After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad >===================================================================== ><https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_213332_microsoft-just- >put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.png>
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the
'freemium' model.
TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a
Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered
Rewrite tool.
Notepad has been around for more than 40 years, and throughout that
time, Microsoft made simple software free, but that time has now come
to an end, or at least if you want full access to Notepad. ><https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_156651156_microsoft- >just-put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.jpg>
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
The age of Notepad having a paywall has arrived, with the simple
writing software now prompting users to sign into a Microsoft account
to access new tools such as Rewrite, a new feature that uses
artificial intelligence to rewrite highlighted text. Users attempting
to use the new feature will be prompted with a Microsoft account
sign-in page, and if the account doesn't have an active Microsoft 365 >membership, the user will be required to sign up. This is the
paywall.
It should be noted that you can still use Notepad without a Microsoft >account, and users can go as far as removing the Rewrite icon
completely from Notepad. Despite the ability to still use the
software without an account, Microsoft has received some criticism
for implementing what is most definitely a paywall/advertisement for
a built-in piece of Windows software.
This criticism comes after Microsoft slowly started baking in
advertisements for its other services within the Windows 11 operating
system, such as ads for Game Pass within the Settings app, various
ads within the Start Menu, and even File Explorer. As explained by
Windows Central, Microsoft has adopted the "freemium" model for
Notepad, which, for those who don't know, means the initial software
is free to use but has specific features are locked behind paywalls.
From: <https://www.tweaktown.com/news/103367/after-40-years-of-being- >free-microsoft-has-added-paywall-to-notepad/>
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
=====================================================================
<https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_213332_microsoft-just-
put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.png>
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the
'freemium' model.
TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a
Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered
Rewrite tool.
Notepad has been around for more than 40 years, and throughout that
time, Microsoft made simple software free, but that time has now come
to an end, or at least if you want full access to Notepad.
<https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_156651156_microsoft-
just-put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.jpg>
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
The age of Notepad having a paywall has arrived, with the simple
writing software now prompting users to sign into a Microsoft account
to access new tools such as Rewrite, a new feature that uses
artificial intelligence to rewrite highlighted text. Users attempting
to use the new feature will be prompted with a Microsoft account
sign-in page, and if the account doesn't have an active Microsoft 365
membership, the user will be required to sign up. This is the
paywall.
It should be noted that you can still use Notepad without a Microsoft
account, and users can go as far as removing the Rewrite icon
completely from Notepad. Despite the ability to still use the
software without an account, Microsoft has received some criticism
for implementing what is most definitely a paywall/advertisement for
a built-in piece of Windows software.
This criticism comes after Microsoft slowly started baking in
advertisements for its other services within the Windows 11 operating
system, such as ads for Game Pass within the Settings app, various
ads within the Start Menu, and even File Explorer. As explained by
Windows Central, Microsoft has adopted the "freemium" model for
Notepad, which, for those who don't know, means the initial software
is free to use but has specific features are locked behind paywalls.
From: <https://www.tweaktown.com/news/103367/after-40-years-of-being-
free-microsoft-has-added-paywall-to-notepad/>
for text editing, these freewares work superbly:
libre office https://libreoffice.org
notetab lite https://notetab.com/notetab-light
ted notepad https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad ===================================================================== <https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_213332_microsoft-just- put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.png>
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the
'freemium' model.
TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a
Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered
Rewrite tool.
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to
Notepad
=====================================================================
for text editing, these freewares work superbly:
libre office https://libreoffice.org notetab lite
https://notetab.com/notetab-light ted notepad
https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
Ahhh... wonderful news! Microsoft becoming more and more irrelevant
for the desktop every year.
I'm convinced they will eventually make windows free with
surveillance, since no one will want to pay for the crap eventually.
With android, chromebooks, linux, ipads, mac os there's plenty of way
better options out there. I feel as if Microsoft, due to its cloud
focus, is slowly losing their grip on the desktop market! =D
D <nospam@example.net> writes:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to
Notepad
=====================================================================
for text editing, these freewares work superbly:
libre office https://libreoffice.org notetab lite
https://notetab.com/notetab-light ted notepad
https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
Ahhh... wonderful news! Microsoft becoming more and more irrelevant
for the desktop every year.
I'm convinced they will eventually make windows free with
surveillance, since no one will want to pay for the crap eventually.
With android, chromebooks, linux, ipads, mac os there's plenty of way
better options out there. I feel as if Microsoft, due to its cloud
focus, is slowly losing their grip on the desktop market! =D
I don't feel confident that Google doesn't spy on me, or that it is not
cloud focused.
On Wed, 26 Feb 2025, Richmond wrote:
D <nospam@example.net> writes:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall tofor text editing, these freewares work superbly:
Notepad
===================================================================== >>>>
libre office https://libreoffice.org notetab lite
https://notetab.com/notetab-light ted notepad
https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
Ahhh... wonderful news! Microsoft becoming more and more irrelevant
for the desktop every year.
