After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the 'freemium' model.
lol fuck that
Thanks god that I'm not using windows for 4 years now, and at least notepad++ exists.
Linux
End of conversation.
I think that's the start of the conversation. Which Desktop Environment?
IMO:
Well… it just removes so much toxicity from the outset
I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple does something like this too at some point in the future
Notepad has long been a testbed for new technology in Windows. This isn't just a sign of enshittification, it's a warning that they want to do more.
The recent update was the first time in decades they've touched it. How has it 'long been a testbed of new technology' ?
Used only in cases where everything else is not readily available... Pencil, pen, blood, boogers etc. But the most easily replaceable piece of software. Literally you could just paste into a browser's URL box to do the same job. Lol. There must be some dumb fuck heading Microsoft right now.
If you must use windows, Notepad++ is the way to go.
ed is better
VSCode is better than np++ in every way
I heavily use both and this is objectively untrue.
Those are 2 different use case pieces of software . NP++ is an editor while vscode is an IDE
Clearly this is a controversial statement. I'm team "use what's available and preference tools that get the job done quickly."
I work in several different languages. VSCode has TreeSitter and a bevy of slick plug-ins. NP++ does not. I can use VSCode on both Windows and Linux. If I've got a desktop environment, I will hands down pick VSCode over NP++ every time.
Otherwise, let's be real, NeoVim is king.
Install time? Startup time? Useless bloat?
It should be noted that you can still use Notepad without a Microsoft account, and users can go as far as removing the Rewrite icon completely from Notepad. Despite the ability to still use the software without an account, Microsoft has received some criticism for implementing what is most definitely a paywall/advertisement for a built-in piece of Windows software.
I don't think it's ragebait/clickbait. I think it's really problematic that just a simple text editor get this bad by enshittification.
Sounds like they're slipping cloud based AI assistance into the deal, which is the opposite of what Notepad is "good" for.
Gotta squeeze every single cent from every single opportunity, otherwise line might not go up indefinitely.
Fucking click bait garbage article, but thankfully the article has a tldr at the top that basically contradicts the headline and saves you minutes of time to realize you've been baited;
TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered Rewrite tool.
Better headline: Microsoft forces you to pay to suffer through using their AI tool that no one asked for, application otherwise unchanged.
This seems like something that should be kept local. What's the point of all these NPUs otherwise
I usually use my work laptop for personal bits and bobs which is Ubuntu but I turned on my personal Microsoft PC recently to do some stuff and couldn't believe all the pop-ups and noise! I promptly moved all my data onto a external drive and did a fresh install of Ubuntu.
People at Microsoft doesn't understand what people use Notepad for.
If they wanted to add AI features, they should have added it to WordPad, and make it more modern / add some useful functions.
They killed wordpad.
Can't wait for them to remove Calculator, since you can ask AI to calculate stuff, you know.
Add it to OneNote then?
Yeah but no one uses wordpad. They put it in notepad for the exact reason you're saying: because people use it.
isn't the paywall for notepad buying windows and a computer?
The title is quite sensational compared to the content. They only added an AI Rewrite feature for notepad that requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. Considering the cost of AI, and the fact that it will very probably run in the cloud, it is very reasonable that it isn't free. Everything else about notepad remains free / included with the price you paid for the OS.
So... who wants to bet that the new version of Notepad is not constantly scraping anything you type into it and feeding it into the AI, regardless of whether you're paying for this feature or not?
Tbf, they already control the os itself. They already have access to all of the keystrokes. Implementing it just in notepad feels like a rube goldbergy way of scraping user data.
Case in point: Windows 11 "Light" (LTSC) from Microsoft has the classic and advertisement-free version of Notepad.
Fine. Notepad++ is better anyway
I prefer Sublime
It's a lot more feature filled and frankly not very nice looking if all you want is a simple replacement for Notepad. Notepads (with an s) is much better imo.
