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<li id="toc-Origins" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Origins"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Origins</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Origins-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Computing_facilities" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Computing_facilities"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Computing facilities</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Computing_facilities-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Microcomputer_technology" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Microcomputer_technology"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Microcomputer technology</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Microcomputer_technology-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li 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searchaux" style="display:none">Educational software organization</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/MECC_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="MECC (disambiguation)">MECC (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1242257876">.mw-parser-output .ib-company .infobox-label{padding-right:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .ib-company .infobox-data,.mw-parser-output .ib-company .infobox-below{line-height:1.35em}.mw-parser-output .ib-company-logo img{background-color:#f8f9fa}.mw-parser-output .ib-company-locality,.mw-parser-output .ib-company-country{display:inline}</style><table class="infobox ib-company vcard"><caption class="infobox-title fn org" style="font-size: 125%;">Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium</caption><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image ib-company-logo logo"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:MECC_logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/MECC_logo.svg/250px-MECC_logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="57" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/MECC_logo.svg/330px-MECC_logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/MECC_logo.svg/500px-MECC_logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="3645" data-file-height="938" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">MECC logo, early 1990s</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Industry</th><td class="infobox-data category"><a href="/wiki/Educational_software" title="Educational software">Educational software</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Founded</th><td class="infobox-data">1973<span style="display: none;"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated itvstart">1973</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Founder</th><td class="infobox-data agent"><a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Legislature" title="Minnesota Legislature">Minnesota Legislature</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Defunct</th><td class="infobox-data">October 1999<span style="display: none;"> (<span class="dtend itvend">1999-10</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Fate</th><td class="infobox-data">Shut down by <a href="/wiki/SoftKey" title="SoftKey">SoftKey</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Successor</th><td class="infobox-data">SoftKey</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Headquarters</th><td class="infobox-data adr"><div class="ib-company-locality locality"><a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Center,_Minnesota" title="Brooklyn Center, Minnesota">Brooklyn Center, Minnesota</a></div>, <div class="ib-company-country country-name">U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Owner</th><td class="infobox-data">State of Minnesota</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20010418143852/http://www.mecc.com/">mecc.com</a> (archive)</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium</b> (later <b>Corporation</b>), most commonly known as <b>MECC</b>, was an organization founded in 1973 best known for developing the <a href="/wiki/Edutainment" class="mw-redirect" title="Edutainment">edutainment</a> video game series <i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(series)" title="The Oregon Trail (series)">The Oregon Trail</a></i> and its spin-offs. The goal of the organization was to coordinate and provide computer services to schools in the state of <a href="/wiki/Minnesota" title="Minnesota">Minnesota</a>, but its software eventually became popular in schools around the world.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ERICHaugo-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> MECC had its headquarters in the Brookdale Corporate Center in <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Center,_Minnesota" title="Brooklyn Center, Minnesota">Brooklyn Center</a>, Minnesota.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It was acquired by <a href="/wiki/SoftKey" title="SoftKey">SoftKey</a> in 1995 and was shut down in 1999. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:MECC_Circular_Minnesota_Logo.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/MECC_Circular_Minnesota_Logo.jpg/120px-MECC_Circular_Minnesota_Logo.jpg" decoding="async" width="100" height="117" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/MECC_Circular_Minnesota_Logo.jpg/250px-MECC_Circular_Minnesota_Logo.