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If you're really distraught, you can still find some of them through Bing Image Search. Bing Image Search

Bad news everyone! Microsoft is getting rid of Clip Art once and for all

Powerpoint presentations will never be the same again.

FOR THOSE WHO are still putting together Powerpoint presentations and relying on the 90s style images provided, we have some bad news.

Microsoft has decided to get rid of Clip Art, its image library that was part of Microsoft Office.

“The Office.com Clip Art and image library has closed shop,” Microsoft announced in a blog post. “Usage of Office’s image library has been declining year-to-year as customers rely more on search engines.” (Microsoft took down the post for a short while before posting it again without this second line)

Clip Art was one of those features you used in Word or Powerpoint anytime you wanted to, although it was very much a product of its time.

While these images were around as far back as 1985, Microsoft introduced it as part of its Office suite in 1996. It first started off with 82 clip art files before increasing this to 140,000 in the latest versions.

Alongside the usual images, it also included WordArt which allowed you to type in any text and have it recreated in a different font or colours.

Convert_Text_In_Text_Box_To_Wordart___Then_Click_Wordart_Button Java2s Java2s

However, the growing popularity of search engines and image searching meant its days were numbered.

As a replacement, Microsoft is pointing people towards Bing Image Search as a way of finding images. According to a blog post made by the company, its image search uses a copyright filter based on the Creative Commons licensing system.

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17 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Catherine Mayock
    Favourite Catherine Mayock
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 5:39 PM

    Many a poster, b/day card, invitations were created out of this, I for one will miss it.

    293
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sam Bartell
    Favourite Sam Bartell
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 5:41 PM

    Im still grieving that over happy paperclip. Think he got a job with handy manny since

    183
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Lawlor
    Favourite Alan Lawlor
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:23 PM

    I liked the little einstein as my helper

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emily Elephant
    Favourite Emily Elephant
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:23 PM

    You seem to be trying to write an obituary. Would you like me to help you with it?

    * Yes
    * No, just leave me alone

    62
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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sam Bartell
    Favourite Sam Bartell
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 10:33 PM

    Oooh alan thats notions!

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Lonergan
    Favourite Niall Lonergan
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 5:52 PM

    Bing…. HAHAHAHAHA!!

    92
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Zoë Georgina
    Favourite Zoë Georgina
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 7:35 PM

    There’s another side to this. These clip art images were all usable by charities etc for free and now it becomes much more difficult to be assured that an image can be used. I use clip art in my work to make documents and information accessible to people with limited literacy skills and disabilities. It’s actually going to have some pretty big repercussions for me tbh.

    66
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    Mute Nydon
    Favourite Nydon
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:17 PM

    best start sticking them all into a word document then!

    34
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    Mute Life in no motion
    Favourite Life in no motion
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:20 PM

    To be fair if I see posters, etc done in clipart I ignore them

    They’re terrible and pretty unprofessional to be honest

    28
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
    Favourite Alan Lawlor
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:25 PM

    As for the article says, the bing image search will filter for images that do not require copyright permission – ie. the creative commons licence

    22
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    Mute BevinArmageddon
    Favourite BevinArmageddon
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 10:33 PM

    I wouldn’t ignore them. I just think: aww

    8
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    Mute Zoë Georgina
    Favourite Zoë Georgina
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    Dec 3rd 2014, 12:55 PM

    Life in no motion, I agree, I don’t like how they look at all, but a lot of disability groups have done research with their members and the clip art symbols and images seem to be the best and most understood by the target group.

    4
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    Mute Arthur Pewty
    Favourite Arthur Pewty
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 10:07 PM

    NO MORE WORDART? my thesis is screwed :(

    38
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    Mute Joanna
    Favourite Joanna
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 6:27 PM

    I didn’t know it was still a thing =o

    17
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    Mute Darren Christie
    Favourite Darren Christie
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 6:53 PM

    YOINK!

    BING… It’s still a thing (TM)

    12
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    Mute Tom Callaghan
    Favourite Tom Callaghan
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    Dec 3rd 2014, 12:20 AM

    Snipping tool is the best thing ever, i call it “the Internet scissors”

    16
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    Mute Nydon
    Favourite Nydon
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 8:31 PM

    A Deliberate ignore suggests registration which is much better than a not noticing at all. A win for the poster maker then.

    3
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