Is it though? I still always open notepad for random text stuff. What is better in ++?
If you just need a quick window open to make a note you might actually prefer Sticky Notes over Notepad!
Yes, it objectively is. And so are various other text editor options that are out there.
But just speaking about Notepad++, you can scale it down to a very simple text editor (like Notepad), it you can easily ramp it up to a much more feature rich one. And for me, the ability to have a vertical list of files is a big plus. As is its ability to optionally show line numbers.
[obligatory linux boast] I really prefer Kate to Notepad because KDE makes superior, non AI encrusted software that actually works for it's users. And it's FREE!
I like Kate as a program but man KDE need to change how some of their app names appear in Plasma.
A new user looking through their start menu and seeing "Kate" will have no idea it's a text editor/notepad. The same is true for multiple other programs.
Okular, Dolphin, Cantata... ask someone who's never tried Plasma before what those programs do and I'd wager you'd get an incorrect answer for each one.
personally i find kate struggles with large files. KWrite is a better analog to notepad IMO
Even though it's typically associated with KDE and Linux, it's also available on Windows. Good for people who haven't made up their mind yet. It's a great text editor with a feature-set similar to other advanced notepads.
I'll be real though, if I hadn't jumped ship 3 years ago, I'd be cutting my losses with Windows here.
the news is more that they are trying to shoehorn AI in effing Notepad to make sure even those little snippets of text can be used for training
The age of Notepad having a paywall has arrived, with the simple writing software now prompting users to sign into a Microsoft account to access new tools such as Rewrite, a new feature that uses artificial intelligence to rewrite highlighted text.
It should be noted that you can still use Notepad without a Microsoft account, and users can go as far as removing the Rewrite icon completely from Notepad.
So notepad isn't behind a paywall, AI features nobody was asking for is behind a paywall, and this headline is bullshit.
That's my takeaway.
Eh. They shared those features to Notepad, so I would agree that they're a part of it.
That's my understanding, yes
!linux@programming.dev could use more folks!
I use Vim, actually
Just use ed if you’re feeling so fancy
There always has to be one...
Same.
Fuck Ai. I just want Notepad to edit the most basic text. Why the fuck would I need fucking Ai bullshit in it? To rewrite what? INI game files? Hosts file?
Could MS suck any worse? It’s like they want people to not use their products. Capitalism is the ouroboros.
The fact that they choose to mess with Notepad is more telling than the value it has given the alternatives.
Notepad++ is my text editor of choice as someone who just edits the occasional file. I'm not a programmer or anything, but it's nice to have those autocomplete and syntax highlighting features for config files. Helps me keep track of stuff better when editing.
Ragebait. Notepad is still free. If you want to use Rewrite, then you pay for that.
Freemium dark patterns are also enshittification. It's slight clickbait/ragebait, but not far off.
I can understand separating a new paid-only feature, especially if you don't much need that part. The new features are reportedly accessible from the GUI of Notepad so I wouldn't blame anyone else who thought "NOTEPAD" asked them to sign up and pay a subscription to use "NOTEPAD" features.
I used to rage when reading bad changes to Windows, even after I'd stopped using it. Now I just feel bad that my friends are still in that a bad relationship with their computer.
Notepad is not free! Bah ha ha ha. Anyway, tons of options out there for those not to lazy to look.
Full access to notepad? So what, I need to pay to be able to toggle text wrapping or look at the about menu? It's fucking notepad.
EDIT: I didnt expect so many downvotes taking sides with MS
It’s for the “AI” no one was asking for in the first place
You obviously didn't read the article, but that's OK it's a trash article anyway. Which is already indicated by the headline, since Notepad was never free, it's just included with Windows.
But your comment is disconnected from what this is really about, which essentially boils down to nothing.
Since what you are supposed to pay for is new AI features. Otherwise you can use Notepad as usual.
hahahahahaha, they're gonna charge admission to a dead end next. ta-da!!!!
