Encarta's Fresh Approach

By James Anthony

Encarta 2004 is chock full of useful info on virtually any topic you can think of

In my home reference library I would have 2000 books, tastefully arranged in my study, and it is comforting to know that if I get stuck on a subject I’m writing about the answer will be not too far away from my fingertips.

Books also look, feel and smell great and I would loathe being without them.

When travelling, however, it is pretty difficult to carry them all around and so the next best option is a digitised encyclopaedia, and I’ve got to say it is hard to go past Microsoft’s Encarta 2004.

At home, the bazillions of facts and figures wrapped up in a student-friendly package will entice young minds into the dreaded realms of knowledge.

And Encarta 2004’s new Virtual Browser is a very handy way of getting around its massive database.

The Virtual Browser (VB) is a 3D-animated system that rotates images of various subjects in alphabetical order around the screen.

You control the browser with your mouse and the closer you get to the left or right edges of the screen the topic presentation moves forwards (or backwards) at quicker rates.

The VB is one that will appeal to youngsters and teens, while for adults it is quite fun if you are just browsing to follow a few of the pictorial leads and see where they take you.

The Virtual Browser is a "handy way of getting around" the huge Encarta Database

If you are wanting information on Hernan Cortes then click on the card-shaped image, on which a book symbol signifies an article. The cards also have image, web, multimedia and map symbols.

So, once we’ve arrived at old Cortes, or Cortez, Hernando (1485-1547), Spanish explorer and conqueror of the Aztec Empire of Mexico, we can check out all about him, get a listing of related items, available multimedia, web references and a sidebar featuring an interesting associated letter from Cortes to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

If wombats be your topic, then you click on the revolving wombat card (you can also just use the word search, but it isn’t as much fun). Up pops a page, albeit a bit thin on extra info – although you do get a cute picture of one of the Vombatidae.

Encarta 2004 also features a heap of Discovery Channel Media Content – 109 minutes’ worth, in fact. While thinking about subjects for checking the film footage I devilishly typed in pornography. Now would Bill’s Mob even mention the subject? Yup, up it popped, however, parents will be pleased to know it was treated in a matter-of-fact way and there was no imagery.

Each subject has general web search and editorially suggested websites you can visit for more information – although I was gobsmacked that Australia’s most interesting website Web Wombat did not appear.

Of course, if you don't like the new Virtual Browser, you can always go through the contents

Other little helpful things in Encarta 2004 are the Homework Center (sorry Centre) that puts before students everything they need to research their subjects.

There are language tools – including bilingual dictionaries – the Encarta Researcher report-building tool, Project Starters that helps organise your assignment, charts and tables and a curriculum guide.

You can even get help finding that all-important first word on an assignment – as we say in journalism get the angle in the intro par.

And another interesting little part of the programme is the Literature Guides in which students can get a bit of a helping hand on some classic books they may be having to read.

There isn’t a massive selection on offer – 40 or so – but they are nicely worked and can give inquiring (or desperate) minds information about the author, a synopsis of the tale, when it is set, its overall merit, social sensitivity of the times, ideas for essays, discussion topics and more.

Overall, Encarta 2004 is yet another jump forward in trying to get people interested in learning and it does the job very well.

The Virtual Browser should grab kids’ attention and hopefully will show them that there are bazillions of fascinating things going on – and have gone on – out there in the world. And they don’t even have to leave the house!

Product: Encarta 2004
Online: Yes
Price: $169.95 (CD/DVD)
Developer: MS
Distributor: Microsoft

Rating: 90%

(Ratings Key/Explanation)