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="256" data-file-height="300" /></a><figcaption>MECC logo <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr><span style="white-space:nowrap;"> 1978</span></figcaption></figure> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Origins">Origins</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Origins"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>During the 1960s, Minnesota was a center of computer technology, what <i><a href="/wiki/City_Pages" title="City Pages">City Pages</a></i> would describe 50 years later as a "Midwestern <a href="/wiki/Silicon_Valley" title="Silicon Valley">Silicon Valley</a>". <a href="/wiki/IBM" title="IBM">IBM</a>, <a href="/wiki/Honeywell" title="Honeywell">Honeywell</a>, <a href="/wiki/Control_Data_Corporation" title="Control Data Corporation">Control Data</a> and other companies had facilities in the state. In 1963, their presence inspired a group of teachers at the <a href="/wiki/University_of_Minnesota" title="University of Minnesota">University of Minnesota</a> <a href="/wiki/University_of_Minnesota_College_of_Education_and_Human_Development" title="University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development">College of Education</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Laboratory_school" title="Laboratory school">laboratory school</a> to introduce computers into classrooms via <a href="/wiki/Teleprinter" title="Teleprinter">teleprinters</a> and <a href="/wiki/Time-sharing" title="Time-sharing">time-sharing</a>. The group began with long-distance calls to <a href="/wiki/Dartmouth_College" title="Dartmouth College">Dartmouth College</a>'s <a href="/wiki/General_Electric" title="General Electric">General Electric</a> computer to use <a href="/wiki/John_George_Kemeny" class="mw-redirect" title="John George Kemeny">John George Kemeny</a> and <a href="/wiki/Thomas_E._Kurtz" title="Thomas E. Kurtz">Thomas E. Kurtz</a>'s new <a href="/wiki/Dartmouth_BASIC" title="Dartmouth BASIC">Dartmouth BASIC</a> language, then moved to <a href="/wiki/Minneapolis" title="Minneapolis">Minneapolis</a>-based <a href="/wiki/Pillsbury_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Pillsbury Company">Pillsbury Company</a>'s own GE computer. In 1968, twenty <a href="/wiki/Minneapolis%E2%80%93Saint_Paul" title="Minneapolis–Saint Paul">Minneapolis–Saint Paul</a> area school districts and the College of Education founded Total Information for Educational Systems (TIES) to provide time-sharing service on a <a href="/wiki/HP_2000" class="mw-redirect" title="HP 2000">HP 2000</a>, training, and software. The presence of computer-company employees on many <a href="/wiki/School_boards" class="mw-redirect" title="School boards">school boards</a> accelerated the expansion of TIES and helped make Minnesota a leader in computer-based education.<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The success of TIES, and that of similar projects run by <a href="/wiki/Minneapolis_Public_Schools" title="Minneapolis Public Schools">Minneapolis Public Schools</a> and <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_State_University,_Mankato" title="Minnesota State University, Mankato">Minnesota State University, Mankato</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> led to the founding of MECC in 1973<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Legislature" title="Minnesota Legislature">state legislature</a>. As a <a href="/wiki/Joint_Powers_Authority" class="mw-redirect" title="Joint Powers Authority">Joint Powers Authority</a>, with the support of the University of Minnesota, the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_State_Colleges_and_Universities_System" class="mw-redirect" title="Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System">Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System</a>, and the Minnesota Department of Education,<sup id="cite_ref-mace19811207_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mace19811207-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> MECC's role was to study and coordinate computer use in schools for both <a href="/wiki/Management_information_system" title="Management information system">administrative</a> and educational purposes. Schools, including the universities, had to get MECC's approval for most computing expenses, and were also its customers for computer-related services. After study of educational needs, a single educational computer center in the Minneapolis area was recommended for use by schools throughout the state<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (the University of Minnesota's MERITSS computer provided time-sharing services to its campuses and to state universities).<sup id="cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ERICHaugo-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> MECC hoped that every Minnesota school, regardless of size, would have a terminal connected to the computer center.<sup id="cite_ref-pioneer19740509_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pioneer19740509-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Computing_facilities">Computing facilities</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Computing facilities"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>SUMITS, a <a href="/wiki/UNIVAC_1100/2200_series" title="UNIVAC 1100/2200 series">UNIVAC 1110</a> mainframe was installed at the MECC facility at 1925 Sather (address later changed to 2520 Broadway Drive), next to Highway 280. A sturdy industrial building originally used for electrical maintenance, part of the building was already occupied by the University of Minnesota's Lauderdale computing facility. SUMITS was a <a href="/wiki/Batch_processing" title="Batch processing">batch processing</a> system, albeit not a time-sharing system, and its performance failed to meet the terms of the contract. In 1977 it was replaced with a <a href="/wiki/Control_Data_Corporation" title="Control Data Corporation">Control Data Corporation</a> <a href="/wiki/CDC_Cyber" title="CDC Cyber">Cyber 73</a> mainframe,<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> known as the MECC Timesharing System (MTS). It became the largest such system for education in the world, with up to 448 simultaneous connections<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> from up to 2,000<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> terminals throughout the state, most of them <a href="/wiki/Teletype_Model_33" title="Teletype Model 33">Teletype Model 33</a> teleprinters, connected at 110 and 300 <a href="/wiki/Baud" title="Baud">baud</a> through telephones by using acoustically coupled <a href="/wiki/Modem" title="Modem">modems</a>. After several years most of the phone lines were replaced with direct circuits to schools across the state. </p><p>By 1982 MTS had more than 950 programs in its library.