| MECC was founded by the State of Minnesota in 1973 to provide mainframe computer time-sharing service to Minnesota schools and to promote the use of computers in education. After identifying the need for schools to obtain high-quality software at cost-effective prices, MECC designed the first software Membership program in 1980. As a result, schools nationwide began buying MECC products and services. In 1985, MECC became a public corporation, wholly owned by the State of Minnesota. As the next step in the plan to make MECC a fully independent entity, in January 1991, the company was purchased by North American Fund II, a specialty acquisition fund committed to the growth of companies with high potential. In March 1994, MECC became a public corporation. Two years later it was purchased by [[SoftKey]] International, and is now an important part of the largest educational software company in the world. | | MECC was founded by the State of Minnesota in 1973 to provide mainframe computer time-sharing service to Minnesota schools and to promote the use of computers in education. After identifying the need for schools to obtain high-quality software at cost-effective prices, MECC designed the first software Membership program in 1980. As a result, schools nationwide began buying MECC products and services. In 1985, MECC became a public corporation, wholly owned by the State of Minnesota. As the next step in the plan to make MECC a fully independent entity, in January 1991, the company was purchased by North American Fund II, a specialty acquisition fund committed to the growth of companies with high potential. In March 1994, MECC became a public corporation. Two years later it was purchased by [[SoftKey]] International, and is now an important part of the largest educational software company in the world. |
− | Since it first offered home software in 1985, MECC now has more than 20 home software products available for Macintosh - and MS-DOS - & Windows-compatible computers in disk-based and CD-ROM formats. Recent product announcements include the following titles for home and school: Oregon Trail® II; Africa Trail; MayaQuest®; Opening Night; and Math Munchers Deluxe. All of these titles are designed for Windows® 95. | + | Since it first offered home software in 1985, MECC now has more than 20 home software products available for Macintosh - and MS-DOS - & Windows-compatible computers in disk-based and CD-ROM formats. Recent product announcements include the following titles for home and school: [[Oregon Trail II]]; [[Africa Trail]]; [[MayaQuest]]; [[Opening Night]]; and Math Munchers Deluxe. All of these titles are designed for [[Windows 95]]. |