What is Bonzi Buddy?

In the late 1990s, BonziBuddy, also known as Peedy the Parrot, became a popular talking assistant that sat on users' desktops and chatted with them from time to time. Developed by BONZI Software, this purple monkey was designed to be a standalone helper program that could assist with various tasks. Although it may not have been particularly useful, BonziBuddy was undeniably fun to interact with.

Unlike Microsoft's Clippy, which was tied to Office software, BonziBuddy was not limited to any specific application or task. It was a free download that anyone from eight-year-olds to grandmothers could enjoy for its novelty and entertainment value. The fact that it was free may have contributed to its widespread popularity, as many people were willing to try out this new technology without hesitation.

Microsoft had initially intended its speech engine, part of the Microsoft Agent suite, to be bundled with other programs. However, BonziBuddy's creators decided to use this technology to create a standalone assistant that could help users with various tasks. This move allowed BonziBuddy to become a popular character outside of Microsoft, and it even found a home within Windows XP as a character that guided users through the installation process.

Microsoft Agent was a technology that enabled developers to add their own assistants to applications. These assistants could talk, answer voice commands, and perform actions on behalf of the user. The company provided four default characters for developers to choose from: Merlin the Wizard, Robby the Robot, Genie the Genie, and Peedy the Parrot.

In conclusion, BonziBuddy was a talking assistant that became popular in the late 1990s due to its novelty and entertainment value. Although it may not have been particularly useful, it was a fun way for users to interact with their computers. Its success can be attributed to its free download and the fact that it was not tied to any specific application or task.

What is bonzi buddie