ROME, NOV. 21, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Evangelizers can now turn to a new dictionary to better understand the key elements of the new communications technology and their applications.
«Communication: The Dictionary of Sciences and Technologies» is available in a 1,300-page paper version, as well as an online version, with 4,700 Web pages and more than 10,000 links.
The book, available in Italian, will soon be published in English.
Among its authors is Father Franco Lever, dean of the School of Social Sciences of the Salesian University in Rome. He said the work is part of the Salesian plan to encourage reflection and action in the area of social communication.
«Our dictionary is a genuine database, where information may be obtained from 1,400 voices,» Father Lever told ZENIT. «There are both theoretical issues — for example, communication — and technical explanations — for example, MPEG.»
«The e-book format is not separate from the book; it is a gift we make to someone who buys the volume,» he said.
«In reality, we have come to the conclusion that we should have changed our slogan; that is, the book should have been the gift, and not the e-book,» the priest said. «In fact, we are convinced that the digital version is very interesting and innovative.»
«The e-book format has 10,000 hyper-textual links, which can be moved from one point to another by clicking on the blue-highlighted hyperlinks,» he explained. «By choosing this word, one goes immediately to a voice link — or, if the latter is very lengthy, one can access an abstract.»
