphabet Zoo and Kidwriter. Kidwriter, a storybook authoring tool and the first word processor ever designed and developed specifically for children, was created by Jim and Jack Pejsa, who also developed Movie Creator (licensed by Spinnaker to Fisher Price Corp.) an 8 track video and 3 track music production and editing workshop for children. Alphabet Zoo was produced by Dale Disharoon, a teacher from Chico, California.
During the 1983-1988 time frame, Spinnaker consistently led the best seller charts for educational software. with Snooper Troops making the top ten list of bestselling games.
Branding
Beginning in 1984, Spinnaker introduced several brands to structure its product line and target different audiences. Branding was intended to get Spinnaker more shelf space at retailers.The first new product line was a collaboration with toy manufacturer Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
. Spinnaker was responsible for creating, marketing and distributing the software and paid royalties for using the Fisher-Price name.
In October 1984 Spinnaker founded two subsidiaries, the Telarium
Telarium
Telarium Corporation was a subsidiary of Spinnaker Software. The corporation was founded in 1984 and went defunct in 1987. The headquarters were in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. President of Telarium was C. David Seuss, the founder and CEO of Spinnaker Software.- Adventure games :Telarium...
Corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
and the Windham Classics
Windham Classics
Windham Classics Corporation was a subsidiary of Spinnaker Software. The corporation was founded in 1984 and went defunct circa 1985/86 or later. The headquarters were in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.- Adventure games :...
Corporation. Telarium was initially named Trillium, but Spinnaker changed the name shortly after its announcement and before launch to Telarium when another company claimed ownership of the Trillium name. Both corporations published adventure games (interactive fiction
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
) based on literature works. The target groups were different: Telarium geared toward grown-up adventure players and Windham Classic geared toward children players. In marketing and sales issues both subsidiaries worked closely together with their parent company. President of Telarium was C. David Seuss. The game developement was managed by Seth Godin
Seth Godin
Seth Godin is an American entrepreneur, author and public speaker. Godin popularized the topic of permission marketing.-Background:...
. Telarium focused on prime quality text and published eight adventures, partly in cooperation with established writers like Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
, Byron Preiss
Byron Preiss
Byron Preiss was an American writer, editor, and publisher. He founded and served as president of Byron Preiss Visual Publications, and later of iBooks.-Early life and career:...
, Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
and Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
. Windham Classics focused on a nonviolent storyline appropriate for children and published five adventures.
By December 1984 Spinnaker had established seven product lines, with the Fisher-Price and Telarium/Windham Classics brands comprising more than ten titles each.
The Windhamc Classics corporation went defunct circa 1985/86 or later. The Telarium Corporation went defunct in 1987.
Leaving the market of educational software
In response to a severe, if temporary, downturn in consumer purchases of personal computers in the mid-to-late 1980s, and the shift in the market from more entertainment-oriented machines from Commodore and Atari toward more small business and personal productivity software running on IBM PC clones, Spinnaker decided to phase out its educational and entertainment titles and focus on personal productivity.Productivity software
In 1985 Spinnaker created the BetterWorking brand of productivity software for adults.In 1990 Spinnaker bought Springboard, creator of Springboard Publisher and The Newsroom.
Spinnaker best seller during this time period was an integrated personal productivity application called "WindowWorks" which was an industry best seller, beating the Windows version of Microsoft Works to market by two years. WindowWorks was the first title ever bundled on a Compaq computer when it was selected to be included in the first price competitive Compaq released to a general public, as opposed to corporate market. WindowWorks and other Windows titles in the Betterworking series tripled Spinnaker's revenues and positioned it to acquire the pfs brand from SPC.
In January 1991 Spinnaker bought the PFS
Pfs:Write
pfs:Write was a simple early word processor for Apple II and DOS systems created by Software Publishing Corporation. It included basic features such as automatic word wrapping, spell checking, copy and paste, underlining, and boldfacing...
line of business applications from Software Publishing Corporation, creators of Harvard Graphics
Harvard Graphics
Harvard Graphics was a pioneering presentation program developed for DOS and Microsoft Windows by Software Publishing Corporation . Harvard Graphics, Inc...
.