All good things must come to an end. And in the cut-throat world of technology, that often happens sooner rather than later. So would you miss Microsoft Paint?
As hardware and software is relentlessly supplanted by something bigger and better, there’s been one quiet stalwart which has been a constant in the world of computing, and that’s Microsoft Paint.
Microsoft Paint
It’s a core part of Windows, which was released with the very first version of Windows 1.0 back in 1985 – incidentally the same year I was born – but while I’m still in the prime of my life at 31, Microsoft announced short-lived plans last week to kill the simple drawing software and replace with a fancy new successor, Microsoft Paint 3D.
It’s practically unheard of for an original piece of software to last this long, and Microsoft probably assumed no one would care. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth as around the world there was a global outcry, akin to finding out your parents are clearing out your childhood bedroom and disposing of the contents without so much as a by-your-leave.
The worldwide outpouring of grief has caused Microsoft to backtrack and it’s said that Microsoft Paint will now be available to download for free in the Windows Store, but it won’t come as standard in the Windows 10 package.
Retro tech
In a marketplace where loyalties are constantly shifting and attention spans are frequently waning, it’s entirely unusual to be looking backwards rather than forwards. But this isn’t the only case of tech nostalgia. After decades of insatiably consuming the next big thing, there’s recently been a revival of the tech of old.
Back in May, Nokia relaunched the beloved 3310, although it’s more of a tribute to the original mobile phone from 2000, rather than a carbon-copy of the iconic handset. And Blackberry, long thought dead thanks to the likes of Apple and Samsung, has resurfaced with a throng of new smartphones, although they stray significantly away from the old design which included a physical keyboard.
But is a return to retro tech good for advancement? And are we nostalgically clinging to old tech as a result of tiring at the breakneck speed with which tech replaces itself?
There’s no simple or clear cut answer, but I for one would like to think that there’s a space for our old tech favourites, as well as room for innovation and the evolution of new tech.
Is it time to say goodbye to Microsoft Paint, or would you miss it? What hardware or software do you miss and would like to see returned?
Fancy creating a Microsoft Paint masterpiece? Send us your MS Paint creations to conversation.comments@which.co.uk
Loading ...
