MSN Encarta bites the dust

MSN Encarta, the CD/shrinkwrapped/online encyclopedia that Microsoft bought from Funk & Wagnalls in 1993, is about to kick the bit bucket.

The official announcement states:

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.

I’ve wondered for many years how Microsoft could keep Encarta afloat, with so much more information available, free, to anyone who learned how to use Google or dabbled with Wikipedia.

The other for-pay online encyclopedias must be counting the days. It’s sad in many ways, but inevitable – and good for the consumer.

Suckers, er, customers who actually paid for Encarta will get a pro-rated refund applied directly to their credit cards. That part probably cost Microsoft $100.