Copyright: ATTICA Cybernetics Ltd


Copyright notice
The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia

Contents

First Multimedia Edition published September 1994

Encyclopedia © 1994 Helicon Publishing Ltd.

Design and Software © 1994 Attica Cybernetics Ltd.

User Guide © 1994 Attica Cybernetics Ltd.

The illustrations, Audio and Video on this disc are protected by international copyright laws.

This software was developed using Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0 Professional.

All rights reserved

Neither the User's Guide nor the accompanying software may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, for any purpose other than the purchaser's personal use without the written permission of the publisher.

The software described in this Guide is sold under a license agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The purchaser may make one copy of the software for backup purposes.

ISBN No: 1-85986-087-7

Other products referred to in this Guide:

IBM PC-AT is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation

MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation

We have tried to make the information in this booklet completely accurate. However, in keeping with our policy of continual product improvement, we may make changes to the features and technical specifications described without notice.

This User's Guide was written by Elizabeth Clarke

Published jointly by:

Helicon

42 Hythe Bridge Street

Oxford OX1 2EP

Tel: +44 (0)1865 204204

and:

ATTICA Cybernetics Ltd

Unit 21

King's Meadow

Ferry Hinksey Road

Oxford OX2 ODP

Tel: +44 (0)1865 791346

Technical support line: Tel: (818) 992-8484


Table of contents
The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia - Contents

Introduction

Before you start

Learning how to use the Encyclopedia

The Articles

Using the Indexes

The Topics

Performing a search

Browse

The Timeline

The Atlas

Menu bar: function by function


Before you start

Product components and System requirements

Installation instructions:

- on a stand-alone PC

- on a network


Learning to use HME '94
Learning how to use The Webster's Concise  Encyclopedia

Starting up

Closing down

Getting help

The Menu Screen: Finding your way around the information


The Articles

The Article Display Screen

Multimedia articles:

Viewing images

Viewing video

Viewing tables

Listening to audio clips

Copying information to the Windows clipboard

Printing an article


The Indexes
Using the Indexes

Using the Title Index

Using the Word Index

Using the Multimedia Index

Using the other Indexes


The Topics

Instead of using the Indexes to find an article, you may wish to search for articles using a topic-based approach. There are approximately one hundred topics to choose from.

To call up the topics - The Topics Screen

Moving from a topic to an article

The Topic Trail


Performing a search

There are two ways of performing a search: Word Search and Full Search.

Word Search is a very simple type of search.

Word Search

Full Search:

To call up Full Search - The Search Screen

Typing in search terms

Viewing results

Modifying a search

Getting help with a search

Click on the Help button on the Search Screen to call up a tutorial which gives you step by step guidance on how to make a search.


Browse

The Browse option displays a series of windows containing extracts from articles which are automatically updated after a set time.

Using Browse

Changing the topic area and Browse speed


The Timeline

The Timeline displays a selection of significant events in chronological order. Events from different spheres - such as politics, the arts, and sport - are brought together to give you a feel for particular years or a whole era.

Using Timeline

The year finder


The Atlas

The Atlas allows you to locate places, and also to call up articles related to those places.

To call up the Atlas

The Atlas Screen

Locating a place in the Atlas:

Using Zoom

Using the Preview map

Using the Gazetteer

Moving from the Atlas to an article


The Menu Bar
Menu bar: function by function

File menu

File/Print: sends the text of the currently displayed article to the printer.

File/Print options: opens a dialogue box allowing you to choose printer font, page size, etc..

File/Exit: closes down the application.

Edit menu

Edit/Copy: copies a portion of highlighted text from the Multimedia Display Screen into the Windows clipboard.

View menu

View/Atlas: takes you to the Atlas Screen.

View/Browse: takes you to the Browse Screen.

View/Display: takes you to the Article Display Screen.

View/Home - Main menu: takes you to the Menu Screen.

View/Index: takes you to the Index Screen.

