Spinnaker Software
| Company type | Public (from 1991) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, video games, educational software |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Bill Bowman, C. David Seuss |
| Fate | Acquired by The Learning Company in 1994 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | C. David Seuss (president of Telarium), Seth Godin (game development at Telarium) |
| Products | Educational software, video games, productivity software (BetterWorking brand), WindowWorks, Springboard Publisher, The Newsroom, PFS suite |
| Parent | The Learning Company (from 1994) |
Spinnaker Software Corporation was an American company specializing in software and video games, established in 1982 by Bill Bowman and C. David Seuss. The firm focused on educational software outside of standard curricula and became a leading vendor in the 1980s.
As a pioneer in the educational software sector, Spinnaker gained prominence by distributing affordable titles on a large scale. The company went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange in 1991 and was subsequently purchased by The Learning Company in 1994, which itself was later acquired by Mattel.
Educational and entertainment titles
One of Spinnaker’s main marketing approaches involved packaging their software in vibrant, sturdy plastic boxes rather than simple plastic bags to attract home consumers. To engage parents who were less familiar with technology, the company invested significantly in full-color advertisements placed in popular magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens, and Newsweek. In 1983, advertising expenditures reached $1.5 million against sales totaling $11.1 million. The company’s logo along with its distinctive multicolored stripe were created by Robert Nason Baker of Harold Cabot & Co., based in Boston.
The original product lineup from 1982 featured four titles: two from DesignWare—FaceMaker and The Story Machine—and two strategy games titled Snooper Troops developed by Tom Snyder Productions. In 1983, Spinnaker introduced titles from Interactive Picture Systems, including Trains, Aerobics, and Grandma's House, compatible with Apple II, Atari 800, and Commodore 64 systems. Another significant release was Tom Snyder Productions’ In Search of the Most Amazing Thing.
Among the educational offerings were Alphabet Zoo, created by educator Dale Disharoon, and Kidwriter, recognized as the first word processor designed specifically for children, developed by Jim and Jack Pejsa. The Pejsa brothers also created Movie Creator, a tool for producing 8-track video and 3-track music that was licensed to Fisher Price Corp.
By early 1984, InfoWorld ranked Spinnaker as the 16th-largest microcomputer software company worldwide, with $10 million in sales during 1983. From 1983 through 1988, Spinnaker regularly led educational software sales charts, with titles like Snooper Troops consistently ranking among the top ten best-selling games.
Branding
Beginning in 1984, Spinnaker launched multiple brands to organize its products more effectively and increase retail presence.
The first new brand resulted from a partnership with toy maker Fisher-Price, where Spinnaker took charge of product development, marketing, and distribution while paying royalties for use of the Fisher-Price name.
In October 1984, Spinnaker established two subsidiaries: Telarium Corporation and Windham Classics Corporation. Originally called "Trillium," Telarium was renamed due to trademark issues. Both subsidiaries specialized in adventure games inspired by literary works—Telarium targeted adult audiences, whereas Windham Classics focused on children’s content. These subsidiaries worked closely with Spinnaker’s marketing and sales teams. Telarium was headed by President C. David Seuss with Seth Godin overseeing game development. The company concentrated on producing high-quality text adventures, releasing eight titles featuring collaborations with renowned authors like Michael Crichton, Byron Preiss, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke. Windham Classics developed five child-friendly adventures free of violent content.
By December 1984, Spinnaker managed seven distinct product lines; both Fisher-Price and Telarium/Windham Classics offered over ten titles each.
Windham Classics discontinued operations around 1985–86, while Telarium ceased functioning in 1987.
Exiting the Educational Software Sector
Confronted with a decline in personal computer sales during the mid to late 1980s and a marketplace transition from entertainment-oriented systems such as Commodore and Atari toward small business and individual productivity software on IBM PC clones, Spinnaker gradually withdrew from its educational and entertainment software offerings to focus exclusively on personal productivity applications.
Productivity Software
In 1985, Spinnaker introduced the BetterWorking brand, designed specifically for adult productivity tools.
By 1990, Spinnaker expanded its portfolio through the acquisition of Springboard, recognized for products like Springboard Publisher and The Newsroom.
The 1991 purchase of Power Up! Software, a budget software firm headquartered in San Mateo, California with its UK base in Mytchett, Surrey, broadened Spinnaker’s range of affordable business software solutions.
Among Spinnaker’s top-selling products was "WindowWorks," an integrated productivity suite that outpaced the release of Microsoft Works for Windows by two years. WindowWorks gained distinction as the first application pre-installed on a Compaq computer aimed at everyday users. This achievement, coupled with other titles under the BetterWorking label, tripled Spinnaker’s revenue streams and facilitated the acquisition of the pfs product line.
In January 1991, Spinnaker acquired the PFS suite of business applications from Software Publishing Corporation, the company behind Harvard Graphics.
Former Employees
Prominent individuals who once worked at Spinnaker include video executive Chris Deering, Network Associates CEO Bill Larson, television news producer Andrew Sugg, author Seth Godin, TV personality Kevin O'Leary, and comedy writer John Bowman.