No - not an April Fool's joke. Microsoft is closing the online encyclopedia Encarta (product and web site) by the end of 2009.
For a time, a year or two ago, Microsoft had promoted Encarta through Live Search - could get partial entries - but that disappeared in one of the remakes. It is still in MSN - http://encarta.msn.com/ - although not easy to find from the home page.
The Microsoft statement is in Important Notice: MSN Encarta to be Discontinued. Here it explains reasons.
"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."
That doesn't say specifically that Wikipedia is the reason but it seems clear that the changes on the Web have made Encarta less likely to attract paid subscribers.
Microsoft shuts Encarta, Wikipedia gives up on Wikia Search by Chris Keall, The National Business Review (Apr 1)
Posted by Gwen at April 1, 2009 11:21 AM