Written by rouge568 the 29 Feb 08 at 01:03.

* Keep a copy of the dictionary database on the computer, so that you can access it offline. As of right now, I can't look up a word if I'm out on the lawn typing. It could be updated when the computer has an internet connection. This would be done manually, since I don't want it updating the dictionary every time I connect to the internet. On the first run of the dictionary, it would offer to download a local copy of the database, and then you could update it at your whim (definitions don't change that much).
* Show results as you type. For example, if I typed "tre" in, I would get everything from 'treacherous' to 'trey' displayed in a list from which I could select the word I wanted. This would update as I continued typing.
* Have automatic hyperlinking from all the words in the definitions. If I look up "oxygen", and I don't know what a 'silicate' is, I should be able to double-click on that word and be taken to its definition (back and forward buttons would be useful here)
* Show the thesaurus by default.
* Have a more standard dictionary database. I'm not sure about licensing, but if we could access reference.com 's database, that would be great. Also, let the user select the databases they want to use.
* Tie in all other dictionaries (OpenOffice, Firefox) to one central database for spellchecking. Spellcheck should be a global feature, with every program using one database which would be editable through a GUI or the program you are using.
* Make an overall prettier GUI, but clean and simple. All I want is a search bar, a definition area, and maybe a menu or two where I can customize the above ideas.

* Keep a copy of the dictionary database on the computer, so that you can access it offline. As of right now, I can't look up a word if I'm out on the lawn typing. It could be updated when the computer has an internet connection. This would be done manually, since I don't want it updating the dictionary every time I connect to the internet. On the first run of the dictionary, it would offer to download a local copy of the database, and then you could update it at your whim (definitions don't change that much). * Show results as you type. For example, if I typed "tre" in, I would get everything from 'treacherous' to 'trey' displayed in a list from which I could select the word I wanted. This would update as I continued typing. * Have automatic hyperlinking from all the words in the definitions. If I look up "oxygen", and I don't know what a 'silicate' is, I should be able to double-click on that word and be taken to its definition (back and forward buttons would be useful here) * Show the thesaurus by default. * Have a more standard dictionary database. I'm not sure about licensing, but if we could access reference.com 's database, that would be great. Also, let the user select the databases they want to use. * Tie in all other dictionaries (OpenOffice, Firefox) to one central database for spellchecking. Spellcheck should be a global feature, with every program using one database which would be editable through a GUI or the program you are using. * Make an overall prettier GUI, but clean and simple. All I want is a search bar, a definition area, and maybe a menu or two where I can customize the above ideas.

Written by manishmahabir the 8 Feb 09 at 19:14.

A conspicuous "Go Offline" button followed by a wizard enabling us to select the dictionaries or thesaurus of our choice.

currently i made my dictionary offline using following steps.

1. Install the packages dictd, dict-gcide, and dict-wn.
-- dictd is the dictionary database "server" of sorts
-- dict-gcide is a comprehensive free English dictionary
-- dict-wn is another dictionary with more up-to-date definitions, but it is not comprehensive
2. Install other dictionary packages you might want
-- Look in Synaptic at the many packages under dict- and read their descriptions. If you want to download all the dictionaries, you can just get the metapackage dict-freedict. I avoided this option because I did not want to clutter my definition screen or to wait while the program searched all these extra dictionaries I'd rarely (if ever) use.
-- dict-moby-thesaurus is available if you want a thesaurus, too.
3. Change the preferences in gnome-dictionary.
-- Applications > Dictionary opens gnome-dictionary
-- Edit > Preferences
-- change server to localhost
-- change the Database to "search all databases"
4. work in progress: Change the order in which definitions appear

A conspicuous "Go Offline" button followed by a wizard enabling us to select the dictionaries or thesaurus of our choice. currently i made my dictionary offline using following steps. 1. Install the packages dictd, dict-gcide, and dict-wn. -- dictd is the dictionary database "server" of sorts -- dict-gcide is a comprehensive free English dictionary -- dict-wn is another dictionary with more up-to-date definitions, but it is not comprehensive 2. Install other dictionary packages you might want -- Look in Synaptic at the many packages under dict- and read their descriptions. If you want to download all the dictionaries, you can just get the metapackage dict-freedict. I avoided this option because I did not want to clutter my definition screen or to wait while the program searched all these extra dictionaries I'd rarely (if ever) use. -- dict-moby-thesaurus is available if you want a thesaurus, too. 3. Change the preferences in gnome-dictionary. -- Applications > Dictionary opens gnome-dictionary -- Edit > Preferences -- change server to localhost -- change the Database to "search all databases" 4. work in progress: Change the order in which definitions appear -- The file /etc/dictd/dictd.order apparently controls the order in which definitions are searched, the order in which they appear, or maybe both. I want the up-to-date definition (from wn) to be listed first when they are available, so I changed my order to "wn gcide web1913..." It does not appear to have made any difference -- the old-fashioned definition still appears first.

Written by aadityabhatia the 11 Feb 09 at 08:33.

Make and publish a list of most-viewed words (say 1000) based on server statistics, and allow dictionary to download and cache those words in advance. Chances are that those words will be viewed more often than the rest.

Cache will allow for:
1) offline access
2) faster retrieval (local vs internet)

Make and publish a list of most-viewed words (say 1000) based on server statistics, and allow dictionary to download and cache those words in advance. Chances are that those words will be viewed more often than the rest. Cache will allow for: 1) offline access 2) faster retrieval (local vs internet)

Written by freedomman the 14 Jul 09 at 01:11.

I recently came across a nice dictionary (though it's called a thesaurus - a misnomer, certainly). It's called "Artha"; this dictionary very much matches the one found in Apple's OSX program, in functionality (I'm only mentioned this because someone wrote about it in one of the comments below).

Here are it's features:
-it's fully off-line, and functions on the Wordnet dictionary (which, I believe it's already a composite of several dictionaries)
-not only does it give full definitions, but as well it gives synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, 'similar' words (in terms of meaning)
-much like OSX's dictionary, if you click on any word in the definitions, synonym, antonym section - it gives you the definition of that word as well.

What it lacks:
-Word origins, pronunciation, etc - all that funny stuff in Oxford dictionaries before the definitions - but hey, who looks at that stuff anyways?
-A way to look up the dictionary through programs like OO, wordpad, firefox etc.

Nevertheless, this program pretty much allowed me to not have to buy a mac, as having a dictionary was essential for my writing. Hope this helps everyone.

I recently came across a nice dictionary (though it's called a thesaurus - a misnomer, certainly). It's called "Artha"; this dictionary very much matches the one found in Apple's OSX program, in functionality (I'm only mentioned this because someone wrote about it in one of the comments below). Here are it's features: -it's fully off-line, and functions on the Wordnet dictionary (which, I believe it's already a composite of several dictionaries) -not only does it give full definitions, but as well it gives synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, 'similar' words (in terms of meaning) -much like OSX's dictionary, if you click on any word in the definitions, synonym, antonym section - it gives you the definition of that word as well. What it lacks: -Word origins, pronunciation, etc - all that funny stuff in Oxford dictionaries before the definitions - but hey, who looks at that stuff anyways? -A way to look up the dictionary through programs like OO, wordpad, firefox etc. Nevertheless, this program pretty much allowed me to not have to buy a mac, as having a dictionary was essential for my writing. Hope this helps everyone.