/ Source: msnbc.com news services
Microsoft says it is shutting down its online encyclopedia, Encarta, in October and will stop selling Encarta software by June.
"People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past," the Redmond, Wash.-based company said in a statement on its Web site.
Microsoft, which cut 5,000 jobs earlier this year to and warned profit and revenue would fall over the next two quarters, said it would stop selling Encarta software products by June.
Encarta Web sites worldwide, except Encarta Japan, would be discontinued Oct. 31 and Encarta Japan will cease after Dec. 31, the company said.
The company said customers with subscriptions to its premium Encarta service will get a refund for fees paid beyond April 30.