View/Search: takes you to the Full Search Screen.

View/Timeline: takes you to the Timeline Screen.

View/Topics: takes you to the Topics Screen.

Options menu

Options/This Day in History: turns This Day in History on or off at startup.

Options/Full Screen Video: turns full screen video on or off.

Index menu

Index/Title: takes you to the Title Index.

Index/Word: takes you to the Word Index.

Index/Multimedia: takes you to the Multimedia Index.

Index/Other Indexes: produces a pop-down menu containing the options:

Book Titles, Music Titles, Poems, Other Titles,

Names, Scientific Names, Biographies.

Selecting one of these Other Indexes takes you to the Index Screen.

Search menu

Search/Word Search: opens the Word Search dialogue box.

Search/Full Search: takes you to the Full Search Screen.

Help menu

Help/Help Index: opens the Help Index.

Help/Help Mode: turns Help mode on or off.


Introduction

The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia combines text, pictures, audio and video in an exciting multimedia approach to learning. At the heart of the Encyclopedia is the text of the oldest and most respected single volume encyclopedia in the English language, comprising more than 34,000 clear, authoritative, and up-to-date entries. These entries are enhanced by 3,500 images, 180 sound clips and 30 minutes of video sequences.

The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia offers far more than any printed volume. Firstly, the medium of CD-ROM enables you to forge entirely individual paths through the information: you can jump from concept to concept in a non-linear way which would be slow, or indeed impossible, with a printed book. Secondly, the combination of different media types dramatically increases both enjoyment and recall.

The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia can be used in the home, in libraries, and in schools and universities. It can be dipped into for fun, or it can be used for more serious research. Its clear, straightforward user interface means that even those with little or no computer experience will soon feel confident that they can retrieve the information they want quickly and easily.

About this Guide

This Guide gives you installation instructions for The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia, together with an overview of its different features.


Product components and system requirements
Before you start

System requirements

The following is the minimum equipment you need to be able to use The Webster's Concise  Encyclopedia:

Hardware:

- an IBM compatible 80386SX computer with an SVGA monitor and a 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disc drive

- 4Mb of RAM (8Mb is recommended)

- 4Mb of hard disk space

- MPC compatible CD-ROM drive

- 8 or 16-bit MPC compatible sound card

- speakers or headphones

- a Microsoft compatible mouse

- a printer (optional)

Software:

- MS-DOS Version 5.0 or above

- Microsoft Windows Version 3.1 or above with Multimedia extensions

Use on a network

The Webster's Concise  Encyclopedia may be used on a network, providing you have suitable CD-ROM networking software already installed. Your hardware dealer will be able to advise you on this.


Installation instructions - stand alone PC
Installation instructions on a stand-alone PC

It is assumed that your PC is correctly configured to use this CD-ROM and has Microsoft Windows 3.1 already installed.

The drive letter D is used to refer to the CD drive, although this may vary on different machines. Use the appropriate letter if different.

1 Ensure that Microsoft Windows is running.

2 Insert the Webster's Concise Encyclopedia CD-ROM into the CD- ROM drive.

3 From File Manager:

Open a directory list of the D drive.

Locate the file SETUP.EXE

Double click on SETUP.EXE

or

Click on File, then select Run from the pull-down menu.

In the box provided, type:

D:\SETUP.EXE

Click on OK.

4 The Setup program will fully install The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia automatically. It may ask you to confirm various pieces of information (for example, the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive.) If so, answer the questions and click on OK or Continue.

When the setup is complete, a program manager group will be created with an icon representing The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia and a readme file containing the latest update information.


Installation instructions - network
Installation instructions on a network

Installation on a network should only be carried out by the Network administrator.

The software should first be installed on the Network Server.

1 Stop the server after making sure it is safe to do so.

2 Ensure that Microsoft Windows is running.

3 Insert the Webster's Concise Encyclopedia CD-ROM into the CD- ROM drive.

4 From Program Manager, click on File, then select Run from the pull- down menu. Then type:

D:\SETUP /A (A for Administration).

