Microsoft should bring its Encarta Encyclopedia back online at least, users agree

Remember the Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft’s personal multimedia Wikipedia, published from 1993 to 2009, annually?

The encyclopedia used visual, audio, and text-based content to provide Windows users with an array of information on a variety of subjects, ranging from politics to arts, culture, history, science, and so on.

From 1993 to 2009, Microsoft Encarta ran in different formats: from CD/DVDs to the online format until one day, in March 2009, when the Redmond-based tech giant decided it should be discontinued. It even had a dedicated site (however, accessing it doesn’t seem to work).

By that time, Wikipedia (the real one) says the encyclopedia had more than 62,000 articles, including photos and illustrations, music clips, videos, interactive content, timelines, maps, atlases, and homework tools.

There were ways to download the encyclopedia in its entirety, but for unknown reasons, Microsoft has closed all the official ways to get it.

Well, the Redmond-based tech giant might want to reconsider it, as it seems there is increasing interest from Windows users and Microsoft enthusiasts to experience it again. On this Reddit post, which became quite popular in a span of a few hours, there are signs, that people would want to access the encyclopedia once again.

We actually need to bring this back.

Reddit user

Even though some of its information might be outdated to today’s standards, the Redmond-based tech giant brings its Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia back online, as a website platform that uses contemporary technology to preserve its UI mechanisms.

As most devices don’t use CD/DVSs anymore, and the Internet speed is much better nowadays, this could easily be accomplished, while also catering to those who feel nostalgic about the product. And there are not a few.

Encarta was very good. I remember it had a collection of samples of music around the world that you could play, I remember I liked Trinidad and Tobago music.

Reddit user

I remember there was a time in school where they preached that encyclopedias were on the way out and in the future everyone would use Microsoft Encarta for all of their research.

Reddit user

As a long-time fan of encyclopedias myself, and a self-described Wikipedia nerd, the online version of the Microsoft Encarta would give newer generations a chance to experience a Wikipedia-styled encyclopedia back when the Internet wasn’t readily available to everyone.

Not to mention, the access to the information of those times.

Should we start a petition to ask Microsoft to bring its Encarta encyclopedia back?