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Overview
Dr. Johnson's seminal Dictionary of the English Language is one of the most important works ever compiled in English. It remains a major resource and cornerstone of language studies. This is the first electronic edition of this monumental tome. The CD-ROM contains the contents of the First (1755) and Fourth (1773) Editions, which combined, equal over 80,000 entries. The texts are transcribed and formatted so that similar entries may be viewed side-by-side. Software on the CD enables the user to rapidly search either edition for key words, phrases, quotations, and sources. In addition, digitized facsimiles of the original pages are reproduced. Johnson's Dictionary on CD-ROM represents a publishing landmark of its own kind, and will be a valuable tool for English language scholars and lexicographers everywhere. The Johnson Dictionary Project is a collaboration between Cambridge University Press and The University of Birmingham. System Requirements: All CD products (with the exception of The Works of John Ruskin) run identically on PC Windows or Macintosh systems. We recommend the following equipment: PC: 386 or later; Windows 3.1+; 8 Mb of RAM; double-speed CD-ROM drive. Macintosh: System 7 or later; 4 Mb of RAM; double speed CD-ROM drive. The Works of John Ruskin runs only on a PC. We recommend the following specification: 80486-based PC; Windows 3.1+; 4 Mb of RAM (8 Mb preferred); SVGA color monitor; 10 Mb of free hard-disk space; double-speed CD-ROM drive. These products can be presented via a server, but because of technical limitations, it will not always be practical for more than one user at a time to be accessing the data.A dictionary with more than 40,000 entries which was a primary reference source for scholars and writers of the 18th and 19th century.
Editorials
Library Journal
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the publication of Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language, Octavo has released a new digital reproduction of the 1755 edition, using the Warnock Library copy originally owned by Richard Warren, Johnson's personal physician. All three volumes of Johnson's dictionary are featured in stunning, high-quality digital images, viewable at up to 300 percent of the original size. The work is presented as close to the original as possible, with the warped pages and water stains of the actual text left intact. Digital images of the original pages are presented as uncropped spreads, allowing users to view the pages as they would open them naturally, thereby preserving all aspects of the original binding. Value-added content includes notes on the binding and collation, an essay on provenance, and commentary by such noted antiquarian booksellers and authors as Eric Korn and Ian Jackson. The disc also includes digital images of Johnson's The Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language (courtesy of the Library of Congress). Presented on a single DVD-ROM (but also available on three CD-ROMs as two linked PDF files), this edition requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or the freely downloadable Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher. Both PDF files come equipped with all of Adobe Reader's viewing, navigation, and search features. Each of the 45,000 defined words is fully searchable, though it may take several minutes to get results. A basic search for zenith, for example, took this reviewer nine minutes. Adobe's advanced-search option is available and does include some limits, but there is no user-friendly way to search within a designated page range, as it takes too long to search through the entire dictionary. Bottom Line Thoroughly usable, this product features high-resolution image files that allow users to zoom in and examine details relating to how the book has been printed, illustrated, and bound. It is a welcome addition to the general reference collection of any academic or public library.-Brian Greene, Northeastern Univ. Libs., Boston Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.Book Details
Published
March 31, 2005
Publisher
Octavo
Format
Multimedia
ISBN
9781591100645