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Founded in 1768, the 32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica is the master of reference works. As a bonus, this CD-ROM version includes packages for younger researchers with a kids and a student version thrown in at no extra cost. These are essentially cut-down versions of the main encyclopaedia with links in the text to explain trickier terms.
All three versions feature the same index, which lets you search using keywords or by clicking on a letter of the alphabet to display all the subjects starting with that letter. The keyword search is by far the quickest way to research a subject but if you are feeling adventurous, you can try out the Knowledge Navigator, a brainstorming tool that displays topics related to your original search. Click on one of these and another set of topics appears, each related to the new subject - a handy feature for students planning an essay.
There is also an Interactive Timeline, which you can use to check on the important cultural, scientific or social developments that occurred in a particular year or period of history.
The reference suite also includes a world atlas, which proved to be disappointingly static with a two-dimensional map of the world divided into broadly continental sections. Click on one area and the countries within that continent are displayed. Clicking again takes you on to a map of all the major towns in that country. Although it's a straightforward approach, it's not particularly exciting when you compare it to a product such as Encarta which also throws up links to local radio stations and current weather reports.
Like the rest of the encyclopaedia, the atlas is let down by an unappealing, dry interface. Huge chunks of text are displayed in dull windows with images displayed in separate panes with very limited opportunity for interactivity.
Contact: Encyclopaedia Britannica 0845 075 7000
www.britannica.co.uk
See also:
A fact-packed software collection that will appeal to all ages. 29 May 2002
All Education
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