http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/181656_msftnotebook12.html [...] "The Web itself is another source of competition. With free online information sources becoming more pervasive and comprehensive, Encarta could face an increasingly tougher task in appealing to consumers. One competitor is Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia with articles and information compiled by volunteer contributors. "Clearly it's difficult to sell something in a shrink-wrapped box if something far superior is available for free on the Web," said Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, predicting that it will become "harder and harder" for Encarta to find an audience. But Alt and others at Microsoft point out that free online sites don't offer the same consistency and reliability, and attention to user's needs, as Encarta does. At the same time, Encarta provides a safer environment than the Web does for student research."