5 Click on OK. The software will be installed on your server.

Now you need to install each user, repeating the following instructions each time.

1 Ensure that Microsoft Windows is running.

2 From Program Manager, click on File, then select Run from the pull- down menu. Now type in the line below, making sure that the source directory information at each station on the network matches the destination directory of the network server. For example, in the following line, the assumption has been made that the installation software on the network server was installed in the directory:

P:\APPS\HME

P:\APPS\HME\SETUP /N (N for Network).

3 Click on OK. The icon for The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia will be displayed. Double click on the icon, and the Encyclopedia will automatically load.


Starting up

Once The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia has been installed, follow these instructions to start up:

1 From the C:\ prompt type:

WIN<ENTER>

The Windows Program Manager screen appears.

2 Double click on the icon representing The Webster's Concise Encyclopedia in the Program Manager window and wait for it to load.

A screen with copyright information appears. This is followed by an animation with music and voice-over introducing the Encyclopedia.

The animation leads you straight to the menu screen.

Note: The Audio Off switch on the menu screen allows you to switch off the introductory voice-over.


Closing down

At any time when you wish to exit completely from The Webster's Concise  Encyclopedia:

1 Click on File in the Menu bar, and select Exit from the pull-down menu.

The Windows Program Manager screen appears.


Getting help

To get help at any time:

Either:

Click on the sound help icon at the top of your screen.

Click on Help in the Menu bar.

A Help Index appears.

Press F1:

The appropriate page of this help file will appear


The Menu screen
The Menu Screen: finding your way around the information

There are a number of different ways of accessing the information contained in the Encyclopedia.

The Menu Screen gives an overview of the options available. You can select an option from the Menu Screen or from the Article Display Screen.

The options are as follows:

- Display

- Index

- Topics

- Search

- Browse

- Timeline

- Atlas

On the Menu Screen, choose the option you want by clicking on the appropriate picture icon. To identify each icon, move the cursor over it and a written label will appear.


A-Z Display
Display

Display function allows you to look at all the articles in the Encyclopedia. You can look at articles in the Encyclopedia in alphabetical order.

To look at all 34,000 articles, click on A-Z Display. This brings up the first alphabetical entry in the Encyclopedia. Click on Page forward to move to the next alphabetical entry, and so on.

To look at the articles thematically, set your search parameters in the Topics function.


Indexes

You can look up a word in one of the Indexes, and then go straight to the relevant article.

To use this option, click on Index. This brings up an Index of all the articles in the Encyclopedia from which you can make your selection.

For further information on the Indexes, see Chapter 5.


Topics

You can choose a topic and look through all the articles relating to that topic.

To use this option, click on Topics. This brings up a list of the topics contained in the Encyclopedia. Click on any topic to go to the first alphabetical article related to that topic.

For further information on the Topics, see Chapter 6.


Search

You can perform a search on a particular word or phrase, or combinations of words or phrases, to find all articles containing those terms.

To use this option, click on Search. This brings up the Search Screen where you can type in your search terms.

For further information on Search, see Chapter 7.


Browse

You can see a selection of extracts from articles, stopping whenever you wish to view the whole article.

To use this option, click on Browse. This brings up the Browse Screen with windows containing snippets of information.

For further information on Browse, see Chapter 8.


Timeline

You can look at a Timeline to see a chronological listing of selected events, and then call up relevant articles.

To use this option, click on Timeline. This brings up the Timeline Screen enabling you to choose the era or year you are interested in.

The 'On This Day' button lists important historical events connected with the current day's date.

For further information on the Timeline, see Chapter 9.


Atlas

The Atlas has three levels of zoom for the whole world; North America and Europe have an extra level of zoom. In addition to its function as an atlas, clicking on highlighted names on the maps allows you to call up a relevant article in the Encyclopedia.

