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AcronymGenie |
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Copyright © 2003 Anita Karlson Henssler
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More software reviews |
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What does it do?
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AcronymGenie is a searchable database of acronyms, abbreviations and initialisms. It covers a wide range of computer related topics - from email, to hacking, to chat, to animation and graphics. But it also contains abbreviations from other sectors like government, mathematics and biotechnology. Not all topics are covered equally well and to the same extent. The main emphasis though is on the computer industry. The latest version has over 17,000 entries.
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How does it work?
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The program provides several search possibilities - from normal searches, to reverse lookup, to anagrammatic searches. Use of wildcards is allowed with a few restrictions. Free use of the asterix (*) is for instance not allowed.
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The main screen consists of a search field and a window alphabetically displaying abbreviations and corresponding expansions. As you type in the first few letters of the acronym or abbreviation you are looking for, the list of acronyms narrows down until you have a match.
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The Reverse Lookup function lets you search for words or text strings. This is very helpful when you don't know the acronym. You can for instance search for all acronyms containing, and probably having to do with, "programming", "memory" etc.
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The Anagrammatic Search capability helps you when you don't remember the exact sequence of the letters in an acronym. By typing a few letters, the program searches the database for matching entries, after having reshuffled the letters.
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You will also find a small list of predefined search texts to help you find related acronyms.
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It also has an integrated smiley dictionary, which can easily be accessed from a smiling icon. This dictionary consists of basic smileys, common smileys and less common smileys, all with good explanations.
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The program provides a very useful Help section. Here you'll find a small glossary explaining what an acronym, an abbreviation, initialism, an expansion and a recursive acronym is. A list of the available keyboard shortcuts also comes in handy. A short and concise description of how to use the database and its multiple search functions is also provided.
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What it isn't!
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The database is not a dictionary or encyclopedia. Finding an acronym in the database is no guarantee that this acronym is a standard term in its field. The acronyms and abbreviations have been gathered from many different sources. Some abbreviations have several expansions and some are company specific (indicated by the company name at the end of the definition).
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The database also includes acronyms containing profanity - these expressions have become an integrated part of the Internet slang and participate in completing the database. The questionable words have been censored by inserting asterisks (*) masking some of the letters.
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Is it easy to use?
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The program has an easy interface and is very simple to use. The installation process creates two shortcuts to the program - one in the start menu and one on the desktop. The program takes very little of the system resources so you can let it run in the background. When opened it is easy accessible threw an icon in the system tray.
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The Facts
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Operating systems: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000
Requires: VB6 Runtime Files
Version: 4.0
License: Freeware
File size: 487 KB
Web page: http://acronymgenie.tripod.com/
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