Microsoft Read Aloud

A 15-panel cartoon. We see a silhouettes of the profile of Bespectacled Editor and Microsoft’s Clippy on a blue background, reminiscent of the Electric Company’s phonics lessons. Panel 1: Bespectacled Editor pronounces “w.” Panel 2: Clippy pronounces “ing.” Panel 3: Both say “wing” at the same time. Panel 4: Bespectacled Editor pronounces “str.” Panel 5: Clippy pronounces “ing.” Panel 6: Both say “string” at the same time. Panel 7: “th” appears on screen but the letter T is red and underlined, suggesting it was a tracked changed in Microsoft word. Bespectacled Editor pronounces “th.” Panel 8: Clippy pronounces “ing.” Panel 9: Bespectacled Editor says, “thing” but Clippy says “t-hing.” Bespectacled editor says, “What? No.” Panel 10: Bespectacled Editor says, “Just read the whole word. It’s ‘thing.’” Panel 11: Bespectacled Editor leaves the frame but says, “I’ll go hid the markup to see if that helps you.” Panel 12: Bespectacled Editor is back in frame and says, “Ready to try again?” Panel 13: Bespectacled Editor pronounces “th.” Panel 14: Clippy pronounces “ing.” Panel 15: Bespectacled Editor says, “thing” but Clippy says “t-hing.” Bespectacled editor says, “Goddammit.”

(It occurs to me that this cartoon might make zero sense if you didn’t grow up watching the Electric Company.)

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3 thoughts on “Microsoft Read Aloud”

  3. I grew up watching “The Electric Company” and this post was very meaningful to me. Thanks for the memory!

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