Anyone else just get an update to Notepad?

[britechguy]

As it so happens, I've been working with Notepad over the last two days, so I know what I am seeing happen right now is new. I had Notepad fired up this morning before going out on a "leaf peeping" drive today, and when I started it up tonight, this is what showed up:



There is also a new setting (the last one, When Notepad starts, which I've expanded):


I have no idea what has brought this change about, as I see nothing in Update History that's newer than 10/10/2023, and this just started happening about 30 minutes ago.

Any explanations? It's not that this is a problem, just odd. I also find it odd that they say they'll automatically save your progress, but if you attempt to close a file that you've changed without having saved those changes, you still get the classic dialog with Save, Don't save, and Cancel options.

 

[Markverhyden]

All I can say is that feature is why my goto basic editor in MS is Notepad++. From what I've seen Notepad++ never prompts to save. Of course I can save but I just X out instead since I know it's already been saved.

 

[britechguy]

It's interesting to me how individual use cases coupled with default behaviors influence the program choices we make.

I have adjusted to autosave in the M365 suite of former Office programs simply because of the automatic versioning that takes place and that you can go back to whatever previous version you so desire in a flash. I don't see that, though, in the latest Notepad iteration.

I use Notepad mostly because it does not automatically save. I have scads of text files that serve as templates of a sort, where I make the one-time changes for what I want to do this minute, but when I'm done I want them all discarded and still have the original file as the template. I've grown habituated to hitting "Don't Save" as often (more often, in reality) than I do "Save" when it comes to Notepad.

 

[Diggs]

I saw this kick in a couple of weeks ago.

 

[britechguy]

I saw this kick in a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks for the confirmation. Microsoft is doing "the usual thing" during the age of software as a service and it seems to be coming out to cohorts of users at a time.

What's particularly interesting is that the technique of toggling one of the Windows Apps settings, documented here, https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/restore-old-classic-notepad-windows/, no longer works after that update has been applied.

But, if I use a shortcut to C:\Windows\Notepad.exe after that update, I get a one-time message that a new version exists and asking me to launch it, that if I decline gives me classic Notepad and keeps giving me classic Notepad. The default Notepad that is returned via Windows search still comes up as the new Notepad. This is very handy, actually.

 

[timeshifter]

Was there a press release that said something about them being sorry for it taking 20 years to add bloat to Notepad?

 

[britechguy]

Was there a press release that said something about them being sorry for it taking 20 years to add bloat to Notepad?

One man's bloat is another man's treasure. I wouldn't go back to non-tabbed Notepad by choice for starters.

 

[Blues]

Who uses notepad? If I need a non-word text editor I use something like Notepad++ otherwise it is Word or Libre Office, or similar word equivalent.

 

[britechguy]

Who uses notepad?

Untold millions of people. Notepad++ is "for geeks," not the random person on the street. And for myself, I never use a word processor or Notepad ++ when I'm working in plain text. Notepad has been perfect for that purpose for decades.

I don't need any frippery when it comes to just typing some random note, as but one example. Using any word processor or Notepad++ (or similar) for that would drive me to distraction when Notepad is available.

 

[Diggs]

I use Notepad all the time. I keep its icon on my Taskbar. It catches copied links, quotes, lists, etc. for me all the time. Old habits are hard to break.....

 

[Metanis]

I use Notepad all the time. I keep its icon on my Taskbar. It catches copied links, quotes, lists, etc. for me all the time. Old habits are hard to break.....

Don't forget passwords! Whenever I'd try to help someone having password difficulties I would bring up Notepad and have them type in both their recollection of the old password and then the new one they needed to generate. Then I'd have them use copy and paste to eliminate the fat fingers issues.