<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> One of the most popular was <i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(1975_video_game)" class="mw-redirect" title="The Oregon Trail (1975 video game)">The Oregon Trail</a></i>, originally written for the Minneapolis Public Schools' computer.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Programming was the largest single use for MTS, with up to 45% of the system used for one of almost one dozen computer languages.<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> To support its larger number of users—70 to 80% of all Minnesota public schools in 1981,<sup id="cite_ref-mace19811207_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mace19811207-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and available to 96% of Minnesota students from 7 am to 11 pm daily by 1982<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>—primarily using programs written in the <a href="/wiki/BASIC" title="BASIC">BASIC</a><sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-MECC_BASIC_Quick_Ref._Card_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MECC_BASIC_Quick_Ref._Card-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> language, both timesharing systems developed shared memory (MULTI) BASIC systems. Through this – and less efficient methods – multiuser programs and chat systems appeared in addition to electronic mail and BBS programs; some of these were derived from MERITSS programs.<sup id="cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MECCtimeline-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>While some of the ideas may have been derived from MERITSS, the multi programs were more efficient. The MERITSS chat program, even though it operated via fast access system files, could not match the efficiency of a MULTI chat program that copied the input/output into memory to be delivered to the user. </p><p>The University of Minnesota Computer Center (UCC as it was called then) rejected implementing MULTI due to concerns about system stability. UCC tried to retrofit the MULTI-mail program for its own use because of the good user interface, but it was not possible. They then tried again with an older fast access system file version, and while it worked, it was unreliable. After doing test runs with several other universities' mail programs, two developers at UCC implemented their own version, which also contained a message board feature, and was the campus-wide e-mail solution for a couple of years. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Microcomputer_technology">Microcomputer technology</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Microcomputer technology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>As MECC's Cyber 73 entered into service, microcomputers began to appear. In 1978 it appeared that features wished for in the classroom, such as a graphical display,<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> were available. Through an <a href="/wiki/Invitation_for_bid" class="mw-redirect" title="Invitation for bid">evaluation and bidding process</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Apple_II" title="Apple II">Apple II</a> was chosen by MECC for state schools over other candidates, such as the <a href="/wiki/Radio_Shack" class="mw-redirect" title="Radio Shack">Radio Shack</a> <a href="/wiki/TRS-80" title="TRS-80">TRS-80</a>; the win was an important early deal in the <a href="/wiki/History_of_Apple_Inc." title="History of Apple Inc.">history of Apple Inc.</a><sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Any school in the state could buy Apple computers through MECC,<sup id="cite_ref-mace19811207_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mace19811207-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which resold them at cost,<sup id="cite_ref-resler19830126_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-resler19830126-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> without having to go through complex evaluation and purchasing procedures. Through what <i>InfoWorld</i> described as an "enviable showcase" for its products Apple sold more than 2,000 computers during the next three years<sup id="cite_ref-freiberger19811102_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-freiberger19811102-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and more than 5,000 by 1983,<sup id="cite_ref-resler19830126_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-resler19830126-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> making MECC the company's largest reseller.<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In late 1981 MECC switched to a discount agreement for the <a href="/wiki/Atari_8-bit_computers" title="Atari 8-bit computers">Atari 8-bit computers</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-freiberger19811102_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-freiberger19811102-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and distributed software through the <a href="/wiki/Atari_Program_Exchange" title="Atari Program Exchange">Atari Program Exchange</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-apx1983fall_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-apx1983fall-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The use of microcomputers quickly increased, with 85% of school districts using them by 1981 compared to 75% for time-sharing,<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the Cyber 73 shut down in 1983.