Penguin Software

Penguin Software was an American computer-software and video-game publisher based in Geneva, Illinois. The company emerged during the early personal-computer era, when small publishers could build businesses around Apple II software, independent game designers, and specialized development tools. It produced graphics applications, educational software, adventure games, action titles, and role-playing games for systems including the Apple II, Macintosh, IBM PC compatibles, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 8-bit computers, and Atari ST. The business began in 1978 when Mark Pelczarski founded it as MP Software. Its first product was Magic Paintbrush, a graphics program. The company later operated as Co-op Software in connection with the sister organization Micro Co-op, before adopting the Penguin Software name in 1981 as software publishing became its central activity. Its early identity was strongly associated with graphics software, eventually leading to the marketing slogan “the graphics people.” Penguin’s most influential product area was graphics creation and development technology. The Complete Graphics System, introduced for the Apple II in 1981, combined drawing and three-dimensional graphics-editing functions. Special Effects, created by Pelczarski and David Lubar, extended the company’s graphics focus. In 1982, Pelczarski, Lubar, and Chris Jochumson developed The Graphics Magician. The program allowed programmers and aspiring developers to create compact images and animations for arcade-style games, adventure titles, and educational software. Other publishers could use the technology without paying a licensing fee, provided they credited its use. This arrangement expanded the visibility of Penguin’s tools and helped establish the company as both a publisher and a technology supplier. Penguin also developed a royalty-based publishing model. Independent designers submitted games, and accepted projects were refined, published, and compensated through royalties. The company publicly credited developers on packaging and title screens, a practice that was relatively distinctive among software publishers of the period. Early published titles included Pie Man, created by Eagle Berns and Michael Kosaka, and Transylvania, written by Antonia Antiochia. The Transylvania series became one of Penguin’s best-known adventure properties, while other notable releases included Spy’s Demise and the role-playing game Xyphus. Another notable policy was Penguin’s decision to avoid copy protection. Pelczarski promoted the position that customers should be able to make backup copies, while asking users not to abuse the company’s trust. At a time when unauthorized duplication was a major concern for software publishers, this approach differentiated Penguin’s consumer relationship but also reflected the commercial risks faced by small developers. As Penguin’s products began reaching bookstores, the company encountered an objection from Penguin Books concerning the use of the Penguin name. Rather than risk the potentially damaging cost of a trademark lawsuit, Pelczarski introduced the Polarware name in 1986 and gradually retired Penguin Software as the operating brand. The renamed company pursued cross-platform development, seeking to reduce the need to rewrite software separately for every computer family. Its Graphics Magician assets could be adapted across platforms, while the Comprehend adventure-game development and deployment language was designed to be system independent. Polarware also released the Adventures Around the World geography-game series using cross-platform ideas and portable development methods. The series was commercially disadvantaged when Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? reached the market a few months earlier with a similar concept. In 1987, four employees—Jeffrey “JJ” Jay, Steve Greene, Peg Smith, and Trish Glenn—purchased Polarware. The new team published Brian A. Rice’s children’s software series The Electric Crayon, an electronic coloring-book product. Merit Software acquired Polarware in 1988, after which the Polarware name soon disappeared. Later, rights to older titles were bought back from the remains of Polarware, and many classic programs were released as freeware. Enthusiasts also reconstructed a source-code variant of the Comprehend engine, enabling ports of some older games to modern platforms. Penguin Software is therefore remembered both for its early computer games and for graphics and development tools that helped shape independent software production on 8-bit and early 16-bit computers.

