Looking back, I'd say it was a couple of things. One, as you note, is that it involved leaving class and getting computer time in the library (double win for both computer time and a change of environment). Second, there just weren't many preapproved and available choices at that time. Later I learned about how to acquire other games via mail-order shareware and typing in programs from magazines.
Oregon Trail in particular seems to have been widely available. Maybe they did some bundling when the schools bought the computers?
Oregon Trail in particular seems to have been widely available. Maybe they did some bundling when the schools bought the computers?