<sup id="cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MECCtimeline-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By then each Minnesota public school had an average of three to four computers, compared to only 20 <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee" title="Milwaukee">Milwaukee</a> elementary schools (out of 110) with computers. MECC offered computer training to teachers and administrators, and 10 consortium consultants traveled throughout the state assisting school districts.<sup id="cite_ref-resler19830126_12-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-resler19830126-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>MECC developed hundreds of microcomputer educational programs,<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> many converted from the time-sharing original;<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by 1979 some MECC programs for the Apple II could be downloaded from the timesharing system.<sup id="cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ERICHaugo-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MECCtimeline-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> MECC distributed <i>The Oregon Trail</i> and other titles in its library to Minnesota schools for free, and charged others $10 to $20 for diskettes, each containing several programs.<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By July 1981 it had 29 software packages available. <a href="/wiki/Overhead_projector#Use_in_education" title="Overhead projector">Projector</a> slides, student <a href="/wiki/Worksheet" title="Worksheet">worksheets</a>, and other resources for teachers accompanied the software.<sup id="cite_ref-zamora19810720_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-zamora19810720-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As control over computer resources moved to local levels within Minnesota, MECC's focus on selling software grew.<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Beginning in 1980 with the <a href="/wiki/Iowa_Department_of_Education" title="Iowa Department of Education">Iowa Department of Education</a>, 5,000 school districts around the world purchased <a href="/wiki/Site_license" title="Site license">site licenses</a> for MECC software.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It distributed 250,000 copies of MECC software around the world by 1982,<sup id="cite_ref-ota1982_7-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the "Institutional Membership"<sup id="cite_ref-bouchard19860224_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bouchard19860224-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> business became so successful that state subsidies ended. In 1983 MECC became a taxable, profit-making company, <a href="/wiki/State-owned_company" class="mw-redirect" title="State-owned company">owned by the state of Minnesota</a> but otherwise independent.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By the 1985–1986 <a href="/wiki/School_year#United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="School year">school year</a> MECC offered more than 300 products<sup id="cite_ref-bouchard19860224_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bouchard19860224-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and had about $7<span class="nowrap"> </span>million in annual sales.<sup id="cite_ref-mace19851202_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mace19851202-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Activities">Activities</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Activities"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>During its lifetime, the company produced a number of programs that would become well known to <a href="/wiki/Generation_X" title="Generation X">Generation X</a> and <a href="/wiki/Millennials" title="Millennials">Millennial</a> students across the U.S.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Besides <i>Oregon Trail</i>, titles included <i><a href="/wiki/The_Secret_Island_of_Dr._Quandary" title="The Secret Island of Dr. Quandary">The Secret Island of Dr. Quandary</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Yukon_Trail" title="The Yukon Trail">The Yukon Trail</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Amazon_Trail" title="The Amazon Trail">The Amazon Trail</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Odell_Lake_(video_game)" title="Odell Lake (video game)">Odell Lake</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Zoyon_Patrol" title="Zoyon Patrol">Zoyon Patrol</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Number_Munchers" title="Number Munchers">Number Munchers</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Word_Munchers" title="Word Munchers">Word Munchers</a></i>, <i>Fraction Munchers</i>, <i>Super Munchers</i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Lemonade_Stand" title="Lemonade Stand">Lemonade Stand</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Spellevator" title="Spellevator">Spellevator</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Storybook_Weaver" title="Storybook Weaver">Storybook Weaver</a></i>, <i>My Own Stories</i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Museum_Madness" title="Museum Madness">Museum Madness</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Jenny%27s_Journeys" title="Jenny's Journeys">Jenny's Journeys</a></i>, and <i><a href="/wiki/DinoPark_Tycoon" title="DinoPark Tycoon">DinoPark Tycoon</a></i>. The game <i><a href="/wiki/Freedom!_(video_game)" title="Freedom! (video game)">Freedom!</a></i>, which had the player try to escape from slavery on the <a href="/wiki/Underground_Railroad" title="Underground Railroad">Underground Railroad</a>, was released in 1992 but pulled from the market in 1993 following complaints from parents about its classroom use.