Encarta Reference Library 2004.Microsoft (One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052; 800-426-9400; www.microsoft.com). c2003. Windows 98/Me (min. 64MB, 128MB rec.), 2000/Professional/XP (128MB min.), Pentium 333MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. min. (500 MHz rec.), 385MB hard disk space, DVD-ROM DVD-ROM: see digital versatile disc. A read-only DVD disc used to permanently store data files. DVD-ROM discs are widely used to distribute large software applications that exceed the capacity of a CD-ROM disc. drive, SVGA (Super VGA) A screen resolution of 800x600 pixels. Third-party vendors extended IBM's VGA display standard and were the first to use the term. SVGA has also referred to 1,024x768 resolutions. See PC display modes. , min.16-bit monitor, 4MB min. video memory, mouse, 16-bit sound card with speakers or headphones, Internet connection for some features. DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. disk. (also avail. in a CD version.) $69.95. JSA JSA - Japanese Standards Association. * The latest version of this visually appealing, simple-to-use software includes an encyclopedia with over 68,000 articles, a dictionary, a thesaurus, an atlas, quotations, translation dictionaries, and Encarta Africana. Daily updates take place automatically when the user is connected to the Web, keeping the content timely. A notable new feature for 2004 is a Visual Browser to guide users to various parts of Encarta, including articles, Web links, images, virtual tours, and (another new feature) Discovery Channel video vignettes on such subjects as "Life on Mars Scientists have long speculated about the possibility of life on Mars owing to the planet's proximity and similarity to Earth. It remains an open question whether life exists on Mars now, or existed there in the past. " and "Sharks." This new browser is located on the home screen, as well as within articles, and it uses 3D animation and navigation, displaying content icons that rotate around the screen, each of which takes you to a new area with a click. Another new feature is self-study English language lessons. The Homework Section has been updated, providing instructions for organizing papers and projects, tips for starting reports, literature guides, charting tools, and a curriculum guide for teachers and parents. Encarta's well-designed interface makes it easy to access the tremendous amount of information here. The software is a pleasure to use for browsing, for homework help, or for research. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT |
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