cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/37661765
Notepad now supports AI features like Summarize, Write, and Rewrite on Copilot+ PCs, with no subscription required. If you have a subscription, you can seamlessly switch between local and cloud models based on your needs. If you’re not signed in or don’t have a subscription, you can use the local model to accomplish your tasks. For now, these features support English only, making premium AI more accessible and flexible for everyone.
Source: Windows Insiders blog.
What’s funny is that this likely irritated one of Microsofts own devs enough that they said ‘fuck all of this’ and invented the new cli app called Edit.
It’s under 200kb and runs as a standalone binary if you want. Also supports mouse input.
Did I mention it’s cross platform?
With the tagline:
A simple editor for simple needs.
Just like original Notepad lol
Metapad, y’all
Not my Notepad. I prevented the notepad.exe update to the new, shitty version. When windows replaces it, I replace it back.
WordPad died for this.
Aw come on, leave Notepad alone! It’s like the last good Windows program.
use notepad++ as drop-in replacement.
+1 NPP is the goat
It always struck me as a code editor lite rather than a text editor. If I just want to jot something down, metapad is Notepad without all the Windows bullshit they keep trying to shoehorn.
I use both notepad and ++. I think it fits both worlds of code and text editor. When I am using it I am usually needing to to replace words and other tweaks that are really easy and flexible with ++.
This is also a good choice
It is possible to restore the old notepad.
I didn’t include a link because I could not find a non-spammy one, but a search finds a few. I did it on my work PC.
And switching to a FOSS OS is probably preferable, but that’s not always possible.
I didn’t try, but a lot of those simple old apps were able to just run without any dependencies, and you may be lucky to just be able to copy the .exe from an older system to the new one.
I actually have been enjoying the changes they did to it with new tabs and auto saving so you can reopen without losing anything. But wow, I never saw AI coming to this… I will need to find a way to prevent it from updating. Otherwise, I will also be going back.
Microsoft copied the features you like from notepad++.
The AI slop however, that is all Microsoft.Yeah, I know. All those ideas weren’t new, but I was happy to see them. I use ++ all the time, but i also like notepad just for quick notes. It’s fast and lightweight. Today, I was using ++ a lot actually to edit firewall configs and scripts. They both have their place for me, but I will definitely be forced to give it up the day I am greeted with a check out our AI when opening notepad.
It’s hard to imagine that Notepad of all things has now been enshittified. On Windows, I only ever use Notepad++, but regular ol’ Notepad has been a staple of Windows almost since the beginning. It truly feels like they’ve finished peeling away what little good remained of what Windows used to be.
It certainly removed my ability to say “Companies are shoehorning AI into everything! I wouldn’t be surprised if they do it with Notepad…” as a form of mockery. It was one of the first damned victims.
Edit: I’m genuinely surprised technical people (with appropriate rights on their PCs) still use it, though. I switched to Notepad++ nearly 20 years ago.
For now, these features support English only, making premium AI more accessible and flexible for everyone.
They can’t be serious, right?
Does Wordpad still exist? This seems to fit that MO more
Ew
