Compu-Read is an educational program originally developed by Sherwin Steffin of Edu-Ware Services in 1979 for the Apple II. It consists of four modules training the user in rapidly increasing comprehension and retention: Character Recognition, High-speed word recognition, Synonyms; Sentence Comprehension. In each, the user the initial difficulty level, and the computer matches the display speed to the user’s performance.
Steffin first wrote Compu-Read as a text-based program while serving as a research analyst at UCLA. The first version was published by Programma International but after being laid off from the university, he revised Compu-Read and used it to launch his new company, Edu-Ware. Edu-Ware upgraded the program to high resolution graphics using its EWS3 graphics engine in 1981, renamed it Compu-Read 3.0 and ported it to the Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, and IBM PC compatibles. Compu-Read was included in Edu-Ware’s catalogs until its closure in 1985.
References
- Product Catalog. Edu-Ware Services. March 1, 1980.
- Tommervik, Allan (May 1981). “Exec Edu-Ware”. Softalk: 4, 6, 19.
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Put under the Gamer24h team's microscope, Compu-Read raises the bar considerably with both its storytelling and technical polish. Thanks to Edu-Ware's meticulous craftsmanship and Edu-Ware's strong presentation, the high production quality is evident in every moment of the game. Masterfully blending Language arts, speed reading mechanics with modern standards, the game's fluid gameplay makes hours fly by unnoticed. In short, an outstanding and immersive gaming experience awaits genre fans — we highly recommend giving it a shot!