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Acquisition_by_SoftKey">Acquisition by SoftKey</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Acquisition by SoftKey"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>MECC was financially successful and dominated the market for <a href="/wiki/Apple_II" title="Apple II">Apple II</a> software used within schools, but its management believed that the company needed more capital in order to compete for the home market and to develop software for other platforms, such as the <a href="/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer" title="IBM Personal Computer">IBM PC</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Mac_(computer)" title="Mac (computer)">Macintosh</a>. As the state of Minnesota did not have the capital to fund such plans, it spun off the company as a private corporation in 1991 to the <a href="/wiki/Venture_capital_fund" class="mw-redirect" title="Venture capital fund">venture capital fund</a> North American Fund II<sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> for $5.25<span class="nowrap"> </span>million. An IPO followed in March 1994. In October 1995, the publicly traded company, with about $30<span class="nowrap"> </span>million in annual revenue—about one third from <i>The Oregon Trail</i><sup id="cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>—was acquired by <a href="/wiki/SoftKey" title="SoftKey">SoftKey</a> for $370<span class="nowrap"> </span>million in stock as part of a series of consolidations in the educational software market.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Although MECC continued to develop software after its acquisition, including the successful <i><a href="/wiki/Oregon_Trail_II" title="Oregon Trail II">Oregon Trail II</a></i> in 1995, Softkey (then named The Learning Company) was acquired by <a href="/wiki/Mattel" title="Mattel">Mattel</a> in 1999 in what <i><a href="/wiki/Bloomberg_Businessweek" title="Bloomberg Businessweek">Businessweek</a></i> called one of "the Worst Deals of All Time",<sup id="cite_ref-:plays_one_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:plays_one-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> leading to the a great deal of financial repercussions that year, including the closure of the MECC offices in <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Center,_Minnesota" title="Brooklyn Center, Minnesota">Brooklyn Center, Minnesota</a>, in October 1999.<sup id="cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-lussenhop20110119-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lussenhop20110119_1-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFLussenhop2011" class="citation news cs1">Lussenhop, Jessica (2011-01-19). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110123012937/http://www.citypages.com/content/printVersion/1740595/">"Oregon Trail: How three Minnesotans forged its path"</a>. <i>City Pages</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.citypages.com/content/printVersion/1740595/">the original</a> on 2011-01-23<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-20</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=City+Pages&rft.atitle=Oregon+Trail%3A+How+three+Minnesotans+forged+its+path&rft.date=2011-01-19&rft.aulast=Lussenhop&rft.aufirst=Jessica&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.citypages.com%2Fcontent%2FprintVersion%2F1740595%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ERICHaugo-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ERICHaugo_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">and Canada. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED220932&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800fda76">"ED220932 - Managing Technology Change. "MECC: A Management History"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>. ERIC<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2007-01-03</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=ED220932+-+Managing+Technology+Change.+%22MECC%3A+A+Management+History%22.&rft.pub=ERIC&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Feric.ed.gov%2FERICWebPortal%2FHome.portal%3F_nfpb%3Dtrue%26_pageLabel%3DRecordDetails%26ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0%3DED220932%26ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0%3Deric_accno%26objectId%3D0900000b800fda76&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-unfit"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/19970203052902/http://www.mecc.com/mecc/directions/directions.html">"The Road To MECC"</a>. MECC. 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-02-03<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-03-27</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Road+To+MECC&rft.pub=MECC&rft.date=1997&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mecc.com%2Fmecc%2Fdirections%2Fdirections.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110606170419/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US2707948&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on">"Brooklyn Center city, Minnesota"</a>. <a href="/wiki/U.S._Census_Bureau" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Census Bureau">U.S. Census Bureau</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US2707948&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on">the original</a> on 2011-06-06<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2010-06-01</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Brooklyn+Center+city%2C+Minnesota&rft.pub=U.S.+Census+Bureau&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffactfinder.census.gov%2Fservlet%2FMapItDrawServlet%3Fgeo_id%3D16000US2707948%26_bucket_id%3D50%26tree_id%3D420%26context%3Dsaff%26_lang%3Den%26_sse%3Don&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-unfit"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/19970203061020/http://www.mecc.com/mecc/directions/map.html">"The Road to MECC"</a>. MECC. 