Oxford University Press produces the ultimate CD-ROM dictionary,
but the price is enough to restrict it to enthusiasts. There
are alternatives, though. For everyday uses, the Concise Oxford is fine. The problem is, if youÆve already got Encarta 97 with the 8th edition built in, is it worth going for the 9th too?
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The program certainly looks good, and has handy browser-like back
and forward buttons. A real plus is the ability to double
click any of those unreadable squiggles that are supposed to
tell you how to pronounce a word and have it clearly spoken.
It certainly puts a new edge on the old game of looking up naughty
words. The dictionary is fully hot linked, so double clicking
any word in the text will look it up, and thereÆs full text
searching too. You get all the appendixes, including basic
English usage and useful peculiarities for word games (yes,
there is a xu, Grandma, itÆs in the dictionary). Is it worth
going for this if youÆve got Encarta? If you are interested
in words, yes. Up-to-date content, pronunciation, powerful navigation
and the surrounding features add real value.
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If you want more muscle than the Concise, try the Shorter instead.
Despite its name, this is a huge dictionary with half a million
definitions. Like the Complete Oxford it uses quotations to
demonstrate usage and includes useful information like when a
word first came into play. The CD-ROM hasnÆt such a smart interface
as the Concise, but the search tools let you do everything you want
without too much pain, and thereÆs the addition of special searches
for anagrams and rhymes too. If you can afford it and you love words,
go for this one - it may not be as complete as its big brother, but
itÆs less of a strain on the wallet.
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Overall - The definitive short and longer English dictionaries.
Priced around ú20 and ú79 in the UK. Windows CD.
Distributed by OUP, web site: <a href="http://www.oup.co.uk">
