IT MAY NOT BE THE GREATEST CENTURY, BUT HEY, IT'S OURS
A Review of Chronicle of the 20th Century
by Ron Enderland
Throughout mankind's history, there has been a general trend towards greater
and greater technological changes as each century passes. This is exemplified
by the astounding leaps that man has taken (both forward and back) in this,
our twentieth century.
As we draw closer to 2001, we can expect numerous entries into the field of chronicled histories of this century. DK Multimedia has entered the race early with Chronicle of the 20th Century. It's not a bad offering.
When you start the program, you're taken to a newsroom image. As your mouse pointer passes over various objects in the room, actions take place a la "Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time." For instance, pass over the trash can, and paper wads start flying into it.
In most cases, the little animations provide a gateway into various aspects
of the program. Let's pick one and
see.
We pass over the typewriter and click on it. It types up a message at random. In this case, it is "Charles and Diana Wed in Royal Splendor." We click on the headline, and are transported to the "News in Brief" screen, which is a familiar interface in this program. A movie begins playing that is a news account of the famous 1981 wedding (do you remember where you were?). This is accompanied by a more detailed textual account of the ceremony.
From here, you can access, through a click on the map icon, a search engine;
a news screen selector; a calendar; a detailed list of biographies; access
to Chronicle Online (a web site); and "20th Century in Focus."
The search engine is similar to others found in encyclopedic CD-ROM's. It has filters for "and, or, or not" logical searches. You can also instruct the engine to use or avoid certain dates. And, you can specify certain types of media to be used, as in video, pictures, and/or sound.
The news screen selector is the aforementioned "News in Brief" interface. It reads like a newspaper (a little tabloidish, like the New York Post), with dates at the bottom of the screen that you can click on to meander your way through history. There is also a "chain link" icon that moves you forward and back in leaps of a month.
The calendar is a listing of years. You click on the desired year in order
to pop into the appropriate news
screen.
"Biographies" is a listing of 130 "key personalities" of the 20th century. Limiting this notable group to this small number is sure to infuriate many, but it is understandable in the interest of space requirements. As it is, the listing is fairly comprehensive, with names ranging from Muhammed Ali to Boris Yeltsin.
"20th Century in Focus" is described as being "the political revolutions, global conflicts, technological advances, and cultural changes that have shaped the modern world." Eight major categories are listed, ranging from World War I to the fall of communism.
"Chronicle Online" fires up your browser (it found my Netscape automatically
during installation) and takes you to a password-entry website that complements
the program very nicely. If you're familiar with the program, you'll navigate
the site easily. This is an outstanding example of offering up-to-the-minute
info that smoothly integrates into a CD-ROM presentation, staving off the
inevitable obsolescence for a while.
There is a wealth of accurate information presented here. The program runs well, it keeps its installation promises, and it includes an uninstall process for those of you who are still doing the Windows 3.1 thing. All in all, it's a good package.
The search engine is clumsy, though. It runs slowly, and clarifying searches is difficult. If you stay on it, though, you will pick it up, and you'll find that it does a serviceable job.
This is a decent reference work. The multimedia features make it entertaining as well. For the price, it's a good offering.
Gamer's Zone Scorecard
| Product: |
Chronicle of the 20th Century |
| Company: |
DK Multimedia |
| Cost: |
n/a |
System Requirements:
486 DX/33 MHz or faster with 8 MB RAM (12 MB recommended
for Windows 95)
30 MB hard disk space
Double-speed CD-ROM drive
8-bit
sound
8-bit (256-color) 640 x 480 pixel display (16-bit colors
preferred)
Loudspeakers or headphones
Mouse
Windows 3.1 or
later
Modem (to access Chronicle Online)
Breakdown:
Entertainment Value 4
Educational Value 4
Concept 4
Depth 4
Interface 3
Overall Score:
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