[WikiEN-l] Microsoft kills Encarta

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

David Gerard wrote:
> [spotted by Mathias Schindler]
>
>
> http://encarta.msn.com/guide_page_FAQ/FAQ.html
>
> Important Notice: MSN Encarta to be Discontinued
> 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.
>
>
> - d.
>   

I think this casts a new interesting perspective on
the decision by Microsoft to buy out powerset.com.

I will be watching with interest, how they will develop
that product, and whether they intend to incorporate
it more extensively into their other product offerings.

I have to admit I was skeptical initially when I heard
powerset.com would be "gobbled up". But should it
turn out that Microsoft were to really seriously put
effort into powerset.com, any relief Encyclopaedia
Britannica may have gained from the reduction of
competition for number two spot, may prove a little
short lived. That is unless of course Microsoft/Powerset
make some kind of deal with EB that they can use
powersets semantic search engine on also EB
product.

Of course it is possible that MS have made the
judgment that the whole sector is not good for
them, but actually I would prefer to be hopeful
that this means they would give more impetus
to powerset now. I personally think powerset is
currently the best interface for wikipedia, bar
none.

On the gripping hand, if developing powerset is
not on the cards for Microsoft, perhaps now that
they have decided to not hold onto encarta, they
might be persuadable to sell powerset off, since
holding on to it is not fending off a competitor to
encarta. The question of course then would be,
who would be willing to buy powerset off their
hands?


Yours,

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen