MECC

Moby ID: 936

Overview edit · view history

MECC (the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium) started as a state agency in 1973. Minnesota had bought lots of Apple computers and created this agency to write educational computer software for the Apple II throughout the '80s. The software was given away to schools in Minnesota and elsewhere in the country. This prompted many schools to buy Apples (besides ones that were donated in a big tax write-off by Apple itself). As a result, lots of Apple II-series computers were used for a long time in elementary schools and MECC became instrumental in Apple getting a hold on the educational market.

When the company separated itself from the state of Minnesota, the name was changed to Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation. MECC was a publisher and distributor of high-quality educational software for children.

In May, 1996 MECC was acquired by SoftKey International Inc., which in October 24, 1996 changed its name to The Learning Company, Inc. (after another company it has acquired in 1995). The Learning Company - Minneapolis was closed in 1999.

Credited on 164 Games from 1974 to 1997

Displaying most recent · View all

Africa Trail (1997 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Amazon Trail II (1996 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh, Windows)
Trivia Munchers Deluxe (1996 on Windows, Macintosh, Windows 3.x)
Oregon Trail II (1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Math Munchers Deluxe (1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
MayaQuest Trail (1995 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Opening Night (1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Caravans to Timbuktu! (1994 on Apple II)
Get Well, Woolly! (1994 on Apple II)
Museum Madness (1994 on DOS, Macintosh)
Odell Down Under (1994 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Rescue in the Outback (1994 on Apple II)
Science Giants (1994 on Apple II)
Storybook Weaver: Deluxe (1994 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
The Yukon Trail (1994 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Troggle Trouble Math (1994 on Windows 3.x, Macintosh)
Woolly's Birthday (1994 on Apple II)
Word Builder (1994 on Apple II)
Amazing Arithmetricks (1993 on Apple II)
Arizona Mix (1993 on Apple II)

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History +

October 6, 1996

SoftKey International, Inc. acquired by The Learning Company Inc.

May 17, 1996

The company is acquired by SoftKey International Inc.

October 31, 1995

Wall Street Journal runs an article on SoftKey’s purchasing of MECC (stock deal worth $370 million) and TLC (cash bid of $606 million).

October 30, 1995

Merger agreement between MECC and SoftKey International Inc.

1977

A non-graphical version of MECC's first educational game: the Oregon Trail is produced for the two new microcomputers.

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Trivia +

Contact Address (1991):

MECC

3490 Lexington Avenue North

St. Paul, Minnesota 55126-8097

U.S.A.

(612) 481-3549

Contact Address (1995):

MECC

6160 Summit Drive North

Minneapolis

Minnesota

55126-8097

U.S.A.

(612) 569-1500

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