I'm convinced they will eventually make windows free with
surveillance, since no one will want to pay for the crap eventually.
With android, chromebooks, linux, ipads, mac os there's plenty of way
better options out there. I feel as if Microsoft, due to its cloud
focus, is slowly losing their grip on the desktop market! =D
I don't feel confident that Google doesn't spy on me, or that it is not
cloud focused.
Google? The only time I use google is on behalf of one of my
customers, so if they want google to spy on them and their IP, by all
means!
Personally, and in my own company, not a google or microsoft product
as far as the eye can see! =D
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay
It should be noted that you can still use Notepad without a Microsoft >account, and users can go as far as removing the Rewrite icon
completely from Notepad.
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad =====================================================================
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad ===================================================================== <https://static.tweaktown.com/news/1/0/103367_213332_microsoft-just- put-this-controversial-notepad-feature-behind-paywall.png>
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay, with the new changes to 40-year-old software adopting the
'freemium' model.
TL;DR: Microsoft has introduced a paywall for Notepad, requiring a
Microsoft 365 subscription to access new features like the AI-powered
Rewrite tool.
D <nospam@example.net> writes:
On Wed, 26 Feb 2025, Richmond wrote:
D <nospam@example.net> writes:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall tofor text editing, these freewares work superbly:
Notepad
===================================================================== >>>>>
libre office https://libreoffice.org notetab lite
https://notetab.com/notetab-light ted notepad
https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
Ahhh... wonderful news! Microsoft becoming more and more irrelevant
for the desktop every year.
I'm convinced they will eventually make windows free with
surveillance, since no one will want to pay for the crap eventually.
With android, chromebooks, linux, ipads, mac os there's plenty of way
better options out there. I feel as if Microsoft, due to its cloud
focus, is slowly losing their grip on the desktop market! =D
I don't feel confident that Google doesn't spy on me, or that it is not
cloud focused.
Google? The only time I use google is on behalf of one of my
customers, so if they want google to spy on them and their IP, by all
means!
Personally, and in my own company, not a google or microsoft product
as far as the eye can see! =D
You listed Chromebooks and Android, now you are saying "Google?".
Chromebooks are very cloud focused I think.
D <nospam@example.net> writes:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver
<bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to
Notepad
=====================================================================
for text editing, these freewares work superbly:
libre office https://libreoffice.org notetab lite
https://notetab.com/notetab-light ted notepad
https://jsimlo.sk/notepad
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025, D wrote:
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:51:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver
<bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote:
After 40 years of being free Microsoft has added a paywall to Notepad
Ahhh... wonderful news! Microsoft becoming more and more irrelevant
for the desktop every year.
I'm convinced they will eventually make windows free with
surveillance, since no one will want to pay for the crap eventually.
With android, chromebooks, linux, ipads, mac os there's plenty of way
better options out there. I feel as if Microsoft, due to its cloud
focus, is slowly losing their grip on the desktop market! =D
Ben Collver <bencollver@tilde.pink> wrote or quoted:
If you want full access to Notepad, Microsoft now requires users to
pay
I've always grokked "Notepad" as bare-bones software that just
has the rock-bottom essentials to qualify as a text editor.
And I've used it for over ten years, which made me even enjoy Windows.
I had to bring together a lot of programs, though. For instance, when
you load ESHELL, you still need various UNIX programs to be comfortable
such as find, cat and so on.
Salvador Mirzo <smirzo@example.com> writes:
And I've used it for over ten years, which made me even enjoy Windows.
I had to bring together a lot of programs, though. For instance, when
you load ESHELL, you still need various UNIX programs to be comfortable
such as find, cat and so on.
I think enjoying Windows is taking it a little too far. But I do enjoy
Emacs, even in Windows, especially since I discovered ORG mode.
For installing Emacs on Windows, in my opinion it's best done now from
MSYS2. They even say this on https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#nonfree
"MSYS2 users can install Emacs (64bits build) with the following:
pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-emacs"
So MSYS2 first for all the command line tools and others. The Konsole terminal is also now available via MSYS2.
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
Wine comes with a notepad app called Wine Notepad. Perhaps it would run
on Windows?
On Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:56:59 +0000, Richmond wrote:
Emacs can be run on Windows too.
Maybe not “run” on Windows, maybe more like “walk”.
Maybe not “walk”, maybe more like “limp” on Windows.
Maybe not “limp”, maybe more like “stumble” on Dimdows.
Maybe not “stumble”, more like “fall down and have difficulty getting up
again” ...
| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 546 |
| Nodes: | 16 (2 / 14) |
| Uptime: | 02:50:03 |
| Calls: | 10,386 |
| Calls today: | 1 |
| Files: | 14,057 |
| Messages: | 6,416,587 |