OED on CD-ROM
8 messages in this thread
Can anyone tell me about Oxford English Dictionary on CD-ROM? How old is
the data (when was the original print version published?) Does the CD-ROM
has all the information that was in print? How is the software (speed,
access keys, etc.?) I tried to ask at a dealer but they didn't know too
much.
Takeo Yamamoto
The Oxford English Dictionary is certainly not the recently released
revised edition. It is thecomplete contents of the original OED,
(1931 edition I think). However as most people use OED for history and
development of words this is not as big a problem as you might at first
think.
Sorry I haven't used it, so can't comment.
It is listed in the 1991 Faxon Guide to CD-ROM for US$950.
David McKerlie
The first edition of the oed included the first supplement, with some
addenda and corrections. It is not included in the electronic oed. So,
the cd rom is not the complete first edition. -er
Takeo,
The data on the OED CD-ROM is the first edition, that is the one that was
published around 1930. I don't believe that any of the supplements have
been included.
I've heard rumors that the 2nd (1990) edition of the OED on CD-ROM is
currently in beta test at Oxford Electronic Publishing. It (like the first
edition on CD-ROM) will contain the full text of the printed version. I
have never seen the software the OED uses to access the data, but I hear
that it is good.
My advice would be to wait until the second edition comes out. That way if
the second edition is very expensive (knowing Oxford University Press it
probably will be) you may find the first edition at a discount. Also, if
you are mostly concerned with words that were in use prior to 1900 or so,
the first edition would be all you would need.
-John
Thanks, John. Please read my reply to Cheryl for additional comment. One
thing I forgot to mention: Oxford University Press is going to reduce the
price of the new version somewhat (again, I forgot the exact value, but it
was around 50 dollars less than the 1st version.)
Takeo
I suggest you call the Bureau of Electronic Publishing at 1-800-828-4766.
At $900 it is less than half the price of the books and it takes up a LOT
less space.
Thank you Cheryl. Also thank you, David and John. I called Bureau of
Electronic Publishing, as Cheryl suggested, and they referred me to Oxford
University Press in NY (I think,) and a woman there told me that, as John
says, the next version will be out perhaps in June or July (she told me
more definitely but I forgot.) I didn't realize that the release will
reduce the price of the old version, but of course it must! Thank you all
for helpful information.
Takeo Yamamoto
The first edition of the oed sold for about the same price, a little less
in fact, than the cd rom version, and it included the first supplement
volume. I imagine that one might find a copy of it in the commerce for far
less than the cd rom.
Unfortunately, the publishers of the cd rom felt there market was limited
to libraries and priced it accordingly. They overlooked a somewhat larger
market of individuals who might have bought it if the price had been $450
or so. They wold have made a lot more money with that pricing since sales
would have been several times what they've been.
As for finding the 1st cd rom edition after the appearance of the 2nd, I
doubt this will occur. Oxford will recall all the old ones, to avoid
spoiling sales of the 2nd edition. Given the probably low level of sales
of the 1st edition, I very much doubt the distribution pipeline is very
full, so this should be quite easy to do.
-er