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Program Description Who Is This Program For
Why We Selected This Program Computer Requirements
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Oxford University Press has recently published the Canadian Oxford Dictionary in a CD-ROM format. So the question may be asked: "So, what's so interesting about that?". Well, it is how they have designed it, that in large part, makes it worth taking a look at.
When you install the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, it will load it's entire contents onto your hard drive (requires 80MB of hard drive space) and a small "iFinger" icon will appear in the windows task bar. Click on the icon and a small search window will appear on your desktop. At this point you can enter in any word and the word definition will appear in a small pop up window. You will also notice a down arrow in the pop up window that allows you to see more extensive usage information for that word.
Where it gets interesting is with making some simple setting changes. First, in the configure window set the dictionary to "Dock To Title Bar" and the little search window will now automatically appear in the tool bar of commonly used programs such as Explorer or Microsoft Word. You don't have to return to your desktop to use the dictionary. It's right there in the program's task bar.
In gets even more interesting when, with one additional click in the configuration menu, the dictionary will instantly present the definition in a pop up window, when you "click" any word on the page you are reading. (See an example) This makes it very easy to look up words, as you go.
If you go one step further, you can set the dictionary to "Auto Pop Up". In this mode, just hold the mouse pointer over a word and the definition, along with accompanying usage examples of the word, will instantly pop up.
Once you are looking at the definitional information in the pop up window, you also can highlight any word in the pop up window itself and go to the definition of that word. This can be useful if, for example, you are looking at the antonym (the opposite) of the word you have looked up. Click on that word in the pop up window and it's definition will appear. This is called cross referencing and, with the Oxford's software, this becomes very easy. Also, it's worth mentioning that once you have installed the dictionary, it is always on in the background, and so is readily accessible at all times.
Further, keep in mind, that what you are getting here, on the CD-ROM, is the full Canadian Oxford Dictionary that was published in 1998. It is both complete and current.
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Click Images To Enlarge
Oxford Dictionary operating in the Explorer browser
Extended word definition appearing in pop up window
Oxford Dictionary pop up window in Microsoft Word
Oxford Dictionary working within Windows 98 operating system
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(commentary on the print version of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary - 1998)
"...an absolute must for every Canadian wordsmith."
- Peter Mansbridge, CBC The National
"The best Canuk wordbook yet, eh? We can all write and speak a bit more confidently with the arrival of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the successful conclusion of an exacting and expensive project."
- Globe and Mail
"There are 35 dictionaries on my bookshelves; this one will be on my desk."
-The New Brunswick Reader
Increasingly, for many of us, our reading and writing activity is occurring on the computer and on the internet. As much as we may like to think that we will get up and open a dictionary, in the midst of these types of activities, we often don't. Similarly, when we are on a computer and may be needing some linguistic assistance, we won't necessarily stop, go into a search engine to look up a word, and then return to our reading or writing.
So with this in mind, we selected and profiled the CD version of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, not just because it is the current recognized standard among Canadian dictionaries, but as well for it's "on screen" accessibility. It is so easy to use, we believe you will be using the Oxford more frequently than you ever did the printed version .
You may be reading something on the internet or in a word document and you don't know meaning of a specific word. Just click and learn the word's definition and all possible usages. And that just took all of five seconds with literally one click of the mouse.
You might be writing a document and not sure as to the appropriateness of a specific word. Click and decide. This uniquely instantaneous "just in time" access to words, their definitions, spelling, and usage examples, is superb and, in our view, will encourage greater usage of this high quality reference resource. Developing one's knowledge of words and their usage is central to developing good written and verbal communication skills. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary in this format and with these "access" capabilities, supports "learning as you go", ideal for students and writers/readers of any age .
Our only regret (and resulting in a big "snit" from some of us) is that it is available currently only for PC. Drats!
Reviewed by Dan Lang - Sr. Editor - Learning Village
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Pricing and Online Ordering
(or call toll free -1-800-250-9229 )
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Platform: PC with 166MHz Pentium-class processor; Windows 95/98/98SE/ME; Windows NT4.0; Windows 2000; Windows XP; 80MB free hard disc space; CD-ROM or DVD drive; Internet Explorer 4.0 or 5.0 (version 5.0 supplied on CD-ROM) 56K modem required for customer registration with iFinger (optional) and to download free software upgrades. Power user rights required to install and run the software when using Windows NT 4.0/2000.
or to see other reference programmes
Encarta Reference Library 2004 ed. - ages 10 and up
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