Unfortunately it has a use. Microsoft discontinued WordPad
Both classic Notepad and classic WordPad can be downloaded and installed from third-party sites.
However, to thoroughly neuter the enshittified versions and ensure the classic versions are used in all workflows can take a bit more than what the installers recommend. Primarily, I would recommend adding the *.bak extension to the enshittified versions then make (IIRC) junction links from the classic ones to where the enshittified ones are sitting. This ensures that if anything reaches for the enshittified ones, the junction links are there to redirect the action to the classic versions.
I was devasted when I heard this
Both classic Notepad and classic WordPad can be downloaded and installed from third-party sites.
However, to thoroughly neuter the enshittified versions and ensure the classic versions are used in all workflows can take a bit more than what the installers recommend. Primarily, I would recommend adding the *.bak extension to the enshittified versions then make (IIRC) junction links from the classic ones to where the enshittified ones are sitting. This ensures that if anything reaches for the enshittified ones, the junction links are there to redirect the action to the classic versions.
They updated the screenshot tool. Now its like paint.
so it’s minime word now?
Its really a shame. Every OS needs a simple text editor, possibly without formatting support of any kind. You’re not supposed to use it, it just makes it possible to edit basic configurations on the fly and things like that. Instead they support half of word pad and cram in copilot for some reason.
Although I do admit, I haven’t seen the need to move away from kwrite for a long time. Basic text editor that does what it should and does it right!Then just types into and don’t do any formatting. I use it daily at work for pasting text I want to keep. That’s it I type or paste I never save, I never click any menus etc.
I hate this person. It makes me want to scream. One of the dumbest stupidest things about Windows is a fucking useless programs go on with it that haven’t been updated in 20 years. Please update them. You want to update notepad? Go look at Notepad+. Please please please update all the shitty little programs that exist around Windows that no one uses cause they’re so goddamn shitty.
Holy fuck update Windows programs. For the love of God update ALL the Windows programs. Make the goddamn search tool work. Make the goddamn voice to text work. Make the image viewer not suck. Please don’t listen to the people who are resistant to change. Leave an old shitty version on there just for them, but please please make Windows programs better because they suck right now!!
What a bad take. Notepad was never meant to have formatting, as the post states. Notepad’s purpose was to open war text files as raw text. For formatted text, there was WordPad. What made notepad great is that it was the fastest and easiest way to just know what is in the damn file.
Yes! Leave notepad alone. I don’t need to load fucking Word when I just want to quickly type out some bullshit that I’m going to reference a few minutes later and then not bother to save. Notepad has always been the fastest, most responsive and reliable tool in windows that I (and probably a lot of people) use every fucking day.
Tabs were a welcome addition, but that’s where the good idea train swiftly leaves the rails.
What we needed was a built-in hex editor, and maybe some better tools for working with unicode that you can’t just type in on whatever keyboard you have.
Instead, they turned it into WordPad, which we already have.
Its not even wordpad. It only supports markdown not rtf… it only exists so they could easily shove copilot into it.
True, but IMO it makes a lot more sense to support markdown under Wordpad than Notepad since the controls and doc-style layout/rendering support is already there.
it only exists so they could easily shove copilot into it.

hex
Does windows power toys have one?
No idea. I want to say ‘yes’, but the last time I installed Power Toys was under Win2k.
I understand Notepad++ is pretty cool?
Yes, it’s not made by Microsoft.
I wish they’d release a version for Linux so I could experience the "pretty cool"ness for myself :)
There’s notepadqq which appears to be a clone of notepad++, but it’s not maintained anymore.
Geany is pretty similar.
It probably runs on Wine/Proton.
I use Neovim (and Kate sometimes)
I use Helix.
If you use the formatting bar to format text, it unlocks the View→Markdown menu which has two options - Markdown or Syntax. This allows you to toggle seeing the source or formatted markdown.
If you do not use the formatting bar to format text, markdown is not enabled. I manually typed in text in markdown format and the menu didn’t un-grey.
You can go into the app settings and turn off formatting, which will hide the formatting toolbar.
I think you really have to work hard to be offended by this.
Additionally, for those Notepad Purists™ who are offended by any features being added… Tabs are handy. And having it auto-save drafts and auto-open them is also handy - for me. Maybe you don’t like that, but you can disable the auto-save in settings. Can’t turn off tabs, but you can set it to open in new windows, so pretty close to disabling that.
If this is what drives you over the edge to use Linux… okay, bud, have it your way - and I’m a Linux enthusiast, so I’m all for it. But being pissed off by something you have to specifically enable seems a bit silly to me. It’s the hallmark of fascism - “Other people have the right to exist! FUCK THAT!” - a little hyperbolic, but the principle is vaguely the same. :P (And what’s the internet without hyperbole? :) )
Markdown support is actual nice and useful.

This, but he’s yelling “plain text” instead of drainage.
Not embracing every bullshit data mining change tech companies shove down our throats is fascism, got it. An intelligent, well reasoned, not at all fucked up thing to say
Yes, you have accurately characterized what I said and didn’t miss any of it in the slightest. Well done, you. Congrats on not completely missing the entire point. I am honestly impressed by the complete lack of comprehension. Nicely done.
Oh god, nobody look at org-mode 😳
Notepad went from simple to having an identity crisis.
So this is like Kate but for plebs?
I’ve totally fallen for markdown. I want more normies to know about it.
All the nice things about rich text with none of the Word.
Sad RTF noises.
The Notepad getting junk added is a Microsoft Store app. The old notepad.exe is still usable.
And as for all things Windows 11 a tutorial is needed to painstakingly wade through every inch of bullshit.
Huh. That write up seems pretty useful. It’s so weird that the redesigned app is just an alias to the old and untouched app that’s still sitting in system32
Same way the rest of the OS is built.
All those fucked up snapins and apps and pretty pretty nonfunctional interfaces (try changing an ip) are utterly negated by start-run-“control”
Not all of them anymore. Some control panel icons just throw you into the new settings app.
Whomever was involved with the creation of the “new” printer settings menu should be killed by dumping a whole nest of fire ants high on bath salts into their rectum and then stapling it shut.
Probably as usual: Legacy reasons.
Well, as far as you consider the bugs usable.







