back to article Notepad++ website sent to China's naughty step after 'Stand with Hong Kong' software update

The download page for veteran code wrangler Notepad++ has apparently been blocked by Chinese authorities after its website posted a message in support of those opposing China's so-called national security law. The message appeared alongside a mid-July "Stand with Hong Kong" release of the editor and, according to the outfit's …

  1. Matthew "The Worst Writer on the Internet" Saroff
    Thumb Up

    On the Bright Side

    It's just about certain that some group of suits are not going to buy them out, because China will be pissed off for years.

  2. Forget It
    Thumb Up

    Notepad ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    plus plus plus !

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    He's a little more corageous....

    ... than those thinking renaming blacklists to blocklists will change the world...

  4. Magani
    FAIL

    Once again...

    ... the local bully has thrown its toys out of the pram. What a pathetic excuse for a government.

    More power to Notepad++.

  5. Cederic Silver badge

    Notepad++ is not great

    It's good, but it's not great. I use it because I'm too cheap to pay for a text editor.

    Visual Studio Code however.. "VS Code automatically sends telemetry data and crash dumps to help us improve the product."

    Yeah, I want Microsoft reading the dodgy erotica I write in a text editor. How about no.

    1. Michael Habel

      Re: Notepad++ is not great

      Why the hell would you pay for a text editor, when you have vi, or yeah vim? there is also nano, and midnight commander. the latter of which I gather also has a windows version.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Naughty text editors

    It's okay, the Chinese still have their own (Android based) text editor they can use:

    431be807c1913fbdeef2b8cac5f5dfd5

    (Works with LUA++, just like the FOTA rootkit)

  7. oldtaku Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Good for Notepad++

    And since it's free, he can afford to say Eff You to the biggest market in the world when that biggest market is an oppressive dictatorship.

    I just sent him $20 as a donation, from the website. I've donated before, but I've also gotten way more than $20 worth out of it.

    He should probably watch out for 'anonymous' hackers, though.

    1. RM Myers
      Thumb Up

      Re: Good for Notepad++

      I haven't used notepad++ since I retired (had it on my work machine). I don't really need it now, but I might just download and drop in a donation for old time sake..I really did like the program, and the article does make me feel guilty for not donating previously.

  8. Ken Y-N
    Big Brother

    Notepad++

    Voted "Doubleplusungood" by the CCP.

  9. Rockets

    Not Just A Developers Tool

    I'm a networking guy and I've used Notepad++ for years mainly because it's such a better text editor than anything included in Windows and with some plugins like compare & custom language files for things like Cisco IOS. It's a great tool and one of the first things I load on a fresh install of Windows.

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: Not Just A Developers Tool

      Agree. I worked in telecoms and it was the go to Editor for modifying scripts.

    2. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

      Re: Not Just A Developers Tool

      Its good for just checking files, the ability to show hidden special characters like next line is useful to ensure files are how you expect.

    3. Primus Secundus Tertius

      Re: Not Just A Developers Tool

      I find notepad++ is useful for so-called "plain" text, which comes in many varieties: ANSI, UTF8, UTF16-big-end, to mention just a few.

      Sometimes it is easier to handle word processor files than "plain" text.

    4. AnAnonymousCanuck
      Thumb Up

      Re: Not Just A Developers Tool

      Us UNIX guys use it to code Powershell when we have to. The best part is he will make more money than he has in a long time .

      Just Another Anonymous Canuck

    5. J. Cook Silver badge
      Go

      Re: Not Just A Developers Tool

      Notepad ++ is part of our standard server build; our system admins love it. (this infrastructure admin does as well; I need to see if we can arrange a corporate donation or something...)

  10. seven of five

    Column editing

    Did anyone already mention you can also edit by column instead of by line? Makes it a weapon of choice for preparing shell commands as well. You know, for all these things a "proper script" would be overkill. Not saying Overkill is a bad thing. I really like that song. And the Band. :P

    1. oldtaku Silver badge

      Re: Column editing

      Hello from the gutter.

    2. tip pc Silver badge

      Re: Column editing

      Alt select or control select or something like that. Can be far quicker selecting columns than sending to a spreadsheet and fudging in there.

      1. seven of five

        Re: Column editing

        ALT

        1. Spoonsinger
          Unhappy

          Re: Column editing

          In the early nineties you could column edit in Word for Windows. Then "they" removed the feature never for it too return.

    3. Trollslayer
      Thumb Up

      Re: Column editing

      And the plugins - the XML plugin has made life easier for me several times.

    4. J. Cook Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Column editing

      Gods yes. I use the crap out of this feature (and other features) when I'm having to mangle text blocks from raw dumps into something useful, like a CSV format for either mucking about with in a spreadsheet, or feeding it into a powershell script.

  11. BenDwire Silver badge

    The only thing I miss from Windows

    After switching to Linux, I never managed to get Notepad++ to work properly under wine, and had to switch to the native Notepadqq and Visual Studio Code instead. Shame really, as that's something that I miss after using it for more years than I am able to recall ...

    1. pPPPP

      Re: The only thing I miss from Windows

      I find Geany a decent substitute on Linux. But Notepad++ reigns supreme on Windows.

    2. Zippy´s Sausage Factory
      Linux

      Re: The only thing I miss from Windows

      There's a snap available on ubuntu now. If you can hold your nose long enough to install a snap, that is.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Also great features ...

    - It doesn't place any kind of lock on a file

    - In-edit files survive closure/reboots, even if never saved

  13. Michael Habel

    Well you can either respect the laws of your host country... Or GTFO!, and don't tell me that the "Brains" behind Notpad++ can't leave the Middle Kingdom, if they so chose. I mean if we are to belive that in common year +5 now that socialism (i.e. Communisum), is the dogs bollocks. then how can we NOT stand for China? As someone who respects all laws reguadless of how messed up they are. I can only stand with China. Or, with those seeking to incite a civil war with-in her.

    Notpad++ might be a good program, but without either a Linux, or macOS port, its of little intrest to me.

    I do however pray that the Chinese Government will eventually regain control of the region soon.

  14. jbburks

    Stick to editing

    While China is undoubtedly opressing the Uighurs, I would rather my software vendors stick to cranking out excellent code than wading into politics.

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