I yesterday received the hot-off-the-press, newly released CD-ROM version (v3.1) of the complete OED, Second Edition — i.e., the entire contents of all 20 print volumes of the OED (1989), plus its 1993 and 1997 Additions Series, plus draft entries from its new edition not yet in print — and eagerly installed it on my machine (Windows XP; it's not available for Fruit Machines).
Gads!, what a great reference work to have at one's fingertips with all its many sophisticated search functions, and with the capability for one to double-click on any word in any Windows application running on the computer, and immediately have that word's entry in the OED displayed for one's perusal (the OED must be running in the background for this function to work).
Is there any small downside to this information prodigy of the computer age? Why, yes, there is. I've never in my life encountered such a protected piece of software. In order to defend itself against unauthorized copying and use, not only does the software require annoyingly picky verification and registration on first installing and booting up, but every 90 days it requires you to re-verify, and re-register the software so that it knows it's still running on the same machine on which it was first installed. If that re-verification and re-registration fails, the software will refuse to boot the dictionary.
I've mixed feelings about that sort of protection. On one hand, it's a pain in the ass, and seems excessive. On the other, had I the investment Oxford University Press has in the OED, I'd damn well protect my property and profits by any means possible, and screw the occasional annoyance and inconvenience to the user.
What's that? How much does this gem of an electronic reference work cost? A mere $225 (street price; $295 list) against some $1500 for the print edition.
A bargain by anyone's standards.
It's The Music, Stupid!
Peggy
