Subject: 'austraLasia' 364

While we're still testing the system, here's a little distraction to take your mind off the more traumatic events around the region. And - can you send me any email addresses of Religious from around the region that I can begin adding to the list. Will possibly get the whole thing rolling by end of NEXT week. It will depend, of course, on receipt of newsy little items from around the region. Over to you.

Julian Fox sdb

NOW THERE'S A GOOD IDEA!

Julian Fox

SUVA: 25th June -- You've heard of text? Pretext? Subtext? Hypertext....? There is a very rich little resource available at www.intratext.com which you will like to check out. Called 'intratext' it is really based on hypertext versions of Religious materials largely, but not entirely, and not just in English. You speak a language? Then test it. You might even get something in Swahili or Finnish if you are lucky. Bible, Code of Canon Law (bit dry I realise), concordances, statistics....all there.

Now for those who live in places like I do where the books actually rot as you look at them, the increasing availability of textual material either on the 'net' or CD is a wonderful bonus. Just recently I got hold of a copy of a CD, going for the price of a Computer magazine which floated in this way before the Trade Bans began with a vengeance. The CD contained a copy of the Library of the Future. What a treasure this is. It's now on several of our computers here. Some 3,500 literary works in English are contained on this CD, a sort of you-name-it-it's-there collection. I tested it out on things like Wind in the Willows. Wuthering Heights, Paradise Lost, Kidnapped (rather topical over here) and it came up trumps every time. The entire text, mind you, no half measures. You can even set the thing to self-scroll for you, but of course most of us don't like reading novels on the net - not yet. Its real value is that you can set a hypertext search on a word - looking for 'love' in Kidnapped? You'll find it - once, maybe. Better off trying the entire works of WS ... you'll find those too.

Probably not the sort of thing you can curl up in bed with, but a real humdinger just the same. Now I can't lend you my copy but here's two ways of getting hold of it. Either the May 2000 issue of (Australian) PC User...not much help to non-aussies, sorry, but wait....or, call ADM Distribution Pty Ltd on (61) (3) 9877 7922 (if in Oz 1800 060 825). They might give you a CD cheaply or suggest you by the next edition up (4th) for $50. It's still saving you several thousand for the library! Tell them you saw it in PC User if your conscience will allow, and they just might give you a discount!

Enjoy.