this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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I first ran into the Copilot integration in Notepad a couple of days ago and immediately turned it right the fuck off.

In November, Microsoft began testing an update that allowed users to rewrite or summarize text in Notepad using generative AI. Another preview update today takes it one step further, allowing you to write AI-generated text from scratch with basic instructions (the feature is called Write, to differentiate it from the earlier Rewrite).

Like Rewrite and Summarize, Write requires users to be signed into a Microsoft Account, because using it requires you to use your monthly allotment of Microsoft's AI credits. Per this support page, users without a paid Microsoft 365 subscription get 15 credits per month. Subscribers with Personal and Family subscriptions get 60 credits per month instead.

Microsoft notes that all AI features in Notepad can be disabled in the app's settings, and obviously, they won't be available if you use a local account instead of a Microsoft Account.

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[–] Bezier@suppo.fi 52 points 7 hours ago (3 children)

"Barely maintained"

Notepad was a very simple application. Did it even need more effoet put into it? Looks more like they fixed what was not broken.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 2 points 8 minutes ago

It was definitely lacking in core areas. Large files, better search, possibly spell check (and why isn't spell check core Windows functionality?). It also could have used better handling for non-Windows text files. But overall, yes, this wasn't a program that needed a dedicated team to manage or improve.

[–] taxet_@sopuli.xyz 10 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

This. It needed absolutely nothing added to it. You could write text files, what more did anyone ever need from it? The app was done. It was ready.

This is a concept that is not even in the vocabulary of IT companies these days and I can understand it for complex systems that have dependencies up the wazoo but notepad was just a notepad and that was good enough.

[–] dfyx@lemmy.helios42.de 6 points 4 hours ago

There were a few things that it eventually got but lacked for way too long like support for UNIX line endings.

[–] gjoel@programming.dev 16 points 7 hours ago

I like dark mode and tabs. Now I actually use it a lot more. I don't like adding a gibberish generator...

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 7 points 5 hours ago

And how much slower is it to launch and use?

[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 23 points 7 hours ago (2 children)
[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 12 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

I shall take a peek. I don't plan on upgrading to W11 so notepad won't even be a thing anymore anyways.

[–] Turret3857@infosec.pub 2 points 6 hours ago

KWrite is what you want

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 2 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Oh wait, if you are not familiar with Vim or Neovim, then this won't be for you probably. It works completely different compared to a regular text editor and is somewhat complicated and for terminal. There are benefits to it why that is, but just so you know its not a "normal" editor. This is just a warning. :D

In example the keys h, j, k, l are used to move the cursor in the editor and every key is a special command basically. You have to switch into editing mode to type in text.

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 2 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

I tried vi in college and still haven't been able to exit. (exaggeration, of course, but dear god, that made Notepad seem user friendly) When in Linux, I tend to use Kate and nano.

[–] beezkneez@beehaw.org 1 points 2 hours ago

Yeah, you kinda need to know this before opening it. I was first introduced to vim in a uni course, so it was written out in the assignment text. But with emacs I had to throw the comouter away.

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 1 points 4 hours ago

Actually Vi is not Vim. Vim is a lot user friendly with its documentation. The question is, what you expect and if you learn it properly. Its not unser unfriendly, its just different. It's like saying GIMP is user unfriendly, because you used Photoshop before and GIMP is not exactly the same.

end of my rant :D

[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I've used vim in the past, normally stuck with nano though. It won't be a big shock with how different it is. My daily driving is current windows so never bothered with much else other than notepad++ but come October I'm formatting all drives in my house to rid myself of anything windows related and starting fresh with some Linux flavor. Most likely ubuntu or mint, haven't settled yet

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 2 points 4 hours ago

I cycled through a number of distros a few years back on my mini HTPC before finally settling on KDE Neon. The amount of customization with panels and such is insane. I started by trying to recreate the Windows experience (which is dead simple) but soon branched out to having multiple panels, which can be autohidden individually. Settings on the left side of the screen, power options on the right (both set to hide), system tray up top, and the task manager at the bottom.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] megopie@beehaw.org 1 points 49 minutes ago (1 children)

I think there is a pretty big difference between an optional plugin and it being built in by default.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 1 points 2 minutes ago

They're both optional. You can turn it off in Notepad.

[–] chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 6 hours ago

I don't use it, but I assume the writes for you was to imitate VS Codes GitHub copilot. While it will suggest code in stuff like scripts, you can absolutely ignore it