Published by The Voyager Company. This excellent program introduces ancient China to users in a stimulating manner. It provides history of the first dynasty of China, shows archaeological digs, and discusses the building of the immense Great Wall. $79.95. ISBN 159404450. Macintosh.
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Content
This is an outstanding history product that incorporates motion
pictures and audio to make ancient China come alive for the user.
The disc explores the life of Qin Shi Huang Di, China's first emperor. It discusses the history of this dynasty and all the advances that the emperor brought to the country and its people. It provides beautiful footage of the Great Wall of China, completed by Qin Shi Huang Di. An exciting part of the product is the footage of the archaeological dig where the life size pottery army, composed of thousands of warriors and horses, was unearthed. A tour of the museum where the warriors and horses are on display is also part of the disc to provide greater detail of these artifacts.
At the beginning, a table of contents appears which leads the user to five essays, complete with QuickTime movies that can be narrated in either English or Chinese. The narration is enhanced by traditional Chinese music playing in the background. Each essay includes several sections. One is called "Ask the Experts," which provides more information about a particular aspect of the essay topic. Another is a glossary easily accessible by an clicking an icon labeled with the letter G. When this is clicked hotspots appear on the text. These spots can be clicked on to get more information about the work or phrase. Many of the "definitions" also include images to help clarify terms. Each glossary page also shows the complete alphabet. When a letter is clicked, the user may scroll through pages of terms beginning with the letter. Print text is another option for each essay.
I enjoyed the Image Index, which provided more information about
this dynasty grouped by terms, such as tomb figures, warriors,
weaponry, and architecture. Once a term is selected a brief text
appears with hotspots that lead to detailed images that provide
added depth to the topic. These images can also be accessed by the
Thumbnail option in the table of contents. Other segments to this
product include a timeline of the Chinese Dynasties and a
chronology of the Qin Dynasty. Also included are eight maps which
show the different time periods in Chinese history, schematics of
the underground tombs, and a map of the Great Wall. This map
includes hotspots that are located on different parts of the map.
When these are clicked the user can see a short segment of that
part of the wall. [Top of Page]
Ease of Use & Audience
I used basic point and click methods to navigate beautifully
through this product. Every part ran smoothly and with hardly a
wait between segments. All features were standard to interactive
products so moving from the contents, pages, glossary, and
hotspots was a breeze. I did not feel any frustration as I moved
through the product.
Recommended for high school or college students who are studying
world history. Adults interested in history will also enjoy this
product. [Top of Page]
Installation Details
System Requirements: Macintosh with 25-MHz 68030
processor or better; System 7, 5,000K of available RAM; 13" color
monitor; CD-ROM drive (double-speed recommended).
Installation: Installation took some time, but the
instruction booklet was helplful. There are many steps to follow
to install the product, including the installation of the provided
HyperCard, QuickTime, fonts, and the "First Emperor of China"
stacks onto the hard drive. [Top of Page]
Other Reviews
Bickford, Carolyn. "History: The Best 50 CD-ROMS."
MacUser. October, 1994. Page 78.
"You can view sketches from the Qin dynasty, and you can
travel along the Great Wall of China. Also revealed are
the equally remarkable trappings of his death..."
See also: Booklist. November 1, 1994. Page 524.