To use this option, click on Atlas. This brings up a map of the world, from where you can zoom in to a particular area, or go to a place selected from a Gazetteer of place-names.

For further information on the Atlas, see Chapter 10.


The Menu bar

A Menu bar runs along the top of the Menu Screen offering a series of pull-down menus.

Click here to see a listing of each function in the Menu bar.


Returning to the Menu Screen

Click on the Desk lamp icon on every screen to return to the Menu Screen.


The Article Display Screen

Each article you call up appears on the screen in a standard way.

- The title of the article and the article number appear at the top of the screen. These are automatically updated when you move to a new article.

- The text of the article appears on the left-hand side of the screen. The articles are scrollable, so having looked at one article you can scroll to the next alphabetical entry.

Arrows appear in the text to indicate cross-references. Click on the arrow to go to the cross-reference. To return to your original article, click on the Article Trail to see a list of articles visited, and click on the last article in the list.

- Icons appear to the left of the article if other types of information are associated with that article - for example, sounds, image or video.

Click on the icon to see or hear the information. For further information on multimedia articles, click here.

- A scrollable Index appears on the right-hand side of the screen. If you scroll to a new place in the Index, the articles are automatically updated on the main part of the screen. If you have carried out a search, the Index window displays a list of article titles found by the search.

- The icons for A-Z Display and Word Search appear at the top of the screen. The icons for Full Search, Browse, Index and Topics appear at the bottom of the screen.

- The following buttons appear:

Backstep button

Click on the Backstep button to go back to the last screen visited.

Previous and Next Article buttons

Click on the Previous Article or Next Article buttons to go to the previous alphabetical article or the next alphabetical article displayed in the current Index.

Article Trail button

Click on the Article Trail button to view a list of the last 20 articles visited. Click on any article title in the list to go to the full article.

Topic Trail button

Click on the Topic Trail button to view a list of the last 20 topics visited. Click on any topic title in the list to go to the first alphabetical article in that topic. For further information on the Topic Trail, click here.


Multimedia articles

If an article has other types of information associated with it, the relevant icon is displayed to the left of the article. Click on the icon to bring up that information.

Numbers under the icons indicate if there is more than one image, audio clip, video sequence, etc.

You may see any of the following icons:

Denotes video

Denotes an image

Denotes a table

Denotes audio

Denotes a quotation

Denotes an Atlas link


Viewing images
Viewing photographs and illustrations

Click on the image icon to bring up the Multimedia Display Screen.

- The image replaces the Index on the right-hand side of the screen. A caption appears below the image.

- The text of the article appears on the left-hand side of the screen. If available, further icons - for example audio - appear in the border next to the text.

- Click on the Full Screen button beneath the image to expand the image to full screen. When the image is full screen, three more buttons appear: Copy, Print, and Cancel. Click on Copy to copy the image to the Windows clipboard. Click on Print to print the image. Click on Cancel to cancel the full size image and return to the Multimedia Display Screen.

- Click on the Text button to return to the Article Display Screen.


Viewing video

Click on the video icon to bring up the Multimedia Display Screen.

- The video replaces the Index on the right-hand side of the screen. A control bar appears below the video.

- The text of the article appears on the left-hand side of the screen. If available, further icons - for example audio - appear in the border next to the text.

- Click on Play on the control bar to start the video sequence. There are also Stop, Pause, Fast Forward and Rewind buttons.

- Click on the Full Screen button beneath the video to expand it to full screen. Click anywhere on the video window to cancel the full-size screen and return to the Multimedia Display Screen.

If you wish to display all video sequences automatically at full-screen size, click on Options on the header bar, and move to Full-screen video on the pull-down menu. A check appears next to Full-screen video if it is turned on. Click again to remove the check if you want to turn it off.

- Click on the Text button to return to the Article Display Screen.


Viewing tables

Click on the table icon to display a table associated with an article.

- The table replaces the Index on the right-hand side of the screen.

- The text of the article appears on the left-hand side of the screen. Further icons, if available, appear in the border next to the text.


