When desktop computers first hit the market and became a part of the office, school and home environments, many people praised the advent of the “fancy contraption.” But, even as people became more accustomed to the neat, new gadget, these same folks were slow – and continue to be so – in abandoning some other tools they adopted and used prior to the advent of the computer age.
The traditional dictionary – that hardbound monstrosity that can take up a good part of any workspace – still remains a staple in many offices, homes and school libraries. While nothing in this brief article should be construed as an indictment of real world books – nothing will ever replace the majesty of a nicely published volume – the computer age does suggest the propriety of some changes and developments.
The online dictionary – a still underused device – is something that computer users would be well advised in taking more advantage of in their day to day work and writing efforts. Nothing is more efficient when, in the midst of working on a written project, than double clicking to an online dictionary. A definitional and spelling question normally can be answered in far greater speed and with better clarity using an online dictionary than by flipping through the standard desk reference version.
The online dictionary comes in many styles and sizes. Indeed, the online dictionary market has specialized. A interested party can find a specified and targeted online dictionary catering to nearly every special or particular need. And, of course, the longtime dictionary providers – Webster’s, et al. – have fully joined the online dictionary market, making their products readily available to the computer savvy consumer. So, the next time you reach for the cumbersome, well thumbed desk top dictionary, double click instead to the close at hand online dictionary.