Microsoft MS Paint to get axed from Windows 10

Microsoft plans to stop developing the iconic Paint program, nudging it a step closer to the end.

The Tech Giant announced last week that it will stop actively developing Paint starting with a fall update to Windows 10, its flagship operating system. As a result, Paint could be removed altogether in future updates: The once vital component is now vestigial.

In a statement, Microsoft played down the news, noting that Paint will continue to be available for free download and many of its features will remain in other places, including Paint 3D, a three-dimensional drawing application it unveiled last year.

The venerable application that started its life 32 years ago as a monochrome, bitmap Windows 1.0 drawing program appeared on Microsoft’s “Deprecated” list. Microsoft demoted the long-time Windows App earlier this year when it released 3D Paint in the Windows 10 Creators Update, which rolled out to users earlier this year.

3D Paint includes many of Paint’s original features in a completely new interface, but, as the name suggests, goes into another dimension, allowing budding artists to add 3D objects and imagery to their creations.

Paint may be the last still-in-use drawing application that was designed for mouse-only input (the current version is designed to also work with a Surface Pen). For those who use it, Paint is prized for its relative simplicity. 3D Paint looks like a simple app, but there’s nothing quite like the basic joys of Paint. It’s also one the last remaining threads leading all the way back to the dawn of Windows.

If you’re running the latest version of Windows and you type “paint” in the Cortana bar, “Paint” is still the best match, with 3D Paint right below it.

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