[NTLUG:Discuss] Any online dictionary?

[Jay F. Cox]

Ali Naddaf wrote:
> 
> Hi everyone.
> Does anyone know of any command-line or GUI interface to any online
> dictionary such as Webster or Oxford? I prefer to use a simple interface
> rather than a web browser.
> 
> Many thanks, Ali.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss

I know of one gui for linux to use a dictionary without even connecting
to the internet (I.E. own database) but it costs ~ $50. and I think the
database might be encrypted.  (That wouldnt matter if they also had a
comand line interface like I want, but anyway)  Unfortunately I cannot
find its url at the moment.

I use the Dictionary.pm module
(http://www.foad.org/~abigail/Perl/Dictionary.pm) in a perl script of
mine to do the same thing (mine does more bookkeeping, such as saving
the results).

If you dont want to put it in your perl directory,  insert a 

use lib '/directory/where/you/installed/the/module'; 
before the   use Dictionary

perldoc ./Dictionary.pm
------------------------------------------------
NAME
       Dictionary - Ties a scalar to fetch meanings over the
      Internet.

SYNOPSIS
           use Dictionary;

           tie my $word, 'Dictionary';
           $word = "perl";
           print $word;


DESCRIPTION
       This package allows you to bind scalars. Assigning a word
       to the scalar fetches the meaning from the online Webster
       dictionary in San Diego.  Reading the value gives the
       meaning, in formatted text.

       If no meaning could be found, the value of the scalar will
       be ''.

       The value of the scalar will be set to undef if an error
       occurs.

HISTORY
           $Date: 1998/02/20 06:37:58 $

           $Log: Dictionary.pm,v $
           Revision 1.1  1998/02/20 06:37:58  abigail
           Initial revision


AUTHOR
       This package was written by Abigail.

BUGS
            No attempt is made to verify the value assigned to
            the scalar is a reasonable word. Nor are non
            alphanumericals encoded as enitities.

            If an error occurs, the reason why is hidden from the
            user.

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright 1998 by Abigail.

       You may use, distribute and modify this package under the
       same terms as Perl.

--

Jay Cox
--
One thought driven home is better than three left on base.