For the first time in a long while, I am working in a role where I don’t have a computer that is “mine” and on which I can install whatever software I want to get the job done. Fortunately, the implementation of roaming profiles has moved on a long way, which makes switching from one machine to another much smoother. Almost everything I need to do in my present job can be done with standard software. However, I am making use of a text file to keep running notes. The modern version of Notepad works okay but I would rather be using Vim or gVim. What is available though is Notepad++, an intermediate editor with features to appeal to those who spot ++ as a programming reference, so I have been experimenting to see what it can do.

For my own preferences, it still falls a bit short of Vim and I don’t think I will be installing it at home (certainly not after the “behave mswin” revelation earlier this week) but it does seem like an upgrade to the basic Notepad given that I can’t install Vim at work. For example, it handles indenting more like a programming tool, making it quicker to organise the way the information is structured on the page. It also has several novel features, like being able to edit several sections of the document at once (eg. ‘column editing’) and highlights to show both unsaved and saved changes since the file was opened.

For someone who is only used to the regular Notepad text editor, I think this one deserves its plus plus.