From: technews <technews@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu'" <it-fyi@lists.ou.edu>
Subject: it-fyi: Britannica Offers All Its Articles Free On Line (Chron of
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 10:18:59 -0500
Encyclopaedia Britannica Offers All Its Articles Free On Line
By DAN CARNEVALE
With unreliable information building up in every nook and cranny of the
Internet, the Encyclopaedia Britannica is trying to become the one source
everyone turns to for trustworthy information. So starting today, the
articles from the 32-volume work were slated to be available free at
Britannica.com.
"We want to open up the gates as wide as possible," said Kent Devereaux,
senior vice-president of product development and editorial for
Britannica.com. "Our goal is really to be the most-trusted source of
knowledge and learning."
The company already has a subscription-based Web site that costs $50 a year
for an individual account, a CD-ROM that costs $79, and the 32-volume set,
which sells for $1,200. Mr. Devereaux said all these will be maintained
while the company branches out to the consumer market with the free site,
which is expected to be supported by advertisements, sponsorships, and
e-commerce. (The subscription site will serve both individual users who
don't want to see ads and university clients who incorporate the
encyclopedia into customized information services.)
The new site will also link to magazine articles, Web sites, and even books
to buy on any subject that a user seeks information about -- a step taken to
make the encyclopedia more consumer-oriented, Mr. Devereaux said.
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Copyright 1999 by The Chronicle of Higher Education