Spinnaker Software

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Spinnaker Software was a former software company. They were known primarily for their line of popular Apple II-based educational software, which was a major seller during the 1980s. They were not very successful following the wholescale transition to PC-based machines in schools in the early 1990s, and attempted to enter the low-cost business market by purchasing PowerUp! Software 1993. In 1994 they merged with WordStar International and SoftKey to become SoftKey International, now part of The Learning Company.

For most people the name Spinnaker will remain synonymous with their first "hit" product, In Search of the Most Amazing Thing, a graphics adventure that took the player on an adventure while trying to track down the title object. The game was fairly unique for the era, combining a number of different modes of play in a non-confrontational problem solving environment. Spinnaker also created Fraction Fever.

One of their later products of note was WinPlus, a HyperCard clone originally known simply as "Plus" purchased from a 3rd party that ran on the Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2. At the time HyperCard was a huge hit on the Mac, and many were clamoring for a PC-based version. However it appears it never sold well, and they later sold the rights to Oracle, who added database support and re-branded it as OracleCard, or as it is known today, Oracle Media Objects.

The Spinnaker Software products designed and programmed in 1983 for Apple II, Atari 800, and Commodore-64 systems by Interactive Picture Systems, Inc. were Trains, Aerobics, and Grandma's House.