The stunning demonstrations you will see in the stores will be running on the latest computers, so if your PC is any more than a year old you might not get the same fast searches and smooth video clips at home. Check the encyclopedia box for the recommended system requirements and make sure your PC has enough grunt. Chip speed, RAM and hard drive size are vital factors to consider. If you own an iMac you'll find fewer encyclopedias to choose from, although new Macintosh editions are due later this year. The reading age required to use World Book is the lowest of all the full encyclopedias.
Topics start with the basics, assuming very little prior knowledge.
The graph maker is useful but there aren't too many other frills. Children around seven to 10 years will handle this one more easily than the others. World English Edition Packed with photos, videos and sound clips, Encarta equals research with style. The richness of photos and mix of media make the others look drab by comparison. Photos and other media serve to break up the text and make the information more palatable for reluctant researchers.