Listening to audio clips

Click on the audio icon to bring up a pop-up box containing a list of the available audio tracks.

- Click on the title of the track you want to hear.

- The audio starts to play and the relevant caption appears in the box. The box contains a control bar with Play, Stop, Pause, Fast Forward and Rewind buttons.

- Click on any other track to hear a different extract.


Copying to the clipboard
Copying information to the Windows clipboard

From the Multimedia Display Screen you can copy a section of text to the Windows clipboard. Highlight the required section, then click on Edit in the Menu bar, and select Copy from the pull-down menu. The copied text will include a Helicon copyright message.

You can then paste the information to another Windows application such as a word processing program.


Printing an article

You can print an article from the Article Display Screen. Click on File in the Menu bar, and select Print from the pull-down menu. The full text of the article is printed out.

To print an image, click on the Full-screen button to obtain the full- size version of the image. Then click on the Print button beneath the image.


Using the Indexes

One way of locating a required article is to use the Index. There are several Indexes in the Encyclopedia to help you find the information you want:

- The Title Index is an alphabetical list of all articles in the Encyclopedia.

- The Word Index is an alphabetical list of all words in the Encyclopedia.

- The Multimedia Index is an alphabetical list of all articles in the Encyclopedia with multimedia content (images, video, audio).

- Other Indexes allow you to choose from the following options: Book Titles, Music Titles, Poems, Other Titles, Names, Scientific Names, Biographies.


Using the Title Index

To call up the Title Index:

Click on Index on the Menu Screen; or click on the Index icon on any other screen; or click on Index in the Menu bar, and select Title from the pull-down menu.

The Index Screen appears.

The Index Screen

When you first enter the Index Screen, there is an Index of all articles contained in the Encyclopedia. Image and audio captions are indexed as well as titles of articles.

If you have chosen a topic area the Index will be of all articles related to that topic.

Next to each item in the Index there is an icon to indicate what type of information it is - text, image, audio, quotation, map.

A box appears at the top of the screen for you to type in the required word.

An alphabet bar appears down the right-hand side to enable you to go straight to a particular letter in the Index.

Locating an article using the Title Index

You can find an article title in the Index in several ways:

- In the box provided, type in the required word. You are taken straight to the appropriate place in the Index, with the nearest match highlighted. If there is an image associated with that article, it will be displayed on the left of the Index.

- Alternatively, click on the required letter in the alphabet bar next to the Index. You are taken straight to that letter in the Index. Scroll through the list until you find the exact entry you want. (Note: Due to the large number of entries, scrolling can be a very slow method of locating an article).

- A third alternative is to use Word Search. Click on the Word icon to open a pop-up window with a box where you can type in your search term. Click on OK to start the search. A search is made on all image and audio captions as well as the titles of articles. A list is then displayed of all entries in the Index which contain that search term.

Moving from the Title Index to an article

Use any of the methods above to highlight the required entry in the Index. Then click or press return to go to the Article Display Screen with the article shown in full.

On the Article Display Screen, the Index remains on the right-hand side of the screen. To choose another article from the Index, click on the appropriate item.


Using the Word Index

To call up the Word Index:

Click on Index in the Menu bar, and select Word from the pull-down menu.

The Index Screen appears.

When you first enter the Index Screen, there is an Index of all main words contained in the Encyclopedia.

If you have chosen a topic area the Index will be of all the words in the articles relating to that topic.

Locating an entry in the Word Index

To locate an entry in the Word Index, follow the same steps as for the Title Index above.

Moving from the Word Index to an article

Use any of the methods described under Title Index to highlight the required word in the Index. Then click or press return to start a search for that word. You are taken to the Article Display Screen which shows in full the first article which contains that word.

On the Article Display Screen, the Index on the right-hand side displays all the other articles which contain that word. To choose another article from the Index, click on the appropriate item.


