System requirements for WINDOWS: IBM or compatible PC, with 486DX/33 MHz or better microprocessor, 4 MB RAM (8 MB recommended), MPC‐compatible double‐speed CD‐ROM drive and sound card, mouse, SVGA 256‐color display, speakers or headphones, and Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later.
The Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe started installing automatically in Windows 95. The procedure was straightforward and uncomplicated. For Windows 3.11 (for Workgroups), the packaging clearly presented instructions to start the installation process. In both cases, the installation process was standard for applications that use the Windows interface. Desktop program icons are created within the DK Multimedia program group.
This title is a multimedia CD‐ROM encyclopedia covering space exploration and astronomy. These two broad topics include facts, articles, graphics, pictures, video clips, and audio segments covering black holes, planets, stars, and galaxies, astronauts, spacecrafts, satellites, and probes. Information and activities in this program are suitable for middle school children to adult amateur space buff.
Space and the Universe opens to an antique desktop complete with books, drawers, charts, models, telescope, and typewriter. It appears much as a user could expect a museum display to look. This desktop serves as the table of contents. Moving the cursor over the desk area activates different options. There are 17 links (Cosmology, 3‐D models, Who’s Who, Activities, Technical Manual, History, Quiz Master, Hardware, Race for Space, Star Dome, Planets, Cosmos, Stars & Star Clusters, Deep Space, Solar System Explained, Sky Watching, and Internet addresses) to explore with 4 helper links (index, help, back tracker, and options). Each link contains a wealth of information. I found the material in each of these links to be up‐to‐date and accurate. Within the multimedia articles, the hypertext links complement the text and provide additional support material for the original article. However, the user must back out of the “additional” material provided by the links within the given subject.
The user of this program could have the majority of the text read to them by simply clicking on the speaker icon at the beginning of the text. The speech of the narration was clear, presented at a relaxed paced, and spoken in a pleasing tone. The additional material provided with hypertext links do not have this feature.
Help is available on screen (there are no manuals provided with this program). Help has five basic areas: tutorial, table of contents, measurements, having problems, and credits. The tutorial takes the user through each type of link and button available within the program. This was very lengthy and would suggest the user view the tutorial for a specific link, then use that link before proceeding in the tutorial. The table of contents was another way for the user to connect to the different links using text. Measurements displays a page showing basic conversion (e.g., how to convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius). The Having Problems section covers managing Windows, taskbar and keeping your CD clean but nothing about problems with the program.
Copying and printing options of the program were average. A user can print a page as it appears on the screen or can print out just the text. Copying text to a word processor was possible. I used Word version 7 with good results. However, to create a presentation using PowerPoint (as a student might need to do) was much more cumbersome. Exporting the entire page to PowerPoint for presentation reasons was do‐able but not something a user should do. To grab a graphic for PowerPoint, one must copy the entire page to a drawing program to crop the graphic from the rest of the page and save it. One can then import the graphic to PowerPoint and resize it for the slide — but not without distortion.
The user has ready access to an icon on the virtual desktop to search the index alphabetically. One may select from the alphabetical list or type in a desired word or topic. As letters are typed, the program displays possibilities based on what has been typed to what is available in the program. Other indexes available from index display include: Content Outline, 3‐D models index, Video index, Animation index, Gallery index, and Soundbite index.
The only printed documentation comes on the cardboard trifold CD box. One panel provides instructions for getting started. Another panel provides system requirements and a toll‐free number to call for additional help. The remaining three panels show bits and pieces of what users will find once they start exploring the program.
This is a good multimedia encyclopedia covering space and the universe. The video clips, soundbites, and 3‐D models (that the user can rotate) make this a much more exciting learning experience than its counterpart, the textbook encyclopedia of space. Students of junior high and high school would benefit the most from the content. However, an adult who has an interest in space, planets, and the universe would enjoy this program. The price of the program is well worth it and is very competitive with the textbook market. A media center specialist could buy this program with confidence, knowing it would provide value to the center’s collection.
