Editing Microsoft Agent

{{short description|Virtual software agent technology}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Microsoft Agent
| title = Microsoft Agent
| logo = 
| logo caption = 
| screenshot = Microsoft Agent test page.png
| caption = Microsoft provides examples on its website for the use of Agent.
| collapsible = 
| author = Microsoft
| developer = 
| released = {{Start date and age|1997|9|8}}<ref name="msagent-1997">{{cite web | url=https://news.microsoft.com/1997/09/08/microsoft-agent-released-to-the-web-for-free-download/ |title=Microsoft Agent Released to the Web for Free Download |publisher=Microsoft |date=1997-09-08 |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>
| discontinued = yes
| latest release version = 2.0
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|1998|10|12}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.microsoft.com/1998/10/12/microsoft-agent-2-0-adds-a-more-human-touch-to-computing/ |title=Microsoft Agent 2.0 Adds a More Human Touch to Computing |publisher=Microsoft |date=1998-10-12 |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>
| latest preview version = 
| latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->
| programming language = 
| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| platform = 
| size = 
| language = Multiple languages
| language count = <!-- DO NOT include this parameter unless you know what it does -->
| language footnote = 
| genre = 
| license = 
| website = <nowiki>https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/microsoft-agent</nowiki>
and {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20050402034116/http://www.microsoft.com/products/msagent/default.asp}}
| standard = 
| AsOf = 
}}

'''Microsoft Agent''' is a technology developed by [[Microsoft]] which employs animated characters, [[Speech synthesis|text-to-speech engine]]s, and [[speech recognition]] software to enhance interaction with computer users. It came pre-installed as part of [[Windows 2000]] and later versions of [[Microsoft Windows]] up to [[Windows Vista]]. It was not included with [[Windows 7]], and was completely discontinued in [[Windows 8]]. Microsoft Agent functionality was exposed as an [[ActiveX control]] that can be used by web pages.

The theory behind the software came from work on social interfaces by [[Clifford Nass]] and Byron Reeves at [[Stanford]]'s Center for the Study of Language and Information.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/95/950106Arc5423.html |title=Social science research influences computer product design |publisher=Stanford.edu |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313075429/https://web.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/95/950106Arc5423.html |archive-date=2018-03-13 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Version history==
Interactive character technology was first introduced in [[Microsoft Bob]], which used an early version of Microsoft Agent technology internally referred to as "Microsoft Actor". It was the code used in the initial version of the [[Office Assistant]] in [[Microsoft Office 97]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Brian |date=2016-10-31 |title=Clippy Didn't Just Annoy You — He Changed the World |url=https://nymag.com/vindicated/2016/10/clippy-didnt-just-annoy-you-he-changed-the-world.html |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |language=en}}</ref> Microsoft Agent was subsequently created by [[Tandy Trower]] in an attempt to offer technology that was more flexible and available to third-party developers to include in their applications and web pages.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-10-12 |title=Microsoft Agent 2.0 Adds a More Human Touch to Computing |url=https://news.microsoft.com/1998/10/12/microsoft-agent-2-0-adds-a-more-human-touch-to-computing/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Stories |language=en-US}}</ref> The software release also included four interactive characters as well as a utility that enables developers to assemble their own characters and interactions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=QuinnRadich |date=2019-08-23 |title=Animation Lists for the Characters Available from Microsoft - Win32 apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/animation-lists-for-the-characters-available-from-microsoft |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=QuinnRadich |date=2019-08-23 |title=Creating Characters for Microsoft Agent - Win32 apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/creating-characters-for-microsoft-agent |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref> 

Microsoft Agent replaced the original Microsoft Actor code in [[Office 2000]], although this use did not include Agent's much-touted [[speech synthesis]] or [[speech recognition|recognition]] capabilities or any of the four Microsoft Agent sample characters. Instead, the Office team created their own characters, including one named "Clippit" (commonly dubbed "Clippy"). However, Microsoft Bob Actors and Office 97 assistants are incompatible with Office 2000 and later versions, and vice versa.

