Thank you for resuming TextPad development. TextPad is my favorite text editor. I've tried scores of others, but TextPad remains the best one for me.
I'm happy to hear that v5.00 is the first of a series of releases. I can hardly wait for the new and improved features.
Some recent comments show frustration that TextPad's v5 new features are not the high priority ones many users wanted. I hope Helios realizes these people are upset because of how much they like using TextPad. But because TextPad lacks a few features they need, they can't use it as often as they'd like.
It would be great if Helios would post a roadmap of features planned for the v5 series of releases.
Once again, thanks for resuming TextPad development. It's a great text editor that is much appreciated by it's users.
I've just tried v5.0, with some trepidation after reading the bug reports etc here, and I'm pleasantly suprised. I'm sure I'll start tripping over bugs soon enough, but I'm very pleased with the new dockable tool output window. I've figured out how to get the tool output to point to source lines/cols using the regexp, and it all seems to work pretty well.
I'm so pleased, as that was the main thing holding me to Jedit rather than Textpad, for most of my development. There's a way to go yet, but it's a good start.
I can see you have no idea ho strong Delphi (object pascal) community is. And with new, just released Delphi 2007 (vista compatible) it will be even stronger.
My favorite file manager (Total Commander) is written in Delphi.
Skype /for Windows/ is written in Delphi.
Spybot - Delphi again...
I'd like to add my voice to the growing list of people who are severely disappointed with this 5.0 release. After waiting for so many years, I was *really* looking forward to the next release. I desperately want editable macros. A search function that works like that of Firefox--starts searching as soon as you type characters to search for--would also be good. The search function is not a big deal, but the current lack of editable macros is a major inconvenience for me.
Having said that, I think the major problem here is a lack of communication on behalf of Helios. This policy of saying *nothing* is very annoying, and indefensible. Keeping people informed costs nothing, and generates a lot of good will. At the very least, there should be a list of enhancements that are being worked on. At least people would know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Communication, or lack of it, is also responsible for the current debacle. This is clearly an incremental increase in functionality, in preparation for more useful/comprehensive enhancements later. This should have been clearly stated upfront. We should have been told that this release (which should have been 4.8 ) is an interim measure--a beta really. It would also have been nice to know *why* we were receiving this interim release.
Helios has sold its users short. It has taken an arrogant approach that we will be told what we need to know, which is not much, and nothing further. Textpad is a *great* product, and I use it daily, but Helios's attitude to its users is extremely disappointing. Helios has a loyal band of users who most probably would understand the pressures of software development, and who have been waiting for enhanced functionality for an inordinate time. We deserve better than the high-handed way we've been treated. I also am one who thought that development was dead; at least I can be pleased that *something* is happening.
a minor UI brushup? don't say you took all of 2.5 years for that. it's not even a rewrite. you added some eye-candy and easy to implement features that aren't at the top of anybody's wishlist. and it's buggy, which translates to "useless", which translates to "doesn't exist" for all practical purposes. calling that a 5.0 has cost and will continue to cost you users.
textpad 4.7.3 being stable and lean only carries you so far. the features of 4.7.3 aren't "the best" like everyone claims. they just happen to fit the usage pattern of many people that haven't seen what amazing features some other editors have been offering for decades.
dangit! at least make it easier for users to extend TextPad more fundamentally, so users can develop the features they like and you can concentrate on core functionality.
if you want your user base to stay sympathetic to the stuff you're releasing as "5.0", i suggest you start showing us that there are breathing humans behind this. we want background. we don't wanna be left out. acknowledge that. you have a fan base you shouldn't dismiss.
I have always used TextPad for productive work. Like many people here, I have several licenses. The problem is TP5 is demonstrably a beta version and I just don't have the time to do beta testing with its concomitant responsibility to write and submit bug reports. I also don't have the time to make weekly visits to yet another web site to check for product updates. Many good products these days often push update notifications to a registered user base. What's Helios doing? Is anyone from Helios listening? Several people have noted the complete and utter *silence* emanating from Helios. This is the way to treat loyal customers? I have to get work done and I am not now going to stay blindly loyal and simply switch back to v4.7.3. No way. Helios has messed this up badly enough to make me want to take a serious look at a competing editor to which I've switched for now.
