The Microsoft Office Assistant, including the iconic Clippit paper clip, was a help tool in Office versions since 97. It could be changed to other characters, but was removed in 2007 due to mixed user opinions.
The Microsoft Office Assistant is a version of a help tool included in versions of Microsoft Office since Office 97. The Office Assistant tool was accompanied by an animated icon that opened automatically when the software detected that the user could use the assistance. The default Office Assistant was an animated paper clip called Clippit.
Clippit the office assistant is best known for appearing in Word when users typed the words “Dear so-and-so” and Clippit remarked “You look like you’re writing a letter. Would you like help?” Users then had the option to select “help” or “tell me more” or continue without help. The Office Assistant also appears when users try to access certain tools for tasks like creating tables and borders. Clippit has the ability to first appear in shapes like a star, then reshape into a paper clip. There are also sound effects that accompany Clippit’s actions.
Although the office assistant can be changed to other animated images, such as a wizard and a puzzle, Clippit remains the most well-known office assistant due to the default setting. Users of pirated or shared versions of Microsoft Office may not have the ability to change the default Office Assistant to animate like other characters. The Office Assistant in its original form has been omitted from the software since Microsoft Office 2007 in exchange for a different kind of help tool.
The ease of use of the Office Assistant is considered a topic of discussion among users, some finding it an annoying aspect of the program and others finding it entertaining and occasionally useful. Users have the option to turn off the Office Assistant if they find it distracting or useless. Due to the popularity of the Office Assistant and the debate about the usefulness of the tool, it was parodied shortly after its arrival. Comedians and television writers have mocked Clippit and it has been a recurring theme on radio and television shows.
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