Guide to the Bill Scull collection
Finding aid prepared by Sydney Gulbronson Olson
Computer History Museum
May 2018
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA, 94043
(650) 810-1010
research@computerhistory.org
Title: Bill Scull collection
Identifier/Call Number: X7498.2015
Contributing Institution:
Computer History Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
8.67 Linear feet,
6 record cartons and 1 oversize box
Date (inclusive): 1985-1996
Abstract: The Bill Scull collection holds materials related to the field of multimedia product design and technology, and its intersection
with higher education, created between 1985 to 1996. About half of the collection is made up of printed materials, such as
technical reports, internal reports, research files, presentation materials, case studies, meeting agendas and notes, and
promotional material. The collection also includes some newsletters and periodicals specifically related to higher education.
The other half of the collection consists of software and its accompanying documentation. Formats include CDs, 3.5 inch floppy
disks, 5.25 floppy disks, and laserdiscs, with a mix of packaged, demonstration, and promotional copies of software. Most
of the software is educational and published between 1988 and 1994.
Collection surveyed by Sydney Gulbronson Olson, 2018.
The collection is open for research.
The Computer History Museum (CHM) can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying
any claims of the copyright holder. Requests for copying and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce any portion of the
Computer History Museum's collection must be obtained jointly from both the copyright holder (if applicable) and the Computer
History Museum.
[Identification of Item], [Date], Bill Scull collection, Lot X7498.2015, Box [#], Computer History Museum.
Bill Scull is a marketing executive, strategic business leader, and consultant who has worked with a number of emerging and
established technology companies over the course of his career. Scull earned a masters degree in engineering from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1979 and an MBA from Stanford University in 1981. In the early 1980s, Scull worked as a product
line manager first at Hewlett-Packard and then at Apple Computer. From Apple, he went on to work in business development and
marketing at companies such as Ungermann-Bass, Tandem Computers, ILOG, Sygate Technologies, Nevis Networks, and CloudShield
Technologies. Additionally, he has worked as a marketing and business development consultant for nearly 20 years.
Scope and Content of the Collection
The Bill Scull collection ranges in date from 1985 to 1996 and includes materials related to the field of multimedia product
design and technology, particularly as it relates to higher education. About half of the collection is made up of printed
materials, the majority of which are from Apple Computer. These materials include technical reports, internal reports, research
files, presentation materials, case studies, meeting agendas and notes, and promotional material. Examples of subjects covered
in this portion of the collection include multimedia technologies and educational tools, higher education sales and marketing,
marketing plans for specific Apple products, and learning and technology research. There are a small amount of files, such
as press kits and promotional material, pertaining to Claris. The collection also includes some newsletters and periodicals
specifically related to higher education, such as EduTech, Authorware Magazine, The Heller Report, Educom, and Educational
Learning. Finally, there are a small number of catalogs, manuals, and brochures from other publishers and companies, such
as Kinko's Academic Courseware Exchange and Authorware.
The other half of the collection consists of software and its accompanying documentation. There are approximately five CDs,
sixty-five 3.5 inch floppy disks, five 5.25 floppy disks, and six laserdiscs in this portion of the collection, with a mix
of packaged, demonstration, and promotional copies of software. There are two binders that contain manuals and software for
educational games published by a variety of companies between 1988 and 1994. Additionally, the collection holds promotional
copies of Claris software such as "Brushstrokes" and "Retrieve It," as well as ten packets of Kinko's Academic Courseware
Exchange floppy disks and instructions. There are several demonstration software sets, including an Authorware Product Launch
Guide and a Macintosh Higher Education Curriculum Solutions binder. Finally, there are six laserdiscs, including the "Encyclopedia
of Multimedia" published by Apple and "In the Holy Land" published by ABC News.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Bill Scull, 2015.
Ephemera were separated from the main collection. To view catalog records for separated material, search the CHM catalog at
http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/search/ .
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Apple Computer, Inc.
Claris Corporation.
Education, Higher
Electronic encyclopedias
Interactive multimedia