Microsoft to close digital encyclopedia Encarta

Microsoft's digital encyclopedia, Encarta, might have pushed its printed competitors off the shelves in some homes. Now Encarta itself has fallen victim to changes in technology, made all but obsolete by the likes of Web search and Wikipedia. Microsoft said it would shut down the online version of Encarta in October and would discontinue sales of the PC software by June. The company said customers with subscriptions to its premium Encarta service, which had cost $4.95 per month or $29.95 per year, will get a refund for fees paid beyond April 30.