Today we are going to choose a better dictionary in ubuntu 10.04.You know there is an online dictionary installed by default in ubuntu 10.04(Lucid Lynx) but it may not satisfy the users conditions.The features of the Dictionary(Applications->Office->Dictionary) is very limited with a simple interface.Hence it is not a bad idea to installed a new one from the software center or synaptic manager.But here is the problem because there are lot dictionary available but it is difficult to find out which are better for their need.
So you should have to try each dictionary once that seems frustrating.Don’t worry I have a simple solution because I have tried out some of that.I found a dictionary named “Fantasdic” that I installed from the software center is the most powerful,easy to use and of course a stable one.Fantasdic is a dictionary application developed under the GNOME project.
Fantasdic Features at a glance
*Dictionary server : It looks up for a word in many online dectionary servers like dict.org or others.
*Google translate : It translate words with the help of google translate directly from fandastic.
*edict file : it can use any dictionary servers that available in the format like edict or cedict.
*Scan clipboard feature : with this feature enabled you can look up in the dictionary without copying or writing word in it.Just enable the scan clipboard mode and go the web page or e-book and copy it,the fandastic will look up those words.Hence it is very usefull when you have to search the meaning for many words continuously from a e-book or website.
For more details about the details or if you want to take part in this-project-development; you may visit :http://projects.gnome.org/fantasdic/
GoldenDict also looks a bit better because it can read Babylon dictionaries too. Both Fandastic and GoldenDict look much better than Stardict IMO.