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-02-03<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-03-27</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Road+to+MECC&rft.pub=MECC&rft.date=1997&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mecc.com%2Fmecc%2Fdirections%2Fmap.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-lafrenz19950413-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-lafrenz19950413_6-13"><sup><i><b>n</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFLaFrenz,_Dale_Eugene1995" class="citation web cs1">LaFrenz, Dale Eugene (1995-04-13). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://purl.umn.edu/107423">"Oral history interview with Dale Eugene LaFrenz"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Charles_Babbage_Institute" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles Babbage Institute">Charles Babbage Institute</a>, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Oral+history+interview+with+Dale+Eugene+LaFrenz&rft.pub=Charles+Babbage+Institute%2C+University+of+Minnesota%2C+Minneapolis&rft.date=1995-04-13&rft.au=LaFrenz%2C+Dale+Eugene&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fpurl.umn.edu%2F107423&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ota1982-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ota1982_7-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFOffice_of_Technology_Assessment1982" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Office_of_Technology_Assessment" title="Office of Technology Assessment">Office of Technology Assessment</a> (1982). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mi1hy_DYW_kC&q=mecc+apple&pg=PA214"><i>Informational technology and its impact on American education</i></a>. United States Government Printing Office. pp. <span class="nowrap">214–</span>218. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781428928299" title="Special:BookSources/9781428928299"><bdi>9781428928299</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Informational+technology+and+its+impact+on+American+education&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E214-%3C%2Fspan%3E218&rft.pub=United+States+Government+Printing+Office&rft.date=1982&rft.isbn=9781428928299&rft.au=Office+of+Technology+Assessment&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3Dmi1hy_DYW_kC%26q%3Dmecc%2Bapple%26pg%3DPA214&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-mace19811207-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-mace19811207_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mace19811207_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mace19811207_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMace1981" class="citation news cs1">Mace, Scott (1981-12-07). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=gT0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22mecc%22%20catalog%20apple&pg=PA9">"Minnesota's MECC educates next generation of computer users"</a>. <i>InfoWorld</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-20</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=InfoWorld&rft.atitle=Minnesota%27s+MECC+educates+next+generation+of+computer+users&rft.date=1981-12-07&rft.aulast=Mace&rft.aufirst=Scott&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DgT0EAAAAMBAJ%26q%3D%2522mecc%2522%2520catalog%2520apple%26pg%3DPA9&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-pioneer19740509-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-pioneer19740509_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4FhlAAAAIBAJ&pg=2182%2C6008944">"Hendricks may have computer in future"</a>. <i>Hendricks Pioneer</i>. 1974-05-09. p. 1<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">31 December</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Hendricks+Pioneer&rft.atitle=Hendricks+may+have+computer+in+future&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1974-05-09&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnewspapers%3Fid%3D4FhlAAAAIBAJ%26pg%3D2182%252C6008944&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-MECC_BASIC_Quick_Ref._Card-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-MECC_BASIC_Quick_Ref._Card_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.peternelson.com/photos/albums//2008_01_MECC_QuickRef/Minnesota%20Educational%20Computing%20Consortium%20Quick%20Reference%20Guide%20for%20BASIC%20Language%20Version%203.1%20MECC%20TIMESHARE%20SYSTEM%20Rev.%202%20slash%2078.pdf">"MECC Quick Reference Guide for BASIC Language Version 3.1"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Former MECC User</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2008-01-28</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Former+MECC+User&rft.atitle=MECC+Quick+Reference+Guide+for+BASIC+Language+Version+3.1&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.peternelson.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2F%2F2008_01_MECC_QuickRef%2FMinnesota%2520Educational%2520Computing%2520Consortium%2520Quick%2520Reference%2520Guide%2520for%2520BASIC%2520Language%2520Version%25203.1%2520MECC%2520TIMESHARE%2520SYSTEM%2520Rev.%25202%2520slash%252078.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-MECCtimeline-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-MECCtimeline_11-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFSteve_Taffee" class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-unfit">Steve Taffee. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090810141840/http://geocities.com/meccalumni/Timeline.html">"MECC Timeline"</a>. <i>MECC Alumni</i>. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2007-01-03</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=MECC+Alumni&rft.atitle=MECC+Timeline&rft.au=Steve+Taffee&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fgeocities.com%2Fmeccalumni%2FTimeline.