Using the Multimedia Index

To call up the Multimedia Index:

Click on Index in the Menu bar, and select Multimedia from the pull- down menu to see one list of all articles with multimedia content (pictures, video or audio).

Alternatively, you can see separate lists of articles with pictures, articles with video, or articles with audio. From the pull-down menu click on the option you require.

The Multimedia Indexes include all articles from the Encyclopedia with multimedia content, i.e. they are not topic specific.

If you have selected the full Multimedia Index, an icon next to each entry will indicate what type of information it is.

Locating an entry in the Multimedia Index

To locate an entry in the Multimedia Index, follow the same steps as for the Title Index.

Moving from the Multimedia Index to an article

Use any of the methods described under Title Index to highlight the required item in the Index. Then click or press return to go to the appropriate Multimedia Screen with the information displayed.


Other indexes
Using the other Indexes:

To call up the other Indexes:

There are a number of other Indexes to help you search for specific information.

To bring up the other Indexes, click on the Other Indexes button at the bottom of the screen. A drop-down menu appears of the options available: Book Titles, Music Titles, Poems, Other Titles, Names, Scientific Names, Biographies. Click on the required option.

Alternatively, click on Index in the Menu bar, and select the Index you require from the pull-down menu.

If you have selected one of the specialist Indexes, they will contain articles from the whole Encyclopedia, i.e. they are not topic specific.

Locating an entry in the other Indexes

To locate an entry in any of the other Indexes, follow the same steps as for the Title Index.

Moving from the other Indexes to an article

Use any of the methods described under Title Index to highlight the required item in the Index. Then click or press return to go to the Article Display Screen with the article shown in full.

On the Article Display screen, the Index on the right-hand side of the screen displays all other relevant articles. To choose another article from the Index, click on the appropriate item.


To call up topics
To call up the topics:

Click on Topics on the Menu Screen; or click on the Topic icon on any other screen; or click on View in the Menu bar, and select Topics from the pull-down menu.

This brings up the Topics Screen.

The Topics Screen

The Topics Screen has topic buttons for each topic available.

Click on the Page button at the bottom of the screen to page quickly through the topics.

Click on the appropriate alphabetical panel on the right-hand side of the screen to view the topics in that particular alphabetical section.

Click on the Alphabetical / Thematic toggle switch at the bottom of the screen to view the topics either alphabetically or thematically.


Moving from a topic to an article

Click once on a topic to select it. The topic button is highlighted, and the topic title at the top of the screen is updated. Click again or press return to go straight to the first alphabetical article in that topic.

On the Article Display Screen, the Index on the right-hand side displays an alphabetical list of all other articles within that topic area. To choose another article from the Index, click on the appropriate item.

Once you have chosen a topic, it restricts the Index, Search and Browse to that topic area. For example, if you choose Agriculture and then click on Index, the Index will only display articles connected with agriculture. Similarly, a Search will only search on agricultural articles.


The Topic Trail

Once you select a topic, it is automatically added to a Topic Trail. This allows you to keep a track of where you have been in the Encyclopedia.

Click on the Topic Trail button above the Index on the Article Display Screen to view the Topic Trail for the last 20 topics visited.

Click on any topic in the trail to return to the first alphabetical entry in that topic.

Search sets in the Topic Trail

The Topic Trail also lists all search sets. For example, if you carry out a search while looking at a particular topic, this is recorded in the Topic Trail as Search 1, Search 2, and so on.

This allows you to retrieve the results of a search quickly, without having to carry out the search again.

Click on the required search set in the Topic Trail. This opens a list of article titles found in the search. Click on the required title to go to the Article Display Screen showing that article.

Note: If you want a list of articles you have visited, rather than a list of topics, click on the Article Trail button at the bottom of the Index. This displays a list of the last 20 articles visited.

Click on the required article title in the list to go straight to the Article Display Screen showing that article.


Word Search
To use Word Search:

1 From the Article Display Screen, click on Word at the top of the screen.

This opens up a Search box.

