While I confess that I’m partly motivated to blog this simply because it’s fun, there’s an interesting design thought experiment here too. Check out the online version of the 1913 edition of Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary. The play value is obvious; see how language has changed since then. (Here’s an easy one: try entering “car.”) The problem is that I found myself scratching my head trying to come up with good words to try. It invites sporatic poking around but not sustained exploration.
Ask yourself this: What kind of interface would make it easier for you to spend more productive time exploring the dictionary? What uses would you have for this resource, either for personal entertainment or for a class? What interfaces would support those uses?