The Notepad that knew too much: Humble text editor gets unnecessary AI infusion(theregister.com)
theregister.com
The Notepad that knew too much: Humble text editor gets unnecessary AI infusion
https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/18/got_a_copilot_pc_now/
5 comments
Notepad has always been about simplicity. Adding AI feels like bloat opposed to a feature users were asking for (or would ever want.) Local models are fine, but tying them to Copilot PCs or subscriptions just fragments the user base. If Microsoft wants this to stick, they should make it optional, and stop slowing down the tool people actually rely on.
Notepad had already become a moving target of inconsistency, no longer able to maintain place after scrolling down, nor when toggling Word Wrap or adjusting window size.
Still-changing deviations in expected tab and simple format structure between emerging versions . . .
Up until the last few years you could print any text file saved by any previous verion of Notepad for decades, and have it come out the same.
Nothing of the sort any more.
When the most useful feature of such a successful legacy app is that it never changes :(
I've said it before, technology has come a long way but people used to be more advanced. Especially at things like this.
Looks like they've built an entirely different tool now, and didn't have the guts to let it sink or swim on its own.
Still-changing deviations in expected tab and simple format structure between emerging versions . . .
Up until the last few years you could print any text file saved by any previous verion of Notepad for decades, and have it come out the same.
Nothing of the sort any more.
When the most useful feature of such a successful legacy app is that it never changes :(
I've said it before, technology has come a long way but people used to be more advanced. Especially at things like this.
Looks like they've built an entirely different tool now, and didn't have the guts to let it sink or swim on its own.
AI has been in Notepad since May[0], not sure why the register chose a misleading title for this stub
(28 points, 24 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44074690
(28 points, 24 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44074690
They're not done with us yet.
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