Microsoft Launches Encarta Online Deluxe Reference Resource With Free Fall Preview

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 8, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced a major redesign of its Encarta® Online reference Web site along with a free preview of the newly launched Microsoft® Encarta Online Deluxe multimedia encyclopedia. The company is waiving the Deluxe subscription service price ($49.95 per year*) until Nov. 20, 1998, to give students, teachers and families a sneak preview of Encarta Online’s vast repository of information and resources.

Located at http://encarta.MSN.com/ , Encarta Online integrates free*, high-quality reference information, tools, features and activities with the benefit of timely delivery. The site goes beyond collecting a variety of resources into one location by tying information together into a well-crafted learning resource.

“Families want access to the most efficient information tools available on the Web so they can put that information to work instead of spending time looking for it,” said Craig Bartholomew, general manager of the learning business unit at Microsoft. “By giving them the chance to see that Encarta Online Deluxe is instrumental in finding relevant useful information, we are convinced it will become the reference resource they turn to on the Web.”

Encarta Online Deluxe Premium Content

Optimized for online delivery, this authoritative encyclopedia includes more than 40,000 articles, 9,300 photos and illustrations, 13,500 Web links and numerous audio and video clips – an amazing combination of text and multimedia elements designed to bring learning to life.

The articles’ content pages, which serve as a topical home page that contain cross-references to supplemental information within the encyclopedia, make exploring quick and easy. But users may want to expand their search to the entire Web. Encarta Online Deluxe provides more than 13,500 links to high-quality sites selected by a team of editors. These Web links eliminate tedious Internet searches that produce thousands of useless matches, giving families quick access to the information they need.

“Encarta Online is a safe and comprehensive starting point on the Internet for any classroom research project, or just for browsing,” said Merle Marsh, head of the Lower School at Worcester Country School, Berlin, Md. “I’m confident that, with the up-to-date information and extensive list of editorially selected Web links on Encarta Online, students can surf the Internet and find appropriate Web sites offering the information they need.”

Encarta Online Free* Content Now Better Than Ever

Microsoft also has added new and updated features to its existing free* online Web site, Encarta Online:

  • Microsoft Encarta Concise Encyclopedia, an abridged version of the CD encyclopedia, providing access to more than 16,000 articles, 1,900 photos, illustrations, charts, tables and maps, and 13,500 Web links. Improvements include new searching capabilities and a newly designed interface.

  • Encarta Schoolhouse, which includes more than 500 professionally developed lesson plans and educational resources from Microsoft and others

  • Visit a Place, which encourages students to explore cities, regions and countries

  • Did You Know, an entertaining area that includes the Quote of the Day, Event of the Day and Stat of the Week

  • Site Tools, Latest Updates, interactive areas

The Microsoft learning business unit designs a line of award-winning multimedia reference products. The Encarta line of software tools combines comprehensive, current and authoritative content with state-of-the-art technology to encourage discovery and lifelong learning for students and adults. Users can rely on Encarta products to deliver tomorrow’s way to learn and explore. The complete Encarta line includes Encarta Encyclopedia, Encarta Virtual Globe, the Microsoft Bookshelf® CD-ROM reference library, Encarta Online, Encarta Reference Suite and the line’s newest addition, Encarta Africana, scheduled to be available in February 1999.

Users of the MSN
™
network of Internet products and services will have easy access to Encarta Online through quick navigation from the home page on MSN and links from other online services from MSN. MSN helps people better organize the Web around what’s important to them. The network of services from MSN, located on the Web at MSN.com ( http://MSN.com/ ), helps people easily stay in touch with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning services for communications, news and information, and Web searching as well as popular destinations for travel, investing, automotive services, shopping, learning and more.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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* Connect-time charges may apply.

Microsoft, Encarta, Bookshelf and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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