If you came of age in the 1980s or early 1990s, your internet was called the encyclopedia. You probably haven’t touched one in decades, and apparently neither has anyone else because they pretty much no longer exist in their old form. Encyclopedia Britannica drove a long-overdue stake into the heart of the outmoded medium by announcing it won’t print a 2012 edition, making the 2010 version of its biennial set its last.

CNNMoney reports the company will focus on its digital editions, as well as other educational efforts. Killing off the print editions is a mere formality, because they accounted for less than 1 percent of the company’s sales.

With Wikipedia — not to mention just about every notable history website in the world — offering its wares for free, Britannica faces a struggle to convince people it’s got a digital product worth paying for.

Britannica stops presses and goes digital [CNNMoney]

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