2 Type in the word you want to search for and click on OK.

A search is made on all the words in the topic you are currently viewing. If you are in A-Z display, a search is made on all the words in the Encyclopedia.

You are taken straight to the first article which contains the required word, with the word highlighted. The Index window on the right-hand side of the screen lists all the other articles where the word occurs. Scroll down the list and click on any article to bring up that article.


Full Search

Full Search allows you to link several search terms together so that you can carry out searches of considerable complexity.

The Search terms are linked together by AND, OR, NOT.

Choosing the linking term AND will have the effect of making a list smaller. For example, if you key in "bomb" AND "radioactivity" AND "Bikini", only those records which contain references to all three search words will be retrieved.

Choosing the linking term NOT also has the effect of making a list smaller by excluding records which do not contain both search terms. If you key in "fish" NOT "chips", it will only retrieve records with the term "fish" as long as they do not also contain the word "chips".

Choosing the linking term OR has the effect of enlarging a list. For example if you key in the query "desert" OR "camel", all those records which contain a reference to either one term or the other will be retrieved.


Calling up full search
To call up Full Search:

Click on Search on the Menu Screen; or click on the Search icon on any other Screen; or click on View in the Menu bar, and select Search from the pull-down menu.

The Search Screen appears.

The Search Screen

The Search Screen provides blank input boxes within a frame to help you build up your search query.

When you first enter the Search Screen, one blank box appears for you to fill in your first search term.

To join that term to another with AND, click on the AND button. This opens another blank box next to the first one. You can add up to four boxes linked horizontally across the screen by AND.

To change AND to NOT, click on the shaded corner of the input box, and a cross appears.

If you want to join two terms with OR, click on the OR button. This opens another blank box beneath the box you have just filled in. You can add up to four boxes linked vertically down the screen by OR.

When your query is complete, click on Search to start the search.


Typing in search terms

- You can type a word or phrase into each input box, using either upper or lower case characters.

- You can use the trailing wildcard character * as a substitute for one or more characters at the end of a word. This eliminates the need for multiple searches, and ensures that you do not miss related references. For example, if you type in FUNG* you will bring up all articles with fungus, fungal, fungicide and so on.

- Ignore all accents when typing in search terms. Accents are correctly displayed within the article itself.

Example search query

You want to find all articles which deal with the effects of earthquakes and tidal waves in Japan.

1 Click on Search on the Menu Screen.

The Search Screen appears with one blank input box.

2 Type in:

JAPAN

3 Click on AND.

Another blank box appears next to the first one.

4 In the second box, type in:

EARTHQUAKE

5 Click on OR.

Another blank box appears beneath the one you have just filled in.

6 Type in:

TIDAL WAVE

The search query is now complete.

7 Click on Search to start the Search.

A pie-chart appears on screen to show the progress of the search. To cancel the search, click on Cancel.


Viewing search results
Viewing results

When the search is finished, the number of articles found is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Click on the Go to Articles button to go to the first alphabetical article found by the search.

The text of the article is displayed on the left-hand side of the screen. The Index window on the right-hand side of the screen lists the other articles found by the search.

To see any other article found by the search, click on the required title in the Index list. This takes you to the Article Display screen showing the required article.


Modifying a search

Adding to a search

Once a search is complete, you can carry out another search on the articles found.

At the bottom of the first frame, click on the AND/OR button to open a new frame with one blank input box.

Build up the second search query in exactly the same way as the first.

Click on Search to start the search. The total number of articles found by the combined searches is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Click on the Go to Articles button to bring up the first alphabetical article found by the search.

Clearing a search

Click on the Clear button to clear a search. All the entries in the input box and all the input boxes except for the first one are removed.

To remove a whole search frame, double click on it. You are prompted to confirm that you want to delete it.


Using Browse

To call up Browse:

Click on Browse on the Menu Screen; or click on the Browse icon on any other screen; or click on View in the Menu bar, and select Browse from the pull-down menu.

