Who do you blame for Clippy—the world’s most hated virtual assistant?
Meet Kevin Atteberry, the guy behind the most annoying paperclip in history.
You’ll find out how a quirky design project for Microsoft Bob somehow turned into a pop culture icon (“The Simpsons”, “Family Guy”) that still gets roasted today.
Fun to see that Stanford’s research team also came up short on this one (or did they?).
I rank “Creating Clippy” #14 on my list of “Best Documentaries on the Creative Process”.
Watch “Creating Clippy: The Story Behind Microsoft’s Iconic Assistant”
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: na
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na
Release Date: June 7, 2023
Highlights of the Video (from Users)
There have been 1,000+ comments about the Clippy origin story.
Here are are some highlights of them:
1. Nostalgia and Positive Memories
Many users express fond memories of Clippy, often associating it with their childhood or early experiences using computers.
- “Clippy made me feel safe and loved. It may seem silly but he was a big deal to me and I miss him.” (@DivineLightPaladin)
- “Clippy was the only being that accompanied me in all my university assignments.” (@estella2lenne)
2. Redemption and Changing Perceptions
A noticeable number of users mention how Clippy, once hated, is now widely loved due to nostalgia.
- “I love the fact that Clippy went from widely hated to widely loved. Truly shows how you can make a 180 on a character so simple.” (@gamecubebro)
- “I despised Clippy but honestly? Now I have fond memories and a sense of nostalgia.” (@lisar3944)
3. Criticism of Implementation vs. Character Design
Many comments point out that the issue was not with Clippy as a character but how it was integrated into Microsoft Office.
- “It was the implementation rather than the character that caused the disdain.” (@lennonnicolas5994)
- “The character is awesome… The problem was the implementation and how sluggish computers were back in the day.” (@EduSodap)
4. Clippy as a Pioneer in AI and Assistants
Several users reflect on how Clippy was ahead of its time, comparing it to modern AI assistants like Siri or Alexa.
- “Clippy was way ahead of his time. People weren’t reading help files, so Clippy was there to help.” (@tofu_golem)
- “It could be argued that Clippy introduced society to the idea of AI assistants.” (@Geeksmithing)
5. Desire for Clippy’s Return with Modern AI
There’s a recurring theme of wanting Clippy to return, but with modern AI advancements.
- “Microsoft not leveraging Clippy’s stardom in the age of AI is the biggest insanity of the century.” (@amslu)
- “Clippy with today’s AI might actually be useful in Microsoft Office.” (@jaker3151)
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly
Chief Maniac, Daily Doc