The initial version of Microsoft Agent was quietly released on [[MSDN]] in 1997.<ref name="msagent-1997"/>

==Technology==
Microsoft Agent characters are stored in files of the .ACS extension or in a single .ACF file for character definitions, and multiple .ACA files (one per animation) for better [[World Wide Web]] distribution.<ref>{{Cite web |last=QuinnRadich |date=2020-08-19 |title=Load Method - Win32 apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/load-method#remarks |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref> Microsoft Office 97 and Microsoft Bob Actor characters are stored in files of the .ACT extension. Microsoft Agent character definition files are stored in files of the .ACD file extension, and are generated by the Microsoft Agent Character Editor.

The speech engine itself is driven by the Microsoft [[Microsoft Speech API|Speech API (SAPI)]], version 4 and above. Microsoft SAPI provides a control panel for easily installing and switching between various available Text to Speech and Speech to Text engines, as well as voice training and scoring systems to improve the quality and accuracy of both engines.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=QuinnRadich |date=2020-08-19 |title=Speech Input Support - Win32 apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/speech-input-support |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref>

Microsoft provided four agent characters for free, downloaded from the Microsoft Agent website. These were called Peedy, Merlin, Genie, and Robby.<ref name=":0" /> Some characters also shipped with Microsoft Office up to version 2003 as the [[Office Assistant]]s and with [[Windows XP]] as search assistants. New Microsoft Agent characters could also be created using Microsoft's development tools, including the Agent Character Editor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=QuinnRadich |date=2024-03-25 |title=Using the Microsoft Agent Character Editor - Win32 apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/lwef/using-the-microsoft-agent-character-editor |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}</ref> Agents can be embedded in software with [[Visual Basic for Applications]] and in web pages with [[VBScript]], and automated tools for the purpose of simplifying this exist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MASH - Microsoft Agent Scripting Helper |url=https://bellcraft.com/mash/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=bellcraft.com}}</ref> However, web page agents were only compatible with [[Internet Explorer]], since alternative browsers like [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] or [[Mozilla Firefox]] do not support [[ActiveX]].

==Support after Windows XP==
In [[Windows Vista]], Microsoft Agent uses [[Microsoft Speech API|Speech API]] (SAPI) version 5.3 as its primary text-to-speech provider. (In previous versions of Windows, Agent uses SAPI version 4, which is not supported in Windows Vista and later.) Beginning with Vista, multilingual features of Microsoft Agent under a particular language version of the OS are not supported; that is, Agent will function in other languages only under a localized Windows version of the same language.<ref name=":1" />

Microsoft announced in April 2009 that all Microsoft Agent development and support will be discontinued with the release of [[Windows 7]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/win7appqual/removal-of-microsoft-agent|title=Removal of Microsoft Agent|date=May 31, 2018|website=Microsoft Docs|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|accessdate=May 2, 2019}}</ref> Microsoft is no longer offering licenses or distributing the SDK.

However, due to customer feedback, Microsoft provided an installation package of the Microsoft Agent core components for use on Windows 7.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/969168/microsoft-agent-enabled-programs-do-not-work-in-windows-7|title=Microsoft Agent-enabled programs do not work in Windows 7|website=Microsoft Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|accessdate=May 2, 2019}}</ref> The download supported SAPI 5.3 compatible speech engines, and also contained the character “Merlin”, which shipped with Windows Vista.

==See also==
* [[Embodied agent]]
* [[BonziBuddy]]

'''Microsoft'''

* [[Office Assistant]]
* [[Microsoft Voice Command]]
* [[Cortana (virtual assistant)|Cortana]]
* [[Microsoft Bob]]
* [[Windows XP]]


==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/lwef/microsoft-agent}}

{{Speech synthesis}}{{Microsoft}}

[[Category:Microsoft software|Agent]]
[[Category:Speech processing software]]
[[Category:Windows components]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1995]]
[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2009]]