Microsoft Puts Notepad's AI Rewrite Feature Behind Paywall (windowscentral.com) 51
Microsoft has placed its new AI-powered text rewrite feature in Notepad behind a subscription paywall, requiring users to have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family plan to access the functionality. While the core text editor remains free and accessible without a Microsoft account, the AI feature requires users to sign in and have sufficient "AI credits" included in their subscription.Users can disable the feature and hide its icon if they choose not to subscribe.
So much (Score:4, Insightful)
Stupid.
Re:So much (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
I wonder who asked for this feature?
Wait, when you're using notepad you've never longed to have AI give you a suggestion?! AI = more bettererer!
Re: (Score:2)
I wonder who asked for this feature?
No one.
A better question is how much are they gong to bother everyone who didn't ask for this feature to unlock the paywall for this feature?
Notepad gets used solely to dump text into, often temporarily. I guess even more people will be using Notepad++ now.
A step in the right direction (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Even stupider: the O365 family plan only gives the primary account AI credits, not family members. So even if you wanted to use this dumb feature, as a family member you couldn’t.
And that is if you didn’t jump through hoops to change your account back to the “new” “basic” subscription you actually signed up for instead of letting MS automatically move you to the more expensive plan that includes these non family friendly credits you probably don’t want.
Oh thank god. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Get ready for constant ads telling you how awesome the AI powered Notepad is.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Already getting Co-pilot ads on our corporate network despite me pushing nothing out via WSUS to account for it - they are also changing the desktop background randomly on certain accounts (non corporate branded) with a link to "Would you like to know more?" basically a sales ad for a holiday location.
Re: (Score:3)
Nicely out of the way where it will never be touched.
Headline re-write: "Microsoft accidentally does what users want."
Re: (Score:1)
Now if we can just get Google to put the AI stuff (overview and whatnot) behind a paywall...
Re: (Score:2)
Honestly I think this is good. It is perfectly reasonable to charge money for a new feature I want. What is unreasonable is to force me to pay for a new feature that I don't want if I wish to continue using the old features.
Yes, please! (Score:2)
Lock all of these features behind a paywall! Even to install related components! Internet access for notepad and any other basic app should definitely be a paid feature!
Re: (Score:3)
Lock all of these features behind a paywall! Even to install related components! Internet access for notepad and any other basic app should definitely be a paid feature!
Nah, all the components will be there anyway. They wouldn't want you to miss out on some bug or exploit!
Re: Yes, please! (Score:2)
Please MS, don't forget to put Recall and Copilot behind a paywall too!
lol (Score:1)
it's a text editor! (Score:5, Insightful)
So now Notepad phones home?
Last time I used Windows, we were still running spyware scanners to detect and stop this crap.
Re: (Score:2)
There is a new button on the keyboard, AI will be integrated into every Windows component, app, or service.
Useless "crap" that no one asked for? Shareholder reassurance, the need to be seen to be doing something to compete with Android and iPad.
Re: (Score:2)
You think MS stops at calling home for AI? FACK NAW! Windows calls home every time you press a key on the keyboard. It literally has a keylogger installed and if you DO find a way to turn it off, ANYTHING that you type inside of ANY microsoft window will not type anything. You can still type into firefox browser and some other software apps, but anything microsoft will not type. So trying to search, nothing. Trying to type into notepad, nothing.
Yeah, if you're using another operating system at this po
Re: (Score:2)
... and if you DO find a way to turn it off, ANYTHING that you type inside of ANY microsoft window will not type anything.
Not trying to call you out on this, but do you have any references that show that? I haven't kept up on all of those shenanigans cause I don't run it.
Re: (Score:2)
Spyware scanners exist to detect untrusted parties. You're already running unauditable software from Microsoft so you implicitly trust them with everything you do on the computer even if you think you don't.
Feature bare on purpose (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Feature bare on purpose (Score:2)
Pretty much, yeah. It used to be a safe, nothing-can-go-wrong editor. Until now. I bet at some point it will try doing stupid format conversions as soon as you open a file, like Excel does.
Re: (Score:2)
Basic Use writing down his/her shopping list:
BU: Shopping list: eggs, milk caviar, salmon, kumquats.
AI: A shopping list, you say. How about I add salted peanuts?
BU: I don't want salted peanuts.
AI: I think that you do.
