A text editor is something I use more than anything else on my computer, so having one I like is fairly important. I frequently switch between writing articles, tweaking HTML code, and filtering information I gather into organized chunks all from some kind of text entry interface. Choosing a notepad that meets your personal needs is a serious commitment, because once you've accepted the quirks of your text editor, it's tough to switch to a new one even if you know there might be something better. Readers suggested a total of 92 solutions in this category.
Reader's Choice: Notepad++ tops the reader's picks in the text editor category with 25% of reader votes. In addition to handling basic text Notepad++ does an excellent job of marking up code for easy reading, it supports built-in macros, you can define your own markup rules, and it also makes a handy tool for creating ascii art. If you're into writing regular expressions for search and replace, this is very likely the ultimate notepad alternative for you.
2) Notepad, the text editor included with Windows placed second with 15% of reader votes. Notepad is bare bones and simple providing a solution that's really nothing but text. I contend that most people who use notepad stick with it simply because they've never tried anything else. If you prefer opening separate text files in multiple windows, rather than aggregating your files in several tabs in the same window, notepad remains a reliable and familiar solution.
3) EditPad Lite places third in reader rankings, receiving 10% of total votes. Like other third-party apps in this category EditPad Lite allows you to open as many files at a time as you want, with no file size limit. It features a strong search and replace across all open files, making it convenient to update many file simultaneously.
4) OpenOffice received 8% of reader votes, although it is much more than a text editor. Containing a full-fledged word processing solution, spreadsheet application, PowerPoint alternative, diagram maker, and database application, OpenOffice is ultimately meant to be a free alternative to everything in the Microsoft Office suite of applications.
A total of 87 other applications were submitted by readers. 3% of readers indicated they did not have a favorite free text editor, which might mean they use notepad or Word, or maybe some really don't need to enter text.