This brings up the Browse Screen.

The Browse Screen

The Browse Screen displays a maximum of ten windows on the screen at any one time. Each window displays a short extract from an article: either text, an image or a sound clip. The windows are automatically updated: the oldest one disappears when another is added. Click once on any window to bring it to the front.

You can view the article extracts either alphabetically or at random. Click on the Alphabetical / Random Order toggle switch at the bottom of the screen to change from one to the other.

To move from Browse to an article

Double click on any extract to go to the Article Display Screen showing the full article.


Changing topic area and browse speed
Changing the topic area and browse speed

Changing the topic area

You can browse through all the articles in the Encyclopedia, or you can browse through a particular topic.

To change topic, click on the Other Topics button at the top of the screen. Select the required topic from the pull-down menu.

Changing the browse speed

You can change the speed at which the extracts appear using the Speed bar at the bottom of the screen.

Click on the speed bar marker and drag it to the left to slow down the speed at which the extracts appear. Drag the marker to the right to increase the speed at which the extracts appear.


Using Timeline

To call up the Timeline:

Click on Timeline on the Menu Screen; or click on the Timeline icon on any other screen; or click on View in the Menu bar, and select Timeline from the pull-down menu.

This brings up the first of three Timeline Screens.

Timeline Screen 1

The first Timeline Screen is divided into seven eras:

- 4 mill BC: Prehistory and early civilisations

- From 27 BC: The Age of the Roman Empire

- From 476 AD: The Medieval world

- From 1492: World-wide empires

- From 1776: Era of revolutions

- From 1914: The World Wars

- From 1945: The Post-imperial age

Click on the required era to bring up the second Timeline Screen.

Timeline Screen 2

This displays an era overview with images, divided into time bands.

Use the right and left arrows on the screen to scroll backwards and forwards through time. You can cross over era boundaries to view time periods before or after the initial era selected.

Click on the required time band to bring up the third Timeline Screen.

Timeline Screen 3

This is a grid with a number of columns, each representing a specific time span.

Moving from the Timeline Screen to an article

Click on any image in the third Timeline Screen to get a pop-up box with a list of relevant articles.

Click on any title in the list to go to the Article Display Screen showing the full article.

From the Article Display Screen, you can return to the same place on the Timeline to call up another article by clicking on the Timeline icon at the bottom of the screen.

Note: The Timeline is not affected if you change topic: the information it displays is not topic-related.


The Year Finder

The Year Finder offers a quick way of going straight to a particular year.

Click on Year Finder at the bottom of the first Timeline screen, and type in the required year. You are taken straight to the third Timeline screen, with the selected year in the center of the screen.


Using the Atlas

The atlas allows you to locate places, and also to call up articles related to those places.

To call up the Atlas:

Click on Atlas on the Menu Screen; or click on the Atlas icon on any other screen; or click on View in the Menu bar, and select Atlas from the pull-down menu.

This brings up the Atlas Screen.

The Atlas Screen

When you first enter the Atlas Screen, it displays a map of the world.

In the bottom right-hand corner there is a latitude and longitude display for the current position of the cursor. Whenever you move the cursor, the display is automatically updated.

You can locate a place you want either by zooming in on it, or by using the Gazetteer

Zooming in on a place

Double click the left-hand button of your mouse on the required continent. A map of the continent is displayed.

Double click again on the required country. The country is displayed, with the main towns and cities.

Zooming back

Double click the right-hand button of your mouse.

Using the Gazetteer

Click on the Gazetteer button, and select the continent required from the pull-down menu.

An alphabetical list of place-names is displayed.

Use the cursor to scroll through the list until you come to the place- name you are looking for.

Click on the highlighted place-name or press return.

The town or city you have selected is shown at the center of the screen.

The Preview Map

You can use the Preview Map as a quick way of selecting an area to view.

Moving from the Atlas to an article

Double-click on any place-name shown on the map to move from the Atlas to the Article Display Screen showing the full article about that place.