From Library Journal
Whether you are interested in how the universe began; the life span of the sun; viewing various spacecraft in 3-D; information about stars, planets, asteroids, and comets; historical information on the space race and the journey to the moon; or biographies of scientists and astronauts who made it all possible, this disc will work for you. Bottom Line: This disc is up to the usual DK standards. It includes basic information but is also sophisticated enough so an older science novice will benefit. Like all DK products, its use is addictive, and its browsable nature makes it a great learning tool. We wish, however, that DK would cease including advertising for their other products on their CD-ROMs.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
This CD-ROM was designed for grade-school children. The retail version comes packaged with a paperback book,
DK Pockets Space Facts, but this was not included with the review copy. The product was tested on both Mac and Windows platforms, with little difference in performance. The Windows version requires a 486 processor. Installation on both systems is easy. While starting
Eyewitness Encyclopedia is painless, access may be a problem for some. The interface is completely visual, and graphic elements on the screen may not be accessible to people who use adaptive software. There is an option to turn on voice narrations, but these apply only to the main screen of most entries. Teachers making presentations to groups of students may find the narrations useful, but they will not help casual wayfinders or students who are blind.
Children, however, are likely to find the jam-packed screens of Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe fun places to explore. The interface "console" is in a "room" that appears to provide seamless access to other DK Multimedia products for those who own them. An index lists topics in alphabetical order with no subject groupings. Individual indexes direct users to audio and video clips, animation routines, and slide shows. Entries are typically two to three paragraphs in length, with hypertext links to definitions and icon connections to other entries and to "sidebars" including film clips, recordings, time lines, and fun facts. DK Multimedia emphasizes facts likely to fuel children's interest. For example, the brief biographical entry for Tyco Brahe tells us that he wore a nose made of silver after he lost his own in a duel. This is just the sort of trivia that might send a child to an encyclopedia to learn more about the man. Many entries include suggestions for further reading. Numerous pictures, video clips, sound files, and animation sequences support the entries. The best of these is exemplified by a simulated fly-over of Venus in which the viewer cruises just above the surface while a narrator names the sites passed. Some graphics, though, are misleading. For example, a map of uncorrected Cosmic Background Explorer data implies that apparent temperature gradients in background radiation are real. As a whole, though, the multimedia features of the encyclopedia are appropriate and enhance the work. Rounding out the CD is a one-or two-person quiz that could easily be used as a group activity by splitting a class into two sections. There are also two games in which players try to assemble rocket pieces or adjust thrusters on a lunar lander. Both games are slow and predictable and unlikely to hold the interest of children accustomed to Nintendo and other computer/video games. Except for the installation instructions, all support material for the encyclopedia is on the disc. The company also provides a toll-free technical support number.
Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe is designed for children who are beginning to learn about space, astronomy, and the history of these fields. The information contained is very broad in scope and presented at a basic level, and the interface is designed to encourage exploration. Its low cost, children's focus, and ease of installation make Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe appropriate for both elementary schools and public library circulating collections.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
