Microsoft to kill Encarta later this year

[Slimy]

When I first saw this, I had to do a double take. I made sure it wasn't April 1 at least three times before I conceded. While looking around Encarta's homepage today, I stumbled on a message that Microsoft was getting rid of MSN Encarta completely: "On October 31, 2009, MSN Encarta Web sites worldwide will be discontinued, with the exception of Encarta Japan, which will be discontinued on December 31, 2009. Additionally, Microsoft will cease to sell Microsoft Student and Encarta Premium software products worldwide by June 2009." Looks like employees at Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Britannica will be throwing parties tonight.

Full Story: Microsoft to kill Encarta later this year - Ars Technica

 

[Barman58]

Thanks Emil,

I suppose with the way things were going that the withdrawal of the software was to be expected, but I am surprised that the site is going too

 

[swarfega]

Its not really surprising. I could see the need for Encarta when it first came out on cds. Not many people had internet back then let alone fast broadband.

But there is always Wikipedia!

 

[Deathsink]

Wikipedia for the win!

 

[napilopez]

R.I.P. Encarta. Your time has come and passed.

Speaking of encarta, this reminds me of something funny I once read in encarta 97 or some other year in the 90s. The article was about CPU clock speed, and it was like, by the year 2010, it is expected CPUs will break the 1Ghz mark. I read this like 2004 or something, and I was like, LOL! We already had like over 3Ghz! XD