The Web is an excellent source of information, but you can't always count on the accuracy of what you turn up. The 2001 Grolier Multi-media Encyclopedia gives you well-researched information on two CD-ROMs, which contain more than 60,000 articles, as well as illustrations, panoramic images, video, and sound.

It's easy to search for specific information, and you can navigate by subject. The Research Center contains sample topics and suggests ways to focus your inquiry. Also, the articles are linked to further information on the Web.

But it does run very slowly on pre-USB-generation Macs. And parts of the interface have an unattractive, Windows-type look.