Microsoft Paint Getting ‘Deprecated’ On New Windows 10 Update: The End Of An Era After 32 Years?
Microsoft Paint is getting “deprecated” after more than three decades, and many have taken that as a sign that the long-running, beloved program is getting killed off with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update later this year. But does this mark the end of an era for computer art newbies, meme makers, and those who prefer simple, easy-to-use graphics editing tools, as opposed to higher-end programs such as Photoshop?
As reported by the Guardian, Paint has been a mainstay of Microsoft’s Windows operating system since the very beginning, having launched as part of Windows 1.0 in 1985. The program was, in its earliest incarnation, a reskinned version of ZSoft’s PC Paintbrush in one-bit monochrome format, and while it had evolved numerous times through the years, it was only during the time of Windows 98 when Paint was able to save JPEG files; prior to that, Paint was limited to saving files in the BMP and PCX format.
Throughout the years, Paint has been eclipsed by many a graphics editing tool in terms of complexity and feature set. And now that it’s in its 32nd year of existence, Microsoft Paint is set to be deprecated, as confirmed in a recent announcement from the company. But while many users have taken that as a sign the program will cease to exist with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, that isn’t necessarily the case.
A report from Gizmodo should allay any concerns long-time Paint users may have about the program they know and love biting the dust by the fall of 2017. The aforementioned Microsoft announcement listed Paint among programs set to be “removed or deprecated,” and the latter category, where Paint belongs to, represents the Redmond, Washington company’s language for programs that will not be actively developed going forward.
we're going to miss you, Microsoft Paint https://t.co/WhKIqn6Xrx pic.twitter.com/el8zRdZ5Lc
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) July 24, 2017
Microsoft Paint is getting killed off in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update https://t.co/wUXbznc51A pic.twitter.com/n7s1rgpZ46
— The Verge (@verge) July 24, 2017
In other words, the rumors of Paint’s imminent demise are, as the expression goes, greatly exaggerated, at least for the time being. As Microsoft Paint’s deprecation means it won’t be getting any new versions once the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update arrives, it also means it may be removed completely in a future update to follow. As Gizmodo suggested, it might even be around as an “artifact of a different time,” should it remain untouched on several subsequent Windows updates.
While Microsoft has yet to announce a release date for its Windows 10 Fall Creators Update or clarify if or when it plans to get rid of Paint, Gizmodo wrote that the company seems to recognize Paint’s cult following, and how many adult users look back fondly on using the program as a “digital doodling book” when they were younger. In fact, Microsoft “only had nice things to say” about Paint when it announced the first Creators Update earlier this year.
With that all said, is it really the end of an era for Microsoft Paint? As it’s set to be deprecated, that’s not the case yet. But if Microsoft ends up removing the program in the future, the Guardian wrote that the original Windows 10 Creators Update released in April came with Paint 3D, a completely different app with 3D image creation features, but with some 2D editing tools still included.
[Featured Image by God4ather/Shutterstock]
