| Every time Microsoft release a new version of Cinemania, they have an opportunity to reinvent the product. They can take advantage of improvements in compression technologies, of upgrades to their operating system, and of feedback and what-others-are-doing.
Putting out movie information on the web, and on CD must have seemed like an idea whose time has come when Cinemania first came out. Movies are a popular subject, both amongst real people and techno-dweebs. Just do a search for 'movies' on the web and look at the amount of material out there (out here?). Cinemania is one of the electronic best-known movie resources. The other major player would be Corel Corporation with their All Movie Guide. |
| Microsoft's biggest change since the first edition has been to use the world wide web to provide upgrades to it's users. Cinemania users can connect to the web and download additions to the database. This is a cost-effective way for Microsoft to keep the users interested in the products, grab 'em for more marketing, and to provide necessary fixes for any problems. Well, it is if you have a modem, which obviously you do if you read Festivale online. Microsoft (and the Paul Allen group) make it a point to find strategic partners in their endeavours. When you want to do something, you find the best people active in that field, and ally yourself with them. |
| With movie databases, such alliances are particularly important because there are new movies coming out all the time and actors and other film makers move to prominence and require biographies because there is more audience interest in them. Cinemania 97 includes the following:
These are all well-known sources of information, and the asking price for the CD is less what it would cost you to get all this in print. Of course, it doesn't look anywhere near as cool on your bookshelves, but then your books can't play film clips. Myself, I recommend film buffs pick up both Cinemania 97 and the All Movie Guide. They attack the material from slightly different angles. | |
| movie lovers' links | - Ali Kayn |
| Product name | Cinemania 97 (CD) |
| Publisher More information | Microsoft Corporation |
| Version/Release | (is this the third release?) |
| Language | English |
| Operating System | Windows 95 or MS Windows NT 3.51 or later (500K of hard-disk space for CD. Updates take up 6Mb)
Macintosh version available |
| Rec. Retail Price | $A49 |
| Release Media | CD |
| Target audience | general |
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Last updated: 30-Mar-1997 Last compiled: 31-Mar-2010
Deleted: Sep-2000