Long Live Microsoft Paint!

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:33 pm

Microsoft Paint to be killed off after 32 years

Microsoft’s next Windows 10 update, called the Autumn (or Fall in the US) Creators Update, will bring a variety of new features. But one long-standing stalwart of the Windows experience has been put on the chopping block: Microsoft Paint.

First released with the very first version of Windows 1.0 in 1985, Paint in its various guises would be one of the first graphics editors used by many and became a core part of Windows. Starting life as a 1-bit monochrome licensed version of ZSoft’s PC Paintbrush, it wasn’t until Windows 98 that Paint could save in JPEG.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:38 pm

it wasn’t until Windows 98 that Paint could save in JPEG.

I remember that... not so... fondly.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:49 pm

Umm.. I still use paint... I think I may be the only one.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:51 pm

coopasonic wrote:Umm.. I still use paint... I think I may be the only one.

I use it for conversion and really basic editing stuff all of the time (Like white washing or adding text). Not so much as a real image editor though.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:56 pm

I use it constantly for screen grabs. Often times a quick screen shot from our tracking software can save me time and frustration versus having to explain something over phone or email.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:57 pm

It's not actually dead yet but has been given a terminal diagnosis.

As a deprecated feature they aren't developing it but haven't officially announced removal.

See here.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:02 pm

Brian wrote:I use it constantly for screen grabs. Often times a quick screen shot from our tracking software can save me time and frustration versus having to explain something over phone or email.

If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:09 pm

Snipping Tool changed my life.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:12 pm

coopasonic wrote:
Brian wrote:I use it constantly for screen grabs. Often times a quick screen shot from our tracking software can save me time and frustration versus having to explain something over phone or email.
If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?

I've been happy using Greenshot.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:14 pm

coopasonic wrote:If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?

Nope. Wasn't even aware of it.

Stupid progress.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:24 pm

Brian wrote:
coopasonic wrote:If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?

Nope. Wasn't even aware of it.

Stupid progress.

Very handy especially when the cropping tool built in to Office projects leaves the image in tact and you don't always want people to be able to see the whole image.

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:30 pm

Moliere wrote:
coopasonic wrote:
Brian wrote:I use it constantly for screen grabs. Often times a quick screen shot from our tracking software can save me time and frustration versus having to explain something over phone or email.
If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?
I've been happy using Greenshot.

I really like Greenshot, but I'll like it even more when they add an eraser tool to it.

I still occasionally end up using Paint when I want to combine two related screenshots into one file that I need to send to customer - so I still combine them in Paint.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:55 pm

I use Paint once in a blue moon when, for some reason, I need to edit a graphic on Wife's machine. She doesn't have any graphics programs installed, so I just reach for the one I know is always there.

Myself, I still favor PaintShop Pro 4.1, a 1996 shareware version that has just the right balance of simplicity and versatility. I bought PSP 10 many years ago but found it to be an overcomplicated Photoshop wannabe, so I still prefer good ol' 4.0. It won't install in the modern Windows environment, but it still runs if you just plop the folder down and doubleclick the exe. And since I actually paid for PSP 10 I don't feel guilty about exceeding the 30-day license for 4.1.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:58 pm

Snipping tool is nice, but I need to occasionally add an arrow or call out box. I guess I need to look and see what IrfanView has.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:03 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Snipping tool is nice, but I need to occasionally add an arrow or call out box. I guess I need to look and see what IrfanView has.

I use Irfanview occasionally because it parses large .tif files that MS photo viewer in its various names and incarnations cannot handle.

...

I tend to pastes pictures in to word or powerpoint or outlook where I can add arrows and such. However, I note that Outlook doesn't keep the arrows and such where you put them when you mail the image with arrow and such layered on them. grumble grumble

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:04 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Snipping tool is nice, but I need to occasionally add an arrow or call out box.

Greenshot is great for that.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:12 pm

gilraen wrote:
Isgrimnur wrote:Snipping tool is nice, but I need to occasionally add an arrow or call out box.
Greenshot is great for that.

Built in and easy, huh? Noted.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:21 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Snipping tool is nice, but I need to occasionally add an arrow or call out box. I guess I need to look and see what IrfanView has.

You can't add text, but snipping tool let's you draw and highlight on the image you capture.

gameoverman · Post by **gameoverman** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:57 pm

I switched to Paint Shop Pro, before they got sold to Corel or whoever it was. Then I switched to PaintNet. That's the perfect program for me. It has just enough advanced features, relative to something like Paint, that it does everything I need it to do. It's simple to use because it's not loaded with ALL the features of something like Photoshop. In my experience you have to choose from pro level stuff like Photoshop, or wannabe imitators like GIMP who manage to have terrible user interfaces or overly simple programs like Paint. PaintNet hits that sweet spot of being slick to use and capable.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:04 pm

I use it to quickly send a screenshot to some User of what they need to do, or what I see, etc. - but to add something or crop the image, etc...