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-resler19830126-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-resler19830126_12-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-resler19830126_12-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-resler19830126_12-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFResler,_Jerry1983" class="citation news cs1">Resler, Jerry (1983-01-26). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eIJQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6998%2C4777114">"Pupils byte into computer age"</a>. <i>Milwaukee Sentinel</i>. p. 6<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">31 December</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Milwaukee+Sentinel&rft.atitle=Pupils+byte+into+computer+age&rft.pages=6&rft.date=1983-01-26&rft.au=Resler%2C+Jerry&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnewspapers%3Fid%3DeIJQAAAAIBAJ%26pg%3D6998%252C4777114&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-freiberger19811102-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-freiberger19811102_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-freiberger19811102_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFreiberger1981" class="citation news cs1">Freiberger, Paul (1981-11-02). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ZD0EAAAAMBAJ&q=mecc+apple+atari&pg=PA1">"Atari and MECC reach an agreement"</a>. <i>InfoWorld</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-22</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=InfoWorld&rft.atitle=Atari+and+MECC+reach+an+agreement&rft.date=1981-11-02&rft.aulast=Freiberger&rft.aufirst=Paul&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DZD0EAAAAMBAJ%26q%3Dmecc%2Bapple%2Batari%26pg%3DPA1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-apx1983fall-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-apx1983fall_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Program_Exchange_catalog_Fall_1983#page/n33/mode/2up">"Programs by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium"</a>. <i>APX Product Catalog</i>. Fall 1983. pp. <span class="nowrap">32–</span>33<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">29 July</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=APX+Product+Catalog&rft.atitle=Programs+by+the+Minnesota+Educational+Computing+Consortium&rft.ssn=fall&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E32-%3C%2Fspan%3E33&rft.date=1983&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fstream%2FAtari_Program_Exchange_catalog_Fall_1983%23page%2Fn33%2Fmode%2F2up&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-zamora19810720-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-zamora19810720_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFZamora1981" class="citation news cs1">Zamora, Ramon (1981-07-20). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=tT0EAAAAMBAJ&q=mecc&pg=PA21">"MECC's Educational Software Packages"</a>. <i>InfoWorld</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-22</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=InfoWorld&rft.atitle=MECC%27s+Educational+Software+Packages&rft.date=1981-07-20&rft.aulast=Zamora&rft.aufirst=Ramon&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DtT0EAAAAMBAJ%26q%3Dmecc%26pg%3DPA21&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-bouchard19860224-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-bouchard19860224_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-bouchard19860224_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBouchard1986" class="citation news cs1">Bouchard, R. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-22</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=InfoWorld&rft.atitle=Letters&rft.date=1986-02-24&rft.aulast=Bouchard&rft.aufirst=R.+Philip&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DqC8EAAAAMBAJ%26q%3Dmecc%26pg%3DPA32&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-mace19851202-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-mace19851202_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMace1985" class="citation news cs1">Mace, Scott (1985-12-02). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=My8EAAAAMBAJ&q=mecc&pg=PA28">"Christmas Contenders"</a>. <i>InfoWorld</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-01-22</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=InfoWorld&rft.atitle=Christmas+Contenders&rft.date=1985-12-02&rft.aulast=Mace&rft.aufirst=Scott&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DMy8EAAAAMBAJ%26q%3Dmecc%26pg%3DPA28&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFWhitaker2020" class="citation web cs1">Whitaker, Robert (November 3, 2020). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/3annjy/the-oregon-trail-studio-made-a-game-about-slavery-then-parents-saw-it">"The 'Oregon Trail' Studio Made a Game About Slavery. Then Parents Saw It"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Vice_(magazine)" title="Vice (magazine)">Vice</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 3,</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Vice&rft.atitle=The+%27Oregon+Trail%27+Studio+Made+a+Game+About+Slavery.+Then+Parents+Saw+It&rft.date=2020-11-03&rft.aulast=Whitaker&rft.aufirst=Robert&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vice.com%2Fen%2Farticle%2F3annjy%2Fthe-oregon-trail-studio-made-a-game-about-slavery-then-parents-saw-it&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090810141841/http://geocities.com/meccalumni/Timeline902.html">"MECC Timeline 1990-1992"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://geocities.com/meccalumni/Timeline902.html">the original</a> on 2009-08-10<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-03-27</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=MECC+Timeline+1990-1992&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fgeocities.com%2Fmeccalumni%2FTimeline902.