Editing Office Assistant (section)

==History==
According to [[Alan Cooper (software designer)|Alan Cooper]], the "Father of [[Visual Basic (classic)|Visual Basic]]", the concept of Clippit was based on a "tragic misunderstanding" of research conducted at [[Stanford University]], showing that the same part of the [[brain]] in use while using a [[computer mouse|mouse]] or [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] was also responsible for emotional reactions while interacting with other [[human|human being]]s and thus is the reason people yell at their [[computer monitor]]s.<ref name="AlanCooper">{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/g4tv.com-video4080 |title=g4tv.com-video4080: Why People Yell at Their Computer Monitors and Hate Microsoft's Clippy |last=G4TV. com |access-date=4 June 2016 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> [[Microsoft]] concluded that if humans reacted to computers the same way they react to other humans, it would be beneficial to include a human-like face in their software.<ref name="AlanCooper" /> As people already related to computers directly as they do with humans, the added human-like face emerged as an annoying interloper distracting the user from the primary conversation.<ref name="AlanCooper" />

First introduced in [[Microsoft Office 97]],<ref name="97rtm">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/1996/11/19/microsoft-office-97-released-to-manufacturing/ |title=Microsoft Office 97 Released to Manufacturing |date=November 19, 1996 |website=Stories |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=November 22, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401070127/https://news.microsoft.com/1996/11/19/microsoft-office-97-released-to-manufacturing/ |archive-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> the Office Assistant was code-named TFC during development, with the "C" standing for "clown."<ref name="autogenerated2005">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/techtalk/archive/2005/12/16/504872.aspx |title=PM at Microsoft |last=Sinofsky |first=Steven |author-link=Steven Sinofsky |date=December 16, 2005 |website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=May 2, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214194638/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/techtalk/2005/12/16/pm-at-microsoft/|archive-date=February 14, 2019}}</ref> It appeared when the program determined the user could be assisted by using Office wizards, searching help, or advising users on using Office features more effectively. It also presented tips and keyboard shortcuts. For example, typing an address followed by "Dear" would cause the Assistant to appear with the message, "It looks like you're writing a [[letter (message)|letter]]. Would you like help?"

Microsoft turned off the feature by default in [[Microsoft Office XP|Office XP]],<ref name=":4">{{cite web |last=Luening |first=Erich |date=2009-10-27 |title=Microsoft tool "Clippy" gets pink slip |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-tool-clippy-gets-pink-slip/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125147/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-255671.html |archive-date=2012-10-24 |access-date=2010-09-05 |publisher=News.cnet.com}}</ref> and as a result they focused most of their marketing on that change.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft tool "Clippy" gets pink slip |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/microsoft-tool-clippy-gets-pink-slip/ |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=2024-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203212418/https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/microsoft-tool-clippy-gets-pink-slip/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

They created the now-defunct website ''officeclippy.com'' and hosted three [[Adobe Flash|flash]] cartoons starring a newly unemployed Clippit (now officially being referred to as Clippy,) a song sung by Clippit, and a flash [[video game]] called Office XP (Xtract Paperclip) where the player would use office supplies to slay an army of Clippits.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |date=2001-08-06 |title=Clippy downloads |url=http://www.microsoft.com/office/clippy/downloads.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031010223455/http://www.microsoft.com/office/clippy/downloads.asp |archive-date=October 10, 2003 |access-date=2011-12-22 |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> On May 31, 2001, during the Office XP launch event in New York City, a man in a Clippit mascot costume interrupts the introduction and gives a speech begging for his job back before being dragged off stage by a comically large magnet.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1-fLQKmkk |title=Clippy at the Office XP Launch 5/31/2001 |date=2022-02-10 |last=Hardcore Software |access-date=2024-12-01 |via=YouTube |archive-date=2024-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805173915/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1-fLQKmkk |url-status=live }}</ref> Notably, Clippit is voiced by [[Gilbert Gottfried]] during this ad campaign. Later that November, Microsoft published the video game Bicycle Card Games for Windows computers, featuring Clippit as a playable character, with Gilbert Gottfried reprising his role.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-08-01 |title=Bicycle Games: Card Games |url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/bicycle/card/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030801073002/http://www.microsoft.com/games/bicycle/card/ |archive-date=2003-08-01 |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Bicycle Games: Card Games}}</ref>

On May 11, 2004, Microsoft released [[Microsoft Office 2003]], which was the last version of Microsoft office to feature the Office Assistant.