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Microsoft Corporation, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399; 1-800-426-9400. Hardware and software requirements for playing sound, running animations, and displaying text and graphics: multimedia PC with 386SX or higher processor, 2 MB RAM or more and 30 MB hard disk (an equivalent PC with a multimedia PC upgrade kit, including CD-ROM drive and MPC-compatible audio board, may be substituted), CD-ROM drive, audio board, mouse, VGA or VGA+ display, MS-DOS 3.1 or later (provided with CD-ROM drive), and headphones or speakers. Hardware and software requirements for displaying graphics and text only: PC with 386SX or higher processor with 2 MB RAM, hard disk, CD-ROM drive and VGA or VGA+ display, MS-DOS 3.1 or later, Microsoft Windows 3.1, MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions 2.2 or later, and Microsoft Mouse or compatible. Retail price: $395. Educational price: $249.
Microsoft Encarta is a multimedia CD-ROM encyclopedia produced by the Microsoft Corporation. It is based on Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia and includes a dictionary and thesaurus that are based, respectively, on Webster's Electronic Dictionary, Concise Edition, and Webster's Electronic Thesaurus.
INSTALLATION
Installation of Encarta is quite easy. Assuming you have a computer already set up with Microsoft's Windows operating system, all you need do is insert Encarta into the CD-ROM drive, open the program manager window, and choose "run" from the file menu. You then enter the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive in the command line box, followed by :
setup (for example, d:
setup), and press enter. The Encarta Setup program will create a Microsoft Multimedia group window within the program manager, and you will be ready to begin using Encarta.
OPERATION
The opening screen of Encarta provides the user with four choices: to open the encyclopedia, to use the category browser, to view the encyclopedia contents box, or to take a quick tour. Experienced researchers will want to open the encyclopedia or use its contents box, while young researchers will probably find the category browser helpful as they attempt to narrow their area of interest. Category browser is more directive than the other choices, allowing the user to first select an area of interest, such as performing arts, and then see categories within the area of interest, such as music or dance. From there, a user may choose...