What is "softkey"

n. (alternative form of soft key English)

SoftKey International was a publisher and distributor of CD-ROM based personal computer software for Windows and Macintosh computers during the late 1980s and 90s. Their products typically consisted of software intended for home audiences, especially shovelware discs containing various freeware or shareware game software. SoftKey enjoyed great success by offering "jewel-case only" products, which they dubbed their 'Platinum' line.

Canadian entrepreneur and investor Kevin O'Leary started Softkey International in his basement on a $10,000 investment from his mother. As a repackager of high-end business software for the consumer market, Softkey succeeded in its mission to become "the Campbell's Soup of software". By 1994, Softkey was a billion-dollar consolidator in the educational software market, acquiring no fewer than sixty rivals, such as WordStar, Brøderbund and Spinnaker Software. It then moved to Boston and took the name of one of its acquisitions, The Learning Company (TLC).

In 1995, SoftKey introduced a number of new children's educational software titles, branded under the KeyKids line.