Mavis Beacon is a popular typing application used to help learn how to improve typing speed and accuracy. It has been around since 1987, and has been used by millions of people around the world. Here are 10 interesting facts about Mavis Beacon:

1. Mavis Beacon was not the first typing tutor program. However it was the most successful one.
2. The name “Mavis” comes from the phrase “Make A Visible Impression,” which was part of the marketing campaign for the original product launch in 1987.
3. The original version of Mavis Beacon ran on DOS and used floppy disks for storage. It was released by Software Toolworks in 1987.
4. In 1994, Broderbund Software acquired Mavis Beacon from Software Toolworks and began to publish new versions of it with updated graphics and features with versions for Windows and MacOS platforms.
5. In recent years, there have been many versions released that include advanced features such as tutorials, games, and even 3D graphics with an avatar that encourages you while you type!
6. Mavis Beacon has several awards, such as Computerworld’s Innovation Award in 1988, Teacher's Choice Award in 1990 and 2000, Parents' Choice Award in 1992 and 2000, MacUser Editor's Choice Award in 1995 and 1999, etcetera
7. The current version of Mavis Beacon is designed for Windows 7 (32/64-bit) through Windows 10 (32/64-bit).
8. Despite its popularity, there are also other commercial typing tutor programs available such as TypingMaster Pro by TypingMaster Inc., KeyBlaze by NCH Software, RapidTyping by TMP Development Ltd., etcetera
9. There are also several free or open-source alternatives, such as TuxType by GCompris Project or Nitro Type Racer by Nitro Type Inc., etcetera
10. Mavis Beacon was inducted into the Computer History Museum in 2012 due to its immense popularity over the years as a typing tutor program