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TMO Quick Tip - Leopard: Dictionary's Wikipedia Search

by , 7:30 AM EST, December 10th, 2007

Apple's Dictionary application is a handy resource, and a tool that I use on a regular basis. You can use it to check definitions and spelling on the fly, use it as a thesaurus, and in Leopard it can even search Wikipedia for you.

If you aren't familiar with Wikipedia, it's an online encyclopedia that's updated and maintained by the community that uses it. It's a great Web-based tool that's loaded to the gills with information on almost any topic you can imagine.

Accessing Wikipedia from Dictionary is easy. Here's what to do:

  • Launch Dictionary. It's hiding in your Applications directory.
  • Select Wikipedia from the source bar.
  • Enter a subject in the search field, and then press Return.


Dictionary can search Wikipedia.

Dictionary will dutifully track down and display the Wikipedia entry for your topic of choice, complete with active cross reference links and graphics. Cross references display in Dictionary when clicked, but clicking a graphic opens the full-size version in your default Web browser.

Dictionary isn't a replacement for a full-on Web browser, but it makes for a great research tool without the overhead -- and extra features -- that go along with a regular browser like Safari or OmniWeb.


Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

if you have tips or tricks to share, or Mac-related questions you want answered.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Ruth Pearce Posts: 1 Joined: 10 Dec 2007
Subject: Association with Wikipedia is bad PR guys

Unfortunately, what seems like a helpful product has associated itself with what is certainly not a positive product. That is Wikipedia. A collapsing, unreliable and increasingly corrupt forum, whose reputation dips lower by the week.

Its a bit like saying your product is endorsed by the Bush administration. Bad PR guys. Sorry.

Close Name:brett_x Posts: 307 Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Subject: Welcome to the new reality

Quote
Ruth Pearce wrote:
Unfortunately, what seems like a helpful product has associated itself with what is certainly not a positive product. That is Wikipedia. A collapsing, unreliable and increasingly corrupt forum, whose reputation dips lower by the week.

Its a bit like saying your product is endorsed by the Bush administration. Bad PR guys. Sorry.


Ruth- I think you're struggling with the fact that everything that is printed is not necessarily true. In the "olden days", you used to be able to rely on the printed word. But the new reality is that you should question everything... especially if it is on the internet. The people that want to look something up on Wikipedia should know that and take it with a grain of salt. Keep in mind, kids these days are well aware of the 'truthiness' or lack-thereof of sites like Wikipedia. They won't grow up believing "It must be true if I read it." [Opinion] This generation will grow to be skeptical, rather than accept what they read. This is good. They will not be so easily led as past generations have. [/Opinion]
There is a wealth of [true] information there that would otherwise never have made it to the web in any useable/searchable way. As humans, we are becoming increasingly specialized in the knowledge we acquire. The basis of Wikipedia is to reach out to specialists in every aspect of the world we live in and capture some of that knowledge. It is a good resource to use in conjunction with other sources... which is why It's nice to see it related to the dictionary search.

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