meh, the encyclopedia is always a good source for general information.
i remember i used to flip through the World book that was here, and still is.
online, meh, it's online.
the internet provides you a wealth of information. you just have to find it first.
there are internet encyclopedia sites, of which i love britannica.com, but it's not the same as a print encyclopedia =P
anyway, i will get me a copy of britannica DVD one day. just because i want to.