Penguin Software began in 1978 as MP Software, founded by Mark Pelczarski in Geneva, Illinois. Its first known product was Magic Paintbrush, a graphics program for the early personal-computer market. The business subsequently used the Co-op Software name while operating within the wider Micro Co-op relationship. In 1981, as software publishing became its principal activity, it adopted the Penguin Software name. Graphics technology formed the foundation of the company’s early reputation. The Complete Graphics System, released for the Apple II in 1981, provided drawing and three-dimensional graphics-editing capabilities. Pelczarski and David Lubar also created Special Effects, reinforcing the company’s specialization in computer graphics. In early 1982, Pelczarski, Lubar, and Chris Jochumson produced The Graphics Magician. Rather than being only a consumer drawing application, it was intended as a development aid. It enabled programmers to create animations and compact graphic assets for arcade games, graphic adventures, educational programs, and other software. The Graphics Magician also supported Penguin’s relationships with outside developers and publishers. Other software companies could use the system without a licensing charge if they included an acknowledgment that the Penguin technology had been used. This helped distribute the company’s development approach across the Apple II software ecosystem. Independent creators could submit games to Penguin; projects accepted for publication were edited or polished and released under arrangements that paid royalties to their creators. Penguin openly credited developers on packaging and title screens, including creators who were not company employees. The company’s early published games included Pie Man by Eagle Berns and Michael Kosaka and Transylvania by Antonia Antiochia. Transylvania developed into a series and became a representative example of Penguin’s graphic-adventure output. The catalogue expanded into action software such as Spy’s Demise and role-playing software such as Xyphus. Penguin published for a growing range of systems, including the Apple II, Macintosh, IBM PC compatibles, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 8-bit computers, and Atari ST. Penguin also attracted attention for deliberately avoiding copy-protection systems. Pelczarski communicated the company’s position to computer magazines, asking customers to respect the trust involved and not distribute unauthorized copies. The policy made backup use easier and distinguished Penguin from publishers that relied on technical protection, although it existed within an industry increasingly concerned about software duplication. The company faced a naming dispute as its products expanded into bookstores. Penguin Books objected to Penguin Software’s use of the Penguin name. Concerned that defending the name could impose legal costs capable of severely damaging a small publisher, Pelczarski introduced Polarware in 1986 and phased out the original brand. Under the Polarware identity, the company pursued technology that could make releases easier to adapt across incompatible computer systems. Because Apple, Macintosh, IBM, Commodore, and Atari platforms differed in processors and graphics capabilities, conventional ports often required substantial redevelopment. Penguin Software and Polarware sought to reuse compact graphics assets from Graphics Magician and developed Comprehend, a system-independent adventure-game development and deployment language. The company also used cross-platform methods for the first three entries in the Adventures Around the World geography series. The series was weakened commercially by the earlier arrival of the similarly oriented Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? In 1987, Polarware was purchased by four employees: Jeffrey “JJ” Jay, Steve Greene, Peg Smith, and Trish Glenn. The new owners released The Electric Crayon, a children’s software series written by Brian A. Rice and designed as an electronic coloring book. In 1988, Merit Software acquired Polarware, after which the Polarware name disappeared. Following the end of the original company’s active operations, rights to older programs were bought back from the remains of Polarware. A number of the titles were later distributed as freeware. Independent enthusiasts also reconstructed a variant of the Comprehend engine, allowing some of the company’s adventure software to be ported to modern systems. The brand’s historical importance rests on its combination of early graphics applications, independent game publishing, royalty-based creator relationships, and attempts to solve the technical problem of multi-platform software development.

• 1988

  Merit Software acquires Polarware

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Merit Software purchases Polarware, after which the Polarware name soon disappears.

• 1987

  Polarware is purchased by employees

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Jeffrey Jay, Steve Greene, Peg Smith, and Trish Glenn acquire the company and continue its software publishing activity.

• 1986

  The Polarware transition begins

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Following an objection from Penguin Books, the company begins phasing in the Polarware name.

• 1982

  The Graphics Magician is developed

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Pelczarski, David Lubar, and Chris Jochumson create a graphics and animation tool aimed at game, adventure, and educational-software developers.

• 1981

  The Penguin Software name is adopted

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  After operating as Co-op Software, the company adopts Penguin Software as software publishing becomes its primary focus.

• 1981

  Complete Graphics System is published

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  The Apple II graphics package provides drawing and three-dimensional graphics-editing functions.

• 1978

  MP Software is founded

  [1]Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Mark Pelczarski establishes MP Software in Geneva, Illinois, beginning with the graphics program Magic Paintbrush.

