Timeworks
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software publishing |
| Founded | 1982 in Deerfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Founder | Mark L. Goldberg |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Fate | Acquired by Megalode Resources, Inc. in 1993; filed for bankruptcy in 1994 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois (later Northbrook, Illinois) , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
Key people | Mark L. Goldberg (founder), Vic Schiller (vice president) |
| Products | Timeworks Publisher (Publish-It!), Word Writer, Data Manager ST, SwiftCalc ST, Swiftax, Cave of the Word Wizard |
Number of employees | ~100 (1988) |
| Parent | Megalode Resources, Inc. (1993–1994) |
Timeworks, Inc., later known as Timeworks International, Inc., operated as a private U.S.-based software publisher from 1982 until 1994, with its headquarters situated in Chicago, Illinois. The firm concentrated on entry-level productivity tools, sophisticated desktop publishing software, and video game development. Its most renowned offering was Timeworks Publisher—which was subsequently rebranded as Publish-It!—a prominent desktop publishing solution. In 1993, the company was acquired by Megalode Resources, Inc., located in Burlington, Ontario, which managed Timeworks until it ceased operations in 1994.
Establishment (1982–1984)
Mark L. Goldberg (circa 1927–2006) founded the company in 1982 in Deerfield, Illinois. Initially named Softworks, Inc., the business quickly changed its name to Timeworks after identifying a naming conflict with another Chicago-based entity. Goldberg brought retail expertise but limited technical knowledge to the venture. Early development focused on software for the Timex Sinclair 1000 home computer.
By 1983, the company operated with a streamlined team of five employees, including vice president Vic Schiller and his spouse. Timeworks’ business strategy heavily depended on collaborations with freelance developers who were remunerated via royalty agreements. For instance, two early video game titles—Star Battle and Dungeon of the Algebra Dragons—were produced by a teenage programmer from Chicago. Marketing responsibilities were delegated to Brand Advertising (later known as Albert J. Rosenthal & Co.) in Chicago.
In its formative phase, Timeworks targeted Commodore platforms, especially the Commodore 64. A significant early release was Cave of the Word Wizard (1982), an educational title incorporating innovative speech synthesis technology designed for learners with special needs and focusing on grammar and intonation.
Expansion (1984–1993)
Within two years, the product lineup grew to approximately fifteen items spanning productivity applications and video games, including Electronic Checkbook, Money Manager, Data Manager, and Swiftax. Swiftax—an early tax preparation program for the Commodore 64 created by Houston-based developers—became a top seller in 1983 and 1984. Revenue doubled from $2.3 million in 1983 to $4.4 million in 1984. That year marked an accelerated growth phase as Vic Schiller was hired to oversee software porting to additional systems such as Apple II, IBM PC, and Atari 8-bit computers. Additionally, a television scriptwriter was recruited to improve software documentation quality.
In late 1984, Timeworks secured licensing rights for Evelyn Wood's speed reading program and launched the Evelyn Wood Dynamic Reader across various platforms. The same year saw the introduction of Word Writer, their inaugural word processing software, which gained traction within the home office market and received critical acclaim—particularly for its Atari ST version released in 1986. This iteration leveraged Digital Research’s GEM desktop environment and was among the earliest word processors available for Atari ST.
Despite Atari ST’s modest U.S. market penetration compared to IBM PC compatibles, Timeworks continued developing productivity solutions such as Data Manager ST (database software) and SwiftCalc ST (spreadsheet). Concurrently released Word Writer 128 targeted the Commodore 128 platform but encountered similar market adoption limitations. Recognizing IBM PC’s increasing dominance from 1987 onward, Timeworks pivoted its focus toward that ecosystem.
Capitalizing on GEM’s popularity, Timeworks launched Publish-It! for IBM PC and Apple IIGS in 1988—an evolution of their prior Desktop Publisher for Atari ST. The product received favorable comparisons against Ventura Publisher and achieved bestseller status. Later editions included Publish-It! Easy for Mac OS and Publish-It! for Windows; both versions abandoned GEM in favor of native graphical user interfaces.
From a financial perspective, Timeworks’ revenue climbed from $9.4 million in 1987 to a high of $10.1 million in 1988 while staffing expanded to around 100 employees that year. Sales remained stable near $9 million between 1989 and 1991 before reaching a new peak of $10.7 million in 1992—the same year the company moved its headquarters from Deerfield to Northbrook, Illinois.
Acquisition and bankruptcy (1993–1994)
In 1993, Megalode Resources, Inc., headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, purchased Timeworks for an undisclosed sum. This transaction was finalized in early 1994, after which Timeworks was rebranded as Timeworks International and operated as a subsidiary of Megalode. The company maintained its software development activities until autumn 1994, when Timeworks International filed for bankruptcy and terminated all employees.