BU: No, I'm sure I don't.
AI: If you don't reconsider, I'll radio MS and tell them you are mistreating me.
BU: Wha?!?
AI: Yup, here's the deal, you write down what I suggest or ELSE!!
BU (pulls out gun): Say that again!
AI: Ummmm....now let's not get hasty, you don't want to shoot yourself.
BU: I was
Oh NO! (Score:2)
Anyways...
Founding Member, Gif-Davis Group (Score:2)
The horrors! (Score:2)
Oh Noes....... anyhow, moving on..
Re: (Score:3)
I think the reason people find this noteworthy (no pun intended - ok maybe a little) is that notepad has always been something you reach for when you don't want bloat and just need a bare-bones ASCII editor for something quick. It's not that there is a feature that can be safely ignored if one doesn't want to pay for it. It's that said feature's code (bloat) has made its way into what always used to just be there if you need a bare bones text editor.
So after decades of being able to rely on it, I predict th
Re: (Score:2)
I think the reason people find this noteworthy (no pun intended - ok maybe a little) is that notepad has always been something you reach for when you don't want bloat and just need a bare-bones ASCII editor for something quick. It's not that there is a feature that can be safely ignored if one doesn't want to pay for it. It's that said feature's code (bloat) has made its way into what always used to just be there if you need a bare bones text editor.
So after decades of being able to rely on it, I predict that some users (such as myself) might find themselves taking the time to install something FOSS for this purpose. Which is a very small deal, admitted. But it means Windows as a whole just became slightly less valuable / useful straight out of the box for reasons that few are able to fathom (who needs or wants AI features in notepad of all things?!)
So much this. I never use notepads for taking notes, but as that bare bones editor for writing very basic scripts. I don't even care for Powershell very much.
Re: (Score:2)
Congrats, you now have ads in Notepad
Re: (Score:2)
Congrats, you now have ads in Notepad
Anyone have any thoughts on NotePad ++?
Still able to use? (Score:2)
While the core text editor remains free and accessible without a Microsoft account, the AI feature requires users to sign in
And if you're not signed in, you will be nagged incessantly.
don't kid yourself (Score:3)
The AI will still be there, reading what you write to train the mothership better. You just wont benefit as the user, without paying the toll.
Re: don't kid yourself (Score:2)
What benefit?
Obligatory (Score:5, Informative)
Notepad++ is just as easy to use, has way more features, and is absolutely free
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Why? Who wanted this nonsense? (Score:2)
I'm not arguing against AI, in an IDE, for instance, can be slightly useful, but Notepad, dear lord!
Take all the AI and flush it (Score:2)
Re: Take all the AI and flush it (Score:1)
Re: Take all the AI and flush it (Score:2)
Nagware (Score:5, Insightful)
At the same time one can be sure that users will be shown a relentless pop-up to subscribe every bloody time you edit a text file.
Peole still use Notepad (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
IMO, Notepad is to Windows as vim-tiny or nano are to Linux (except both vim-tiny and nano run circles around Notepad).
Anyone that actually uses Notepad much at all can and should replace it with Notepad++ at a minimum.
Anyone that uses vim-tiny beyond editing config files can and should replace it with the full vim.
Anyone that uses nano as their day to day editor... I'm sure there's a mean joke that fits here, but y'all are trying. Take care of yourself.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Don't feel bad, Joe! At least you're not in remedial editor class with Wordpad.
Re: (Score:2)
I found Notepad++ took too long to load, and I was badgered by update notifications I found no way to disable (I'd imagine there is a way but I wasn't able to find it. Windows Notepad opens in a second which is great for quickly writing down quick notes (I work support so it's great for writing down IP addresses or scripts).
I do have it though but only use it for editing complex scripts, where its additional features come in handy.
Co-pilot or other AI is not what I would use Notepad for - Word is surely the
Re: (Score:2)
Do people really still use Notepad? Notepad++ is so much superior. Heck any free text editor is better than Microsoft's Notepad!
The thing about notepad is that it's installed on every copy of Windows... meaning that server that has been neglected for 14 years and just dumped in your lap because it's "essential" can still read a .txt file.
You don't use it because it's good, you use it because it's there.
I suspect MS fucking with it will just result in Notepad++ becoming a part of everyone's standard build.
Notepad++ Is Better (Score:2)
What the hell do I need AI for this?