Description:
Microsoft's Encarta Reference Library 2003 on DVD is an extremely comprehensive, updatable archive of data on topics from the recent film A Beautiful Mind to the rodent genus Zyzomys. It's paired with a dictionary and thesaurus (one that translates words between English and four other European languages), helping researchers and students track down hard facts on almost any topic imaginable. To anyone who remembers the first CD-ROM encyclopedias loosed upon the computer-using public in the 1990s--with their tiny, clunky maps and mere handful of digital animations--the scope and capabilities of Encarta Reference Library 2003 will seem like sheer luxury. The mainstay of any encyclopedia is text, of course, and Encarta's articles are as informative, well indexed, and easy to search as ever. Better still, they are more integrated with high-resolution photographs, references to a world history timeline, and film and video clips that genuinely expand on each entry's content. The wealth of tools that accompanies this core of data includes everything from a virtual flyover of Earth's continents to a database of Internet links for further research. Encarta Reference Library 2003 has features specifically geared to teachers and students, like literature guides that come complete with essay topic suggestions, chart making software, and educational games. The encyclopedia also contains all the information from Microsoft's award-winning Encarta Africana, making it an excellent resource on subjects like the U.S. civil rights struggle, black comedians, and African music. This stellar treasury of information will be an asset to learners of all ages, something every member of a family can use and appreciate, whether for putting together a report, satisfying curiosity about a particular issue, or browsing for pleasure. --Alyx Dellamonica
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