Microsoft Bookshelf
| Microsoft Bookshelf | |
|---|---|
Microsoft Bookshelf 2000 home page | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Initial release | September 8, 1987 |
| Final release | 2000
/ 1999 |
| Operating system | MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS |
| Successor | Microsoft Encarta |
| Type | Reference work, encyclopedia |
| Website | Microsoft Encarta Bookshelf at the Wayback Machine (archived June 21, 2000) |
Microsoft Bookshelf is a discontinued reference collection introduced in 1987 as part of Microsoft's promotion of CD-ROM technology as a distribution medium for electronic publishing. The original MS-DOS version showcased the storage capacity of CD-ROM technology, and was accessed while the user was using one of 13 different word processor programs that Bookshelf supported. Subsequent versions were produced for Windows and became part of the Microsoft Home brand. It was often bundled with personal computers as a cheaper alternative to the Encarta Suite. The Encarta Deluxe Suite / Reference Library versions also bundled Bookshelf.