Microsoft killing Encarta later this year

[PrntRhd]

Microsoft has decided to exit the encyclopedia business:
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/03/microsoft-to-kill-encarta-later-this-year.ars
The software giant says that the "category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed" and that "people today seek and consume information in considerably different ways."

I guess users found out it is easier and less expensive to use constantly refreshed online references (such as Wikipedia) vs buying software applications on disk.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

I threw out two entire sets of encyclopedias shortly after getting my first PC. I found it quicker, easier, more accurate, more recent and in more depth than having to research as many as a half dozen different encyclopedias at home/school/library. The old version of Encarta that I had, never got installed. After exploring it, I realized it was already outdated.

Seems at home, large bookshelves have been replaced by CD storage cases and racks, but even those are not necessary these days as the info is right at the fingertip of your query...

Heaven, please forbid the end of internet! ;)

[Paul Komski]

I guess users found out it is easier and less expensive to use constantly refreshed online references (such as Wikipedia) vs buying software applications on disk.Especially with the increasing growth of broadband I'm sure that's true. Heck, I often find that except for obscure bookmarks, its quicker to do a Google than to look through my own bookmarks.

[azzey]

Yeah, I often try to retrace my footsteps to find a link, rather than find it in the bookmarks. Have to remember the exact Google query though, which can be challenging after a while.