If you must use windows, Notepad++ is the way to go.
- Vi
  
  Clay tablets
  
  GNU Emacs is the same everywhere you go (if you don't mind the TUI)
- ed is better
- VSCode is better than np++ in every way
  
  Startup time. RAM consumption. Privacy.
  
  vscodium fixes the privacy anyway. It’s always open so startup times are no issue for me.
  I still prefer to keep a stripped down, basic text editor though. Ah well, I’m not on windows so no big deal.
  
  vscodium fixes the privacy anyway
  At the cost of some features not working (e.g. Pylance, which is the default Python extension, as well as others by MS).
  
  What do you use instead? Sublime?
  
  For plain text, either nano on CLI or whatever built in basic text editor comes with LMDE.
  Windows I used notepad, from now on I’ll add ++ :)
  
  I guess you're doing it wrong then? Stop parroting memes
  
  I heavily use both and this is objectively untrue.
  
  Those are 2 different use case pieces of software . NP++ is an editor while vscode is an IDE
  
  Clearly this is a controversial statement. I'm team "use what's available and preference tools that get the job done quickly."
  I work in several different languages. VSCode has TreeSitter and a bevy of slick plug-ins. NP++ does not. I can use VSCode on both Windows and Linux. If I've got a desktop environment, I will hands down pick VSCode over NP++ every time.
  Otherwise, let's be real, NeoVim is king.
  
  NP++ was good 20 years ago during a time with much weaker competition and it's been coasting on that good will ever since
  It's OK for a text editor (compared to something totally basic like notepad) but other text editors have caught up in every single category
  like you said, VS Code is now the default go to code editor for a lot of people. if you don't use VS Code, you use vim.
  for non-coding uses, I don't see the functional difference between NP++ or something basic like Gnome's text editor
  
  Completely agreed. At one point, maybe 12 years ago, I remember trying to learn NP++'s macro system. It was better than whatever we had at the time, but I'm glad I didn't spend more time than I had to. Just a couple months ago, a coworker was raving about how great NP++ macros are ... to do a task handily solved by some light regular expressions and/or column edit mode. Both REs and CEM are far more ubiquitous concepts than some bespoke, domain-specific language for defining repetitive tasks.
  
  Install time? Startup time? Useless bloat?

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