43.246.202.116: /* Origins and development */

2024-02-12T11:25:30Z

Origins and development

New page

{{Short description|Software which emulates and expands upon print reference forms}}
{{For|the software developer|Reference Software International}}
{{Distinguish|Reference management software|Reference implementation}}
{{Refimprove|date=October 2023}}
'''Reference software''' is software which emulates and expands upon print reference forms including the [[dictionary]], [[translation dictionary]], [[encyclopaedia]], [[thesaurus]], and [[atlas]]. Like print references, reference software can either be general or specific to a domain, and often includes [[map]]s and [[illustration]]s, as well as [[bibliography]] and [[statistics]]. Reference software may include [[multimedia]] content including animations, audio, and video, which further illustrate a concept. Well designed reference software improves upon the navigability of print references, through the use of search functionality and [[hyperlink]]s.

==Origins and development==
Many dictionaries and encyclopedias rushed into [[CD-ROM]] editions soon after the widespread introduction of the [[CD-ROM]] to home computers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Encyclopedia CD-ROM History: How They Killed Books |url=https://tedium.co/2017/07/13/who-killed-the-encyclopedia/ |website=Tedium: The Dull Side of the Internet. |publisher=Tedium LLC |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=17 July 2017}}</ref> A second major development occurred as the internet also became widely available in homes, with reference works becoming available online as well. The conversion of previously print-only reference materials to electronic format marked a major change to the marketing and accessibility of such works. A striking case study is that of the venerable [[Encyclopædia Britannica]], which was previously only available at prices of USD 1500 and higher, restricting it to the better libraries and the wealthy. Today, the Encyclopædia Britannica and [[World Book Encyclopedia]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kirch |first1=Claire |title=The Changing World of World Book |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/53093-the-changing-world-of-world-book.html |website=PublishersWeekly.com |publisher=PWxyz, LLC |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=July 20, 2012}}</ref> retail in electronic format for around 50 USD, with cheaper [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]] versions sometimes bundled with new computers. Such dramatic changes brought conventionally restricted knowledge repositories to the fingertips of an almost universal audience in a period of less than 11 years.

The opportunities brought by new media enticed new competitors into the reference software market. One of the earliest and most well-known was Microsoft [[Encarta]],<ref>{{cite news | url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/microsoft-encarta-dies-after-long-battle-with-wikipedia/?apage=2#comment-250889 | title=Patrick, Graphic design intern on Version 1.0 of Encarta | access-date=2009-08-24 | work=The New York Times | first=Noam | last=Cohen | date=March 30, 2009 | archive-date=2009-06-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603050618/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/microsoft-encarta-dies-after-long-battle-with-wikipedia/?apage=2#comment-250889 | url-status=live }}</ref> first introduced on CD-ROM and then also moving online along with other major reference works. In the dictionaries market, one of the more prolific brands was [[Merriam-Webster]], which released CD-ROM and then online versions of English dictionaries, [[thesauri]] and foreign language dictionaries.

Since 2010, reference materials have begun to appear as apps on [[Smartphone]]s. In the field of [[English as a foreign or second language]], this is seen as an interesting pedagogical development and is the subject of much discussion [http://ltsig.org.uk/component/content/article/3-newsflash/203-call-review-spring-2011.html], as language learners increasingly abandon print dictionaries for online editions and apps like the one produced by [[Macmillan Education]][http://www.macmillandictionary.com/apps/]. A list of [[Electronic dictionary|online dictionaries]]<ref>[http://hdl.handle.net/10593/742 Lew, Robert. ‘Online Dictionaries of English’ in Fuertes-Olivera, Pedro A. and Henning Bergenholtz (eds.), ''E-Lexicography: The Internet, Digital Initiatives and Lexicography''. London/New York: Continuum, 2011: 230-250.]</ref> is maintained under "[[dictionary|dictionaries]]".

Wikipedia and its spin-offs (such as [[Wiktionary]]) marked a new departure in educational reference software.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kurt |first1=Dr Serhat |title=Wikis in Education: How Wikis are Being Used in the Classroom |url=https://educationaltechnology.net/wikis-in-education/ |website=Educational Technology |publisher=Educational Technology |date=13 September 2017}}</ref> Previous encyclopedias and dictionaries had compiled their contents based on invited and closed teams of specialists. The [[Wiki]] concept allowed anyone and everyone to join in creating and editing an online set of reference works.<ref>{{cite web |title=Center for Teaching - Wikis |url=https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/wikis/ |website=cft.vanderbilt.edu |publisher=Vanderbilt University |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lo |first1=Cecilia |title=Teach Smart with Technology: Using Wikis for Collaborative Learning |url=https://academictech.uchicago.edu/2018/08/30/teach-smart-with-technology-using-wikis-for-collaborative-learning/ |website=academictech.uchicago.edu |publisher=The University of Chicago, Academic Technology Solutions |access-date=18 October 2023 |date=August 30, 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Encarta]] and other [[CD-ROM encyclopedia]]s
* [[Comparison of reference management software]]
* [[Educational software]]
* [[Lists of encyclopedias]]
* [[List of online dictionaries]]
* [[List of online encyclopedias]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Educational software]]
[[Category:Encyclopedias]]

Reference software - Revision history

43.246.202.116: /* Origins and development */