UPDATE: 07/25/2017
On Monday, word broke that Microsoft Paint, the 32-year-old (and highly limited) graphic editing program that’s been standard on all Windows computers since the dawn of time seemingly, would no longer be included as of the next Windows 10 update. We, and several other outlets, wrote pieces lamenting the loss and gave tearful, nostalgic eulogies. Turns out, though, that we needn’t have shed any eye water, because Microsoft has come out to say that Paint will NOT be going anywhere, except to the Windows Store for free.
Their statement:
Today, we’ve seen an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint. If there’s anything we learned, it’s that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans. It’s been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app. Amidst today’s commentary around MS Paint we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, clear up some confusion and share some good news:
MS Paint is here to stay, it will just have a new home soon, in the Windows Store where it will be available for free.
They also went on to say that Paint 3D, the newer version of the old favorite, will come standard on Windows 10 machines.
So, it’s really all okay, I suppose.
Original Eulogy Below
I remember my family getting our first Windows PC probably somewhere around 1995 and I was immediately astonished by the colors and the seemingly easy user interface. And yeah, there was like Encarta and that one game with Goofy and a mountain and other much cooler things, but I spent a great deal of my time making very stupid and bad art projects on Microsoft Paint, which began life as 1-bit monochrome licensed version of ZSoft’s PC Paintbrush. Hell, until Windows 98, it couldn’t even save as a JPEG. So, like it’s not the most robust of programs, but it’s been announced it will no longer be included following the next Windows update and I’m really sad about it.
According to The Guardian, MS Paint will have an inauspicious end once Windows 10’s Autumn update occurs. No word specifically on when the update will happen, but the limited graphics-editing software that came standard on Windows PCs for 32 years will be a thing of the past very soon. This is a sad day for people like me who’ve never used anything else to edit pictures and create logos.
I understand that there are programs like Photoshop and Pixlr and what have you that can do a lot more sophisticated things, but I’ve never really needed to do that. For working on this website, we need to make featured images that are 970×545 and other images that are at least 615 pixels wide. It’s been an easy tool and a good friend lo these past seven years. As a PC person, I’m frankly annoyed that I’m going to have to learn any other program. I’m happily a troglodyte.
But maybe I’m just going through the different stages of grief. Denial and anger are certainly easy to feel, and since I get angry at technology not working at least once a day, every day, the idea of having to learn a new thing is scary. Will it impede my ability to resize a Justice League image? Will I be unable to make artwork for a new podcast episode? Will I…well that’s really all I ever do anyway.
Microsoft currently has a 3D Paint program, but it doesn’t behave the same way as the OG Paint, but I guess I’ll have to learn it. Farewell, Pencil, Eraser, and Color Picker tools; vaya con dios, almost needless ability to fill an image with one specific color; I’ll never forget you, shakes you can add to something as though that ever looked good in the first place.
Are you going to miss Microsoft Paint? Am I the oldest living man? (I’m only 33, guys. I’m just afraid of new things.) Laugh at me in the comments below!
Images: Kyle Anderson/BBC/Warner Bros
Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist and a childless grandpa. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!
