Waikato Business News April/May 2019

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS April/May 2019
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Clippy makes a comeback
Clippy made a brief return to computer
screens last month.
Introduced in version 8.0 of
Microsoft’s Office suite in
1996, Clippy the animated
paperclip appeared in every
The point of all
technology is to make
life easier for its
users. When it does
precisely that we
become emotionally
attached to it.
version of Office until version
12 was released in 2007.
Just over a decade is not a bad
life for a piece of technology
whose Wikipedia page says
was unpopular with users.
In reality Clippy’s prompts
started out as useful for new
users, but as their knowledge
and experience of the software
grew their need for prompts
ended.
Microsoft has been having
fun with the character in the
years since. The technology
giant gave conference attendees
“Bring Back Clippy”
t-shirts a few years ago.
Last month some Microsoft
wag turned Clippy into an animated
virtual sticker pack in
the technology giant’s Team
videoconferencing software.
But a day later Clippy had
gone.
“A source familiar with the
situation at Microsoft tells The
Verge that the ‘brand police’
inside the company weren’t
happy that Clippy had appeared
in Microsoft Teams, and immediately
ordered the brutal firing
of the anthropomorphic paperclip,”
The Verge reported.
But Clippy’s return from
pasture may have actually
been a clever attempt to get
some column inches and blogs
covering the Team software
solution. I’m writing about it,
aren’t I? For us at Company-X
Clippy’s brief return served
as a fun reminder of just how
far mass-market software has
come since Clippy was retired.
Back in 1997 the digital
revolution was in its infancy.
Although it’s a bit of a generalisation,
it’s fair to say that most
Microsoft Office users were
transitioning from analogue
solutions such as typewriters
to Microsoft Word. Not everything
was obvious to this group
of users, and they needed help
TECH TALK
> BY DAVID HALLETT
David Hallett is a director of Hamilton software specialist Company-X.
to navigate their way around
software packages.
Fast forward more than a
decade, and those users have
either retired or become super
users who no longer need
prompts from the likes of
Clippy. They’ve grown old or
grown up.
The point of all technology
is to make life easier for its
users. When it does precisely
that we become emotionally
attached to it. You see it all the
time with some men and their
cars, or steam aficionados and
steam engines. There’s even a
group who have now started a
petition to bring Clippy back.
Until Microsoft changes its
mind, the only way to hang
with Clippy is to install an old
version of Office on your computer
in compatibility mode.
Entertainment, fashion and
cultural fusion for Waikato
Women’s Refuge fundraiser
Te Whakaruruhau
Waikato Women’s Refuge
will host a gala dinner
and fundraising event on
May 30 at Claudelands Events
Centre in Hamilton.
CEO Roni Albert says it
will be an amazing night of
entertainment, fashion and
celebration of the very best of
Māori art, culture and food.
Every ticket bought raises
funds for the refuge to carry
out its vital work of helping
Waikato women live a safe and
violence-free life.
“We’ve booked some stellar
entertainment to fill the
evening, including New Zealand
female reggae band NRG
Rising and iconic Kiwi vocalist
and star of musical theatre
Tina Cross,” Roni Albert said.
“Plus, the energetic and
engaging personality behind
The ITM Fishing Show Matt
Watson will chat to the audience
about his latest fishing
antics.
“And we’ll even have a
short fashion show from readyto-wear
clothing label Mitchell
Vincent.”
Master of ceremonies
Frankie Stevens will act as
host for the evening, while
Montana Food & Events will
put on a menu of Māori fusion
cuisine.
The evening will be capped
off with an auction featuring
a range of items, including
bespoke art crafted by some
of New Zealand’s leading
Pictured on left
Frankie Stevens and
Tina Cross right.
Māori artists.
“This is Te Whakaruruhau’s
key fundraising event
of the year. We look forward
to sharing this amazing night
of high calibre entertainment
with the Waikato community,”
said Roni.
The Te Whakaruruhau
Waikato Women’s Refuge
Saving Rose gala dinner will
be held on Tuesday May 30
from 6.30-11pm. Tickets are
$150 each and tables of 10 are
$1400. For tickets and inquiries
phone 07 855 1569.
Phone 07 834 6000
Email lawyers@nwm.co.nz
Web www.nwm.co.nz
Congratulations to Chris Steenstra, our newest Partner.
Chris is an outstanding contract lawyer in our Commercial and Corporate team, the best person to connect with for specialist or
complex matters. Since starting with us in 2005 as a Law Clerk, Chris has honed his legal and business skills overseas, before
returning to his Hamilton hometown in 2012. As a Waikato law graduate, our own home-grown success story, and all round great
guy, we couldn’t be prouder.