Clippy is a virtual assistant that first appeared in the Windows 97 as a small paper clip to help Microsoft Office users navigate across the the system. Nonetheless, Clippy is one of the most annoying features in the Office suite of programmes that Microsoft had implemented too.
Eventually, Clippy was removed only when Office 2007 came around. Looking back, Clippy had been annoying users for almost 10 years and it is still being remembered as one of the worst design decisions by Microsoft.
On Thursday (15 July), Microsoft had tweeted that if they get 20,000 likes on their tweet, they’ll bring Clippy back into Microsoft!
Do not panic! Microsoft did mention that Clippy’s comeback this time will be as an emoji!
Are you relieved after hearing that? You may feel nostalgia because Microsoft is converting Clippy into an emoji but people are liking it and the tweet quickly got the 20,000 likes they called for.
According to The Verge, Microsoft is moving towards to animate their emojis, in addition to changing them from 2D to 3D. This redesign also includes bright and saturated colors, and with a focus on fun in the workplace.
With the 3D element, it makes emojis a lot more pop and modern comparing to what’s currently available in Windows.
In addition, Microsoft had conducted a study and found that 57% of the people believe emojis in the workplace are professional and help humanize conversations.
They expressed that emojis were often used as a tools to lighten or intensify tones, express playfulness or enhance expression.
“Body language, the surrounding environment, subtle forms of humor — the loss of those impacts our communication greatly, but with a few pixels, we can telegraph our thoughts and feelings in ways that are fun, clear, and emotionally resonant.” as reported by CNN.
It is also reported that Microsoft will roll out in the coming months, starting with the video Flipgrid in August, and other platforms, such as Teams and Windows, during the holiday season.
Are you excited to try out these new emojis? Share your thoughts!
