RT Journal
T1 SCientific american surgery on cd-rom
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 1999
FD July 1
VO 134
IS 7
SP 781
OP 781
DO 10.1001/archsurg.134.7.781
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.134.7.781
AB 
Scientific American Surgery on CD-ROM is a dual-platform CD-ROM, compatible with both IBM PC and Macintosh computers. The installation process is straightforward and similar to most other software. The user is presented with the introductory screen containing control and navigation buttons that lead to various options, eg, topic selection, search, "what's new," or figures and tables sections. Computer knowledge is helpful, though the intuitive interface allows even the uninitiated easy access to the program's comprehensive features. For simple textbook use (text or reference retrieval), just click the "Table of Contents" button, choose your topic, and plunge in. Text, figures, or entire documents can be viewed on-screen, printed out, saved as files for later recall, or exported to other programs.To assess specific subjects or items,  Scientific American Surgery on CD-ROM provides efficient search functions, including logical and proximity operators, a "sounds like" option, wildcards, saving of search strategy or results, and "nested" searching within items retrieved by a previous search. An elaborate annotation system allows users to add personal references or notes that can be typed and placed anywhere in an open document, much like "sticky notes" or bookmarks, aiding future retrieval and review of the material.