At about this time of year the 2005 products appear, one keenly fought encounter is between Microsoft Encarta and Encyclopaedia Britannica. Every year I try to note the differences and changes.
Buy Now...
The first major change is that Encarta
now has a childrens version within the main product something
Britannica has had for some time.
Britannica markets itself as the Ultimate Reference suite 4 in 1 Eycyclopedia, Dictionary, Thesaurus, Atlas and more!
Encarta claims itself to be The Number One Best-Selling Encyclopedia Brand.
Both packages are available on CD or
DVD, I looked at the DVD versions of both, they have more content than
in the CD versions. The table below trys to list the contents of the
big two.
There are lots of other headings but the big two cannot agree on what to call them so no immediate comparison can be made.
| |
Encarta |
Britannica |
| Articles |
130,000+ |
100,288 |
| Photos and Illustrations |
25,600+ |
17,891 |
| Videos |
280+ |
646 |
| Web |
17,750 |
165,808 |
In the case of Britannica it claims
that the DVD contains the complete contents of the whole 32 volumes of
the printed version and more. As Encarta is only available in non
printed format no such claim can be made. Both are updated annually and
Encarta gives you rights to download updates every month for a year
from purchase.
As far as the machine required to run
the DVDs Britannica needs Windows 98 SE or later. Pentium 350MHz or
better. 256MB RAM. 550MB of hard disc. 800x600 display with 16 bit
colour. Encarta needs for Windows 98 or ME 64MB RAM while XP and 2000
require 128MB. The processor is 333MHz (500MHz recommended) and Hard
Disc space of 250MB. 800x600 16bit colour.
The Britannica is also stated to work on Mac OS 10.3, iMac or G3 350MHz or faster.
Both installations are well supervised
and once the DVD is inserted all should be well. The interfaces are
both easy to follow and while they differ in the ways they show and do
things similar results are obtained for most searches.
Now the hardest of all, which would I
prefer, both. They both have their good points but if you already have
one who am I to say to chance. Yes I get splinters from sitting on the
fence here but both Indian and Chinese takeaways have there points some
people swear by one and others by the other. I can see good in both. I
can also say if they were not both there then the Encyclopedia market
would be far less vibrant than it is. Using the Dabs links Encarta is
£55.98 while Britannica is £53.99.
http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Product+Details.htm?quicklinx=39HK&searchphrase=encarta%20DVD
http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Product+Details.htm?quicklinx=3FTF&searchphrase=britannica%20DVD
!!
