MS Paint Is Not Dead (Yet), Just Moving
Microsoft was probably touched by the sudden outburst of love and passion coming from the creative community in support for Microsoft Paint, a.k.a. MS Paint, a.k.a. just Paint. A painting program that is both loved and ridiculed, the program has been around for more than 30 years, acting as the default and sometimes only recourse of those who need a quick paint job on newly installed or very pristine Windows computers. Unsurprisingly, there was much outcry when news went out that Microsoft was deprecating Paint in favor of Paint 3D. Now Microsoft has come to out to officially say that they aren't killing MS Paint. You will just have to look for it yourself from the app store.
Even when it first came out more than three decades ago, Paint was no where close to being a professional digital artist's tool. But because it came pre-installed on every Windows machine, it was immediately accessible when you need to paint or edit an image in a pinch. Its simplicity has never stopped more creative and patient artists from creating masterpieces on it though.
Like Solitaire and Minesweeper, Paint has become somewhat of a fixture on Windows, hence the pouring of support for the program and condemnation of Microsoft for even thinking about removing it from Windows. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Microsoft is pushing Paint 3D as its replacement, and not everyone is particularly fond of all the 3D and VR hype going around.
Microsoft, however, isn't killing off Paint. At least not yet. It is technically only marked as deprecated, which simply means it won't be getting any new features or fixed anymore. And it's not making Paint disappear entirely. It will still be available for Windows, but now you have to get it from the Windows Store. Which pretty much ensures that it will only be downloaded by those specifically looking for it.
How long that will last, however, is something for future generations to decide. Being marked for deprecation is already a death sentence anyway, though it might take years, maybe even another 30 years, before it's truly moved to the vaults of history. Until then, however, enjoy your Paint before it dries.
SOURCE: Microsoft