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:plays_one-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:plays_one_20-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/kevin-oleary-hes-not-a-billionaire-he-just-plays-one-on-tv/article4564334/?page=all">"Kevin O'Leary: He's not a billionaire, he just plays one on TV"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160902050919/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/kevin-oleary-hes-not-a-billionaire-he-just-plays-one-on-tv/article4564334/?page=all">Archived</a> from the original on September 2, 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 10,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Kevin+O%27Leary%3A+He%27s+not+a+billionaire%2C+he+just+plays+one+on+TV&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theglobeandmail.com%2Freport-on-business%2Frob-magazine%2Fkevin-oleary-hes-not-a-billionaire-he-just-plays-one-on-tv%2Farticle4564334%2F%3Fpage%3Dall&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090810141841/http://www.geocities.com/meccalumni/Timeline979.html">"MECC Timeline 1997-1999"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.geocities.com/meccalumni/Timeline979.html">the original</a> on 2009-08-10<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-03-27</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=MECC+Timeline+1997-1999&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2Fmeccalumni%2FTimeline979.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMECC" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=MECC&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1266661725">.mw-parser-output .portalbox{padding:0;margin:0.5em 0;display:table;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:175px;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portalborder{border:1px solid 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navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:The_Oregon_Trail" title="Template:The Oregon Trail"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:The_Oregon_Trail" title="Template talk:The Oregon Trail"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:The_Oregon_Trail" title="Special:EditPage/Template:The Oregon Trail"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="The_Oregon_Trail_video_game_series137" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(series)" title="The Oregon Trail (series)"><i>The Oregon Trail</i> video game series</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><i>The Oregon Trail</i></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(1971_video_game)" title="The Oregon Trail (1971 video game)">The Oregon Trail</a></i> (1971)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(1985_video_game)" title="The Oregon Trail (1985 video game)">The Oregon Trail</a></i> (1985)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Oregon_Trail_II" title="Oregon Trail II">Oregon Trail II</a></i> (1995)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_3rd_Edition" title="The Oregon Trail 3rd Edition">3rd Edition</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_4th_Edition" title="The Oregon Trail 4th Edition">4th Edition</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_5th_Edition" title="The Oregon Trail 5th Edition">5th Edition</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(2009_video_game)" title="The Oregon Trail (2009 video game)">The Oregon Trail</a></i> (2009)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail:_American_Settler" title="The Oregon Trail: American Settler">American Settler</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><i>The Amazon Trail</i></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Amazon_Trail" title="The Amazon Trail">The Amazon Trail</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Amazon_Trail_II" title="Amazon Trail II">Amazon Trail II</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Amazon_Trail_3rd_Edition" title="Amazon Trail 3rd Edition">3rd Edition</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other games</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Yukon_Trail" title="The Yukon Trail">The Yukon Trail</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/MayaQuest:_The_Mystery_Trail" title="MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail">MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Africa_Trail" title="Africa Trail">Africa Trail</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other media</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Trail_to_Oregon!" title="The Trail to Oregon!">The Trail to Oregon!</a></i> (musical)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_(Pressman_Toys_series)" title="The Oregon Trail (Pressman Toys series)">Card and board games</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">MECC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oregon_Trail" title="Oregon Trail">Oregon Trail</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Freedom!_(video_game)" title="Freedom! (video game)">Freedom!</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Organ_Trail" title="Organ Trail">Organ Trail</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235" /></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4043403#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata676" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4043403#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata676" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a> <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4043403#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://isni.org/isni/0000000107076954">ISNI</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://viaf.org/viaf/154110623">VIAF</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n80088326">United States</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nli.org.il/en/authorities/987007331185605171">Israel</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://auth.wikimedia.org/loginwiki/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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