O.E.D. Meets Cyberspace

This week's New York Times Sunday Magazine carries an interesting article titled Cyber-Neologoliferation, on how the staid Oxford English Dictionary has been impacted by the Internet. Apparently the 3rd edition of the O.E.D. is being developed online. Revised installments began to appear in 2000-- after 150 typists spent 18 months keyboarding in the 2nd edition so revisions could begin. The print version of the 2nd edition-- in 20 volumes-- contained 21,730 pages and weighed 138 pounds. It is unclear whether the 3rd edition will ever be produced in paper format.