Is TextPad going away?

rbspies · Post by **rbspies** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 6:33 am

Like a couple of other posters, I love TextPad's stability, speed, and incredibly well-designed interface. I would never want to trade these for more enhancements or a faster release schedule. Tried UltraEdit a while back; it had some nice features TextPad lacks, but they didn't start to make up for UE's inferior user interface, clunkiness, and lack of stability.

My only concern with the time since last release was the possibility TextPad might not continue as an active product; Helios's post earlier in this thread was just what I needed to read.

I use TextPad for coding, but even more for many other tasks. Can't picture getting by without it.

zridling · Post by **zridling** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:46 am

I use TextPad for coding, but even more for many other tasks.

Same here. Many writers now use text editors to write novels because they eliminate the distraction of formatting and styles, allowing them to focus solely on getting the content down in black and white. Once the content is in plain text, it can dropped into any other app, viz., a word processor or even a blog. While UltraEdit may have a spiffy new icon set, it doesn't match the elegance and simplicity of TextPad's interface.

tacke · Post by **tacke** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:08 pm

The progress is too slow for TextPad. "Today" is necessary to be much faster the developments process to keep in front this tool. For me TextPad are keeping me in windows, instead of Fedora, but maybe not for long time if is continuing to be developed like this. I'm doing all my related text activities in TextPad and I'm finding the best tool. (also used for PHP programming)
So, maybe 'helios', you can let us know about TextPad progress development.
Anyway, congratulation TextPad for what you are!

Drxenos · Post by **Drxenos** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:34 pm

tacke wrote:The progress is too slow for TextPad. "Today" is necessary to be much faster the developments process to keep in front this tool. For me TextPad are keeping me in windows, instead of Fedora, but maybe not for long time if is continuing to be developed like this. I'm doing all my related text activities in TextPad and I'm finding the best tool. (also used for PHP programming)
So, maybe 'helios', you can let us know about TextPad progress development.
Anyway, congratulation TextPad for what you are!

I'm having a hard time understanding what you are trying to say. Is English a second language to you? If so, please try and rephrase your statement. If not, you really need to proof-read before submitting.

paul-white · Post by **paul-white** » Sun May 08, 2005 12:47 pm

helios wrote:I can assure all of our valued customers, that TextPad is most certainly still being developed. It may have been a while since the last upgrade, but all good things come to those who wait.

But for how long do we have to wait?

I've been a user since version 1.32 and have recently decided to use other editors for proper and complete regular expression support, i.e. Multi-Edit and gVim. TextPad has now been un-installed. The trouble is Multi-Edit is expensive to keep updating and is somewhat buggy, well buggier than the authors will admit to. gVim is great and has much capability that I will never understand or use. However, I do need PERL-type regular expressions and some of the extra functions that both Multi-Edit and gVim provide.

An estimate of the release of the next version and what it may contain would be much appreciated although in true Helios-style I doubt that this will happen.

scrumbus · Post by **scrumbus** » Mon May 09, 2005 7:28 pm

I would agree.. I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but I assumed TextPad was more or less not continuing development and bought UltraEdit.

For those who haven't made another purchase yet, I think some timeframe would be appropriate so they can decide whether to wait for a soon to be released forthcoming version or indeed buy something else.

swingheim · Post by **swingheim** » Tue May 10, 2005 3:45 pm

We should push to have the source code released under the LGPL , and make TextPad an open-source program! If he isn't going to make the changes we are asking for/fix the bugs that need fixing, then maybe he should let us do it!

Just a thought.

talleyrand · Post by **talleyrand** » Tue May 10, 2005 4:28 pm

I know nothing about the inner workings of Helios so the following is mostly speculation.

Brief release history for Helios

TextPad 4.5 dropped 21 July 2001
TextPad 4.6 issued 3 Jan 2003
TextPad 4.7.0 released 13 July 2003
TextPad 4.7.1 distributed 29 Aug 2003
TextPad 4.7.2 introduced 5 Nov 2003
Wildedit, a brand new product from Helios, shipped 27 May 2004
TextPad 4.7.3 published 17 June 2004

My assumption is that the next release of TextPad will start a 5.0 branch. It will use the WildEdit/boost regular expression library and implement a host of gee-whiz functionality from the most wanted list. Maybe they're even rewriting the entire thing from scratch to make it easier to meet the growing list of features people desire from their wonderful editor. While personally I don't agree with their business decision to keep their cards held so tightly, I'm also not the one who owns the business.

When can we expect it? The second most popular question. My guess is Q4 of 2005. I sincerely hope the answer is "when it's ready." I understand people's pain and frustration with no apparent redress of issues but think about what they're developing, a text editor. For those of you who make your living writing with it, would you rather have your gracefully aging, rock stable editor or one with the latest features that would make you happy except it keeps crashing and or corrupting your livelihood? For me, I'm far happier with a good and stable product versus one that is rushed out the door just to satiate the clamoring masses. Now, if it's a year from now and there is no progress then I might start looking for a new editor but for the Python, C#, LaTeX, HTML, SQL and general text editing I do a daily basis, TP keeps me happy.

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Tue May 10, 2005 7:45 pm

Nice summary talleyrand, thx. Another possible factor would of course be Microsoft's Windows Longshot... er.. Longhorn. So if that's out at the start of '06, TP's next major some weeks/months before that? Ie. fully 64bit and/or Longhorn ready and so on. Btw, I also know nothing about the inner workings of Helios so the above is 100% pure speculation.

helios · Post by **helios** » Wed May 11, 2005 1:53 pm

Very perceptive of you talleyrand and s_reynisson. Having more
or less hit the nail on the head, I think this is an appropriate
time to bring this thread to a close.

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Is TextPad going away?

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