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Encyclopedia Design Project

You are given the task of designing a file structure for an encyclopedia to be stored on CD-ROM.
Research suggestion: visit a store that sells (and demos) applications software and try out one or more of the On-line Encyclopedias they sell. Perhaps also see if you can see a directory listing of the contents of the CD. Playing with one for a while will give you a feel for what kinds of searches are possible and the kind of results they provide. You will also get to see what the video and audio looks like. Looking at the contents of the CD may give you some hints about how the files are organized.
The following are specifications from 2 currently available interactive Encyclopedias. Study and research both and then choose one as the basis for your design. {note: you may choose any other commercially available Interactive Encyclopedia of a reasonable size as the basis for your design. If you do so, you must include the specs as printed on the box and a complete directory listing of the contents of the CD. The Encyclopedia you choose must include text, pictures, video and audio clips and must be searchable.}

SOURCE | Canadian Encyclopedia - 98 | Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia - Deluxe 98 |
# of CD's | 1 | 2 |
# of Articles | 50,000 | 38,000+ |
# Pictures, Graphs, Tables, Maps | 5,500 |  |
# Audio Clips (or Total Time) | 200(30 min.) | 20 Hrs. |
#Video Clips (or Total Time) | 100 (60 min.) | 150+ |
Timeline Feature? | yes | yes |
Internet Links? | 1,700 | 4000+ |
Interactive Maps and Pictures | 101 |  |
Dictionary Entries | 140,000 | 78,000 |
Thesaurus Entries | 50,000 | 21,500 |
Minimal Install | 17 MB |  |
Full Install | 88MB (all text, no multimedia) |  |
System Requirements: | Multimedia 486DX + | Multimedia 486DX + |
| VGA 256 -colour | SVGA 256 -colour |
| 8 MB RAM (16 Recommended) | 8 MB RAM (16 Recommended) |
| Windows 3.1/ 95/ NT | Windows 3.1/ 95/ NT |
| 2X CD-ROM | 2X CD-ROM |
| 16-bit sound | 16-bit sound |

The longest text section is 50,000 bytes (characters); the shortest merely references (or links to) another section (eg. "see Africa").

NOTE: It should be clear from the outset that no single homogeneous file architecture will be adequate for all the types of files & information that must be accessible in this system.

Complete directory listings for both encyclopedias are available on request.

General Format & Structure:

> System Definition:

> Describe each (with examples and drawings where applicable) & justify. NOTE: this is not a complete list, merely a guide.

> - basic inputs & outputs
> - desirable features
> - user interface
> - search capabilities
> - eg. separate/combined searches for text, audio, video, tables, etc.
> - allow searches by title, topic, phrase, word, general string?
> - bookmarking capabilities
> - menu-driven searches?
> - help facilities
> - browsing capabilities

> - major goals:
>   1. fast and efficient search and retrieval
>   2. expansion capabilities for annual updates
>   3. user interface to be straight-forward and self-explanatory

>   System Implementation:

> - fundamental organization
> - directory hierarchy (and what files are included in a minimal install? full install? How do they link to files still on the CD?)
> - text - articles (separate files or records with in one or several files)
> - index structure (explain how it facilitates searching)
> - video & audio (how are they organized, retrieved, indexed, linked....)
> - tables, graphs, maps, etc.

>   Sketch out the data/file structures required (file headers, indices, etc.)

>   Questions to consider (in no particular order):

- If you are going to allow searches by phrase or word will you search articles directly or create an index (if so, what kind)? Will you have a "centralized" search index or include a keyword list with each article?
- Will any files be compressed? If so, by what method? How have you ensured that decompression is fast & efficient?
- How will articles be linked to associated drawings, video & audio clips? Will they all be loaded when the article is displayed?
- What kinds of updatable files will exists?
- Will the user be able to save search results (for example, to facilitate research that may span several sessions)? If so what form will this take (copies of articles etc. links or other references, some sort of log)?
- How will search results be compiled and presented?

> The Report:

Produce a clear and concise report that outlines the system definition and implementation. Justify and explain all design decisions. Support your descriptions with figures & references where appropriate.

The report should be approximately 10 pages long and include at least the following:

1. Title Page
2. Table of Contents
3. Introduction
4. Encyclopedia Specs & hardware requirements
5. System Definition
6. System Implementation
   1. Overview
   2. Details
7. Unresolved Issues and Future Development
8. Summary and Conclusions
9. References

> The preliminary (draft) Report will consist of parts 1->5 and will be worth 25% of the over-all mark for this assignment.

The purpose of the preliminary draft is to get comments on your approach to the assignment and will be marked lightly in terms of content: however, the draft will be marked (as will the final report) on effectiveness in communicating. In other words, marks will be deducted for poor writing.

Copyright © Katrin Becker 1998, 1999 Last Modified