Earlier today, some of the Editors here at Gear Diary were having a conversation about the website Wikipedia, which has grown into something of a communal encyclopedia.  Our conversation involved the strengths and weaknesses of the concept behind a site like that, and whether the information was as accurate or as reliable as an old fashioned encyclopedia.

Some of our less young readers may recall that Wikipedia was actually not the first electronic replacement for the hard bound encyclopedias of yesteryear.  In fact, years ago, Microsoft released MS Encarta, which was an electronic, interactive encyclopedia, which originally ran from CDs (later DVDs on your computer).  That program later evolved into a website, which even I had long since abandoned.

Today’s discussion brought my thoughts back to Encarta, and whatever had happened to that digital encyclopedia.  So, I headed over to the website, ready to prove that there was a more reliable alternative to Wikipedia.  Much to my chagrin, I found the following message on the site:

On October 31, 2009, this Web site, and all other 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.

Wow!  Now that was a blow.  Fortunately, you can learn more about Encarta…at the Wikipedia entry for Encarta.