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Another Part of Microsoft Dies: Encarta

Another day, another dead Microsoft product/service

Literature



Summary: MSN Encarta is axed by Microsoft

SOME WHILE ago it was adCenter Analytics and this time it's MSN Encarta which goes right into the Microsoft Graveyard. As a debt-saddled [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] company-to-be (or not to be), they simply have no choice. From Microsoft's own mouth:

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. We understand that Encarta users may have questions regarding this announcement so we have prepared this list of questions and answers below. Please keep reading if you would like more information about these changes to Encarta.


Joe credits the destruction of this biased 'encyclopedia' to the rise of the GFDL-compatible Wikipedia, thus symbolising the triumph of Freedom of knowledge.

The decision to cut Encarta also comes as Microsoft looks to cut costs. The company has discontinued several products this year, including its Train Simulator game. The news was first reported by Ars Technica.


Britannica is already trying to imitate the Wikipedia model; they too realise that their business model is becoming obsolete, so they could become the next victim.

The revolution won't be televised. It will be covered by the people... in Wikipedia. Freedom did have clear competitors in the past.

"It’s a good thing we have museums to document that."

--Bill Gates

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