Clippy, remember? Microsoft Threatens to Reintroduce It as an Emoji
Do you recognize the name Clippy? Microsoft users might find it easier to recall the clip-shaped, talking animation with googly eyes that was created in 2007 from paper clips. It seems that the company that created it is now threatening its return to our lives.
That’s right. Clippy might be making a comeback to Microsoft.
Microsoft stated that if their Twitter receives more than 20,000 Likes, the current paper clip emoji in Microsoft 365 will soon be replaced with Clippy. The tweet had already been liked more than 100,000 times as of press time.
Clippy’s Return To Microsoft: When Will It Happen?
Clippy’s return may seem like a done deal, considering that Microsoft’s Twitter has surpassed the 20,000 mark. Microsoft isn’t saying when or if it will ever happen, however.
Microsoft responded to a Tweet from Tom Warren, Senior Editor at The Verge. He said “wait and see”
You may recall that Clippy made a slight return in a music clip back in 2015.
Microsoft Threatens Clippy’s Return: How The Internet Responds
According to Microsoft’s tweet responses, Clippy is being retweeted as an emoji for Microsoft Office.
User @Manu962k stated that Clippy should replace Cortana, and should be included in Windows 11. Cortana Microsoft’s virtual personal assistant.
Even Oreo joined the fun by tweeting that the threat of Clippy’s return had “unlocked our deepest memory.”
Clippy’s public reception has been mixed, even though it was actually there. Many users disliked the fact that Clippy was almost always incorrect when they asked questions about things.
PC Gamer claims that Clippy was so hated by the Office Assistant, even Microsoft joined the hatred in 2003 with a series Office XP ads celebrating Clippy’s death. According to The Verge, Clippy was actually made into animated stickers by Microsoft employees, but this effort was quickly stopped.
Clippy’s Brief History
Clippy was actually Clippit’s full name. He was the default Office Assistant in Microsoft Office. It was often called the Microsoft Paperclip. Apart from Microsoft Office, it was also available on Windows and Mac. The Office Assistant was also available on Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Project.
Clippy was created by Kevan J. Atteberry.
Clip was the default Office Assistant. However, Clip could be changed to any other characters or shapes, such as Rocky, Rocky the dog, The Genius which was a caricature of Albert Einstein, The Office logo and a globe called Mother Nature.