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:17 pm

coopasonic wrote:
Brian wrote:I use it constantly for screen grabs. Often times a quick screen shot from our tracking software can save me time and frustration versus having to explain something over phone or email.
If you are using to grab a small piece of a screenshot, have you tried Snipping Tool?

I also just use it for screenshots. In fact I used it yesterday. I take a shot then paste it into Paint then save it and upload to tinypic for someone to view. Never used ti as a real paint program. Come to think of it I haven't looked at my FPT site in YEARS!! ugh.

Ill check out Snipping.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:18 pm

Paint.NET is the bee's knees.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:39 pm

Ah, Paint, you were always there to remind me that I've not yet installed something better every time I got a new or newly imaged machine. Now I guess I'll just right-click on the file and stare blankly when the "Open with" command has nothing to offer. I wish I could say something nice about it but....32 years and virtually no improvement? What was the product team doing all that time? Golfing with Ballmer?

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:57 pm

Jeff V wrote:Ah, Paint, you were always there to remind me that I've not yet installed something better every time I got a new or newly imaged machine. Now I guess I'll just right-click on the file and stare blankly when the "Open with" command has nothing to offer. I wish I could say something nice about it but....32 years and virtually no improvement? What was the product team doing all that time? Golfing with Ballmer?

Well they were fulfilling every singly demand you made on them and regarding your needs from a default paint program.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:12 pm

I gave them credit for that, didn't I?

I never could stand using it to actually do anything. In the early days, Paint Shop Pro was my friend. Lately it's been a cheap-ass derivative of Photoshop.

newcomer · Post by **newcomer** » Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:44 pm

Yeah heard the news, pretty sad in deed been using paint for the longest time especially in print screen.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:10 am

newcomer wrote:Yeah heard the news, pretty sad in deed been using paint for the longest time especially in print screen.

If you're a bot, you're good. And if you aren't, welcome.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 3:27 pm

I used Paint just today. I use it to doctor up helmets for my fantasy football league. Never needed anything grand to do that. If paint goes away I'll have to find something else that is simple to use.

DD* · Post by DD* » Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:28 pm

Microsoft will eventually kill everything you love. It's their way.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:49 pm

I remember PC Paintbrush

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:59 pm

Zombie Paint

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.

Paint 3D – the new app for creativity, also available for free with the Windows 10 Creators Update, will continue to get new feature updates. In addition to the new 3D capabilities, many of the MS Paint features people know and love like photo editing, line and curve tools, and 2D creation are in Paint 3D.

So, thanks for all the MS Paint love, keep the feedback coming via the Paint 3D app, and keep creating!

newcomer · Post by **newcomer** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:14 pm

Kraken wrote:
newcomer wrote:Yeah heard the news, pretty sad in deed been using paint for the longest time especially in print screen.
If you're a bot, you're good. And if you aren't, welcome.

I would you say that I'm a bot?

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:55 pm

newcomer wrote:
Kraken wrote:
newcomer wrote:Yeah heard the news, pretty sad in deed been using paint for the longest time especially in print screen.
If you're a bot, you're good. And if you aren't, welcome.
I would you say that I'm a bot?

This is a Turing test, isn't it?

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:04 am

History of Microsoft Paint 1985 - 2017 [LGR Retrospective]

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:14 am

Kraken wrote:
newcomer wrote:
Kraken wrote:
newcomer wrote:Yeah heard the news, pretty sad in deed been using paint for the longest time especially in print screen.
If you're a bot, you're good. And if you aren't, welcome.
I would you say that I'm a bot?
This is a Turing test, isn't it?

Perhaps an ad for the Blade Runner 2049?

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:27 am

People got angry so MS says Paint not dead.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 11:55 am

Daehawk wrote:People got angry so MS says Paint not dead.

Didn't Microsoft learn anything? Listening to angry idiots is why we have Trump now.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:07 pm

Jeff V wrote:Listening to angry idiots is why we have Trump now.

Because Democrats are enlightened and civil in their discourse?

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:16 pm

Moliere wrote:
Jeff V wrote:Listening to angry idiots is why we have Trump now.
Because Democrats are enlightened and civil in their discourse?

Wait, what? The angry idiots did not vote for a democrat, their discourse has been irrelevant. They voted for the shit show we have there. And now they voted to keep a piece of junkware that could easily be replaced by something much better.

Idiots - this is why we can't have nice things.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:18 pm

Knock off the R&P brushwaiving.