Microsoft Encarta Online

That was (1993–2009).

Before Wikipedia, before the smartphone in your pocket, there was a CD-ROM. And on that disc lived a virtual encyclopedia with a bouncing 3D logo and a soundtrack that sounded like elevator music for a spaceship. microsoft encarta

Was Encarta always right? No. Was it biased toward a Western viewpoint? Absolutely. But for a kid without high-speed internet, that CD-ROM was a portal. It made research feel like exploration, not a chore. That was (1993–2009)