| The Science & Engineering Encyclopedia opens in the browser it finds on its host computer. Users can start with a discipline or look through the Contents tab at the left for more selections. |
| Selecting Conversions from the Contents tab and Mechanical pulls up a dictionary. Each item links to a calculation such as the one to the right. |
| Picking on Moments of Inertia from the glossary lets user run a few calculations for a variety of shapes. Only the thin rod is visible here, but scrolling down shows more. |
It's certainly portable and can be used anywhere there's a Windows-based computer. The developer sees it as a replacement for the host of reference books most engineers use. An added advantage is that it allows a range of simple calculations and includes a scientific calculator (in software) for crunching more complex equations.
Pop the CD in a computer and it comes up in a browser, so the learning curve is about 5 min of exploration. The encyclopedia is broken into about 10 sections including audio, chemistry, computing, math, mechanics, and physics. Users might start by searching for a particular term or quantity, or pick on Contents to view functions that include navigate, calculator, books, Web links, and conversions. For example, picking on Calculation and Mechanical pulls up a dictionary that spans Abscissa to Z-intercept. Most terms include some elementary calculation such as unit conversions and determining quantities from user inputs.
The $80 Science & Engineering Encyclopedia comes from Dirac DeltaConsultants Ltd., Box 3374, Warwick CV35 7YZ, U.K., www.diracdelta.com