An early independent personal-computer software publisher positioned around graphics technology, accessible development tools, credited independent creators, and games for emerging home-computer platforms.

• Graphics software · 1981

  Complete Graphics System

  An Apple II graphics package first published in 1981. It combined drawing capabilities with three-dimensional graphics-editing functions and helped establish Penguin Software’s early reputation as a specialist in computer graphics.

• Graphics software · 1981

  Special Effects

  A graphics program co-written by Mark Pelczarski and David Lubar. It extended the company’s graphics-oriented product line and contributed to Penguin’s early “graphics people” positioning.

• Game-development tool · 1982

  The Graphics Magician

  A graphics and animation development system created for programmers and aspiring software creators. It supported compact images and animated sequences for arcade-style games, graphic adventures, and educational products. Its permissive credit-based use by other publishers expanded the technology’s reach.

• Graphic adventure game

  Transylvania

  An adventure game written by Antonia Antiochia and among Penguin Software’s early published titles. It became the first entry in the Transylvania series, one of the company’s most recognizable adventure properties.

• Action game

  Pie Man

  An animated game created by Eagle Berns and Michael Kosaka. It was one of the first games published by Penguin Software through its model of working with independent creators.

• Action game

  Spy's Demise

  An action-oriented computer game in Penguin Software’s catalogue, illustrating the company’s expansion beyond graphics utilities and adventure software.

• Role-playing game

  Xyphus

  A role-playing video game published by Penguin Software during the early personal-computer era. It represents the company’s participation in the growing market for computer-based role-playing experiences.

• Educational geography game

  Adventures Around the World

  A geography-oriented game series developed with cross-platform reuse in mind. The first three titles used portable design ideas and Graphics Magician-related technology, but the series faced strong competition from the earlier Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

• Adventure-game development system

  Comprehend

  An adventure-game development and deployment language designed to reduce the need to rewrite titles for each incompatible home-computer platform. Later enthusiasts reconstructed a source-code variant that enabled ports of some associated games to modern systems.

• Children's educational software · 1987

  The Electric Crayon

  A children’s software series written by Brian A. Rice and released under Polarware after the employee acquisition. It functioned as a simple electronic coloring book and reflected the company’s movement toward accessible family software.

• 1988

  Acquisition by Merit SoftwareM&A

  Background

  Polarware continued operating after the employee purchase but was eventually absorbed into a larger software organization.

  Action taken

  Merit Software acquired Polarware.

  Aftermath

  The Polarware name soon disappeared, while later rights holders returned some older titles to freeware distribution.

  Source

• 1987

  Employee purchase of PolarwareM&A

  Background

  After the rebranding, Polarware remained a small software publisher operating in a rapidly changing personal-computer market.

  Action taken

  Four employees—Jeffrey Jay, Steve Greene, Peg Smith, and Trish Glenn—purchased the company.

  Aftermath

  The new team released The Electric Crayon children’s software series before Polarware was acquired by Merit Software the following year.

  Source

• 1986

  Transition from Penguin Software to PolarwareStrategy

  Background

  Penguin Books objected to the company’s use of the Penguin name as the software business expanded into bookstores. A legal dispute could have imposed disproportionate costs on the small publisher.

  Action taken

  Mark Pelczarski phased in the Polarware name and ultimately ended the Penguin Software brand.

  Aftermath

  The company continued publishing under Polarware, pursued cross-platform development, and later disappeared as an independent brand after acquisition by Merit Software.

  Source

• 1981

  Make software publishing the primary businessStrategy

  Background

  The company had operated under MP Software and Co-op Software while producing graphics applications. As publishing activity expanded, it needed a clearer identity for its software catalogue.

  Action taken

  The business adopted the Penguin Software name and focused on publishing graphics programs, games, and applications.

  Aftermath

  The Penguin name became associated with graphics tools, independent game publishing, and early personal-computer software.

  Source

1. 1Penguin Softwareen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Penguin Software Collection, International Center for the History of Electronic Gamesmuseumofplay.org