I just learned that Encarta is set to cease to continue in the near future. From their website

Encarta has been a popular product around the world for many years. However, the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past. As part of Microsoft’s goal to deliver the most effective and engaging resources for today’s consumer, it has made the decision to exit the Encarta business.

Although, I haven’t used Encarta in over a decade, this still really saddens me. Encarta was one of the first programs I used on a computer where I really felt that something special was going on. Being able to fit all those encyclopedias onto a disc was beyond my comprehension at the time. I also remember the multimedia features it provided. I would listen to the clip of David Bowie’s Changes over and over again. It was probably only 30 seconds long, but it was all I had at the time.

So while I completely understand the business rationale, I can’t say I am not just a little saddened by the loss of what was such a part of my computer infancy.

No related posts.