As a child I remember gazing in awe upon my aunt’s leather-bound set of encyclopedias amazed by the amount of information that those volumes contained. Today my amazement continues as I hold the entire contents of an encyclopedia on one thin DVD. It is truly unbelievable! This DVD, less than 5” across, contains the complete Encarta encyclopedia with more than 68,000 articles, 26,000 pictures and thousands of sound clips, music clips, videos, and animations. In addition, the same DVD also contains a full dictionary, thesaurus, a book of quotations and a world atlas with over 1.8 million map locations. This year’s edition also has a collection of 32 high-quality videos from the Discovery Channel.
The best thing about this encyclopedia is that it was built for the PC from the ground up. So it’s easy to set up, easy to navigate, and easy to use. Its smooth interface is clean and speedy. This year a new visual web-style browser has been added to give easy access to related topics. If you perform a search for a specific item, you will be presented with a direct link to the main article about that item. You will also be given links to related topics. If you click on “Visual Browser” your screen will fill with other key items within the overall category that your item is a part of. If you only have a general idea of what you are looking for, this makes the search much easier. Of course, you can also use the search engine to drill down to specific information, as well. Another nice feature is the ability to bookmark anything you find so that you never have to try to retrace your steps. Also, don’t miss the Homework Center. Even though I am officially out of school, I find the homework area a useful way to research and compile information on a single screen. Useful sidebars and timelines can be found throughout the encyclopedia. Hot links to Internet-related information also provide extended coverage on just about every subject.
I have two minor gripes about this program. First, you need to register for a Microsoft Passport to get encyclopedia updates and support. While this is relatively painless, it is an extra step that I feel is unnecessary. Also, at this time, Microsoft provides no upgrade path for the Encarta encyclopedia. That means that to get the most up-to-date information you have to purchase a new version each year. I wish that Microsoft would offer a reduced upgrade price so that after you purchase a full version you could upgrade each year at a reduced price. At $69.95 the full Reference Library edition seems a little pricey. Yet when you remember the cost of purchasing bound encyclopedias and the year books that you needed to purchase to keep that encyclopedia up-to-date, the cost really doesn’t seem so bad. Also be sure to shop around, rebates and special offers on this product are fairly common.
Encarta Reference Library is also available on five CDs. With the CD version you have the option of installing everything to your hard disk or working from the CDs. If you have the space on your hard drive the former option is advisable to eliminate constant CD swapping. Other versions of Encarta, like the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition, include only the encyclopedia without the dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, homework center, and visual browser. While these versions are less expensive, they are not as comprehensive. Opt for the Reference Library edition if you can.
