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For the first time in 40 years, Windows will ship without built-in word processor (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Thus ending our long national nightmare of accidentally opening things in WordPad on a fresh install.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So, I've been mulling this over. I know Microsoft Word web version is free and I suppose that's their replacement, but it needs to be more accessible if that's the case. Like, for my very Average Mom who buys a laptop, she actually was using Wordpad for years until I got her onto my M365 family plan because it was a built in program and she knows how to navigate the Start menu and open programs.

Assuming a parallel universe where she didn't have access to desktop Word, how does she know Microsoft Word Online is available to her? Is there a shortcut on the desktop, or directly from Edge? Should there be a start menu icon which opens it up directly? Has Microsoft considered this? I would hope they have.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Very valid points. I forgot WordPad existed and I use Notepad way more than I've ever used WordPad. But many people still havent really used computers much in depth beyond specific things they've been shown.

I know I could just use Google Docs or throw LibreOffice in there, but many people now in retirement age have still managed to dodge learning much about computers.

If you deliver a new computer that can't type a letter, send an email, and play YouTube out of the box, that seems like a fail. And I feel many that won't know what do do without something like WordPad also may not have an Internet connection, nor should they have to if they just need a presentable looking doc.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Most of my text files are from Unix/Linux systems, because I don't work much on Windows. So Wordpad is more important than Notepad for me, because the latter one does not handle end-of-lines correctly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Handing it to LibreOffice or Abiword I guess. Or for cloud fans, Google Docs. I don't think anyone is going to go without a word processor because of this.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Tbf I haven't used wordpad for a very long time. If ever.

I avoid it because if I'm editing a text file wordpad would just mess it up.

Maybe if it's an rtf file I need wordpad.

But word is available.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

But word is available.

Not for me. It's just too expensive for a task that I very rarely need and there are good free alternatives (like Wordpad - though that's not the one I use personally).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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