Alternative Icon
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I have always deeply disliked the newer NPP icon with the lizard on it. A no-nonsense, get-your-work-done text editor is no place for branding, nor text files the place for flashy or colorful icons blending in with other types of rich media. I’m already trained to filter out flashy or colorful/attention-grabbing imagery when looking the content that to a programmer is the real substance of a directory listing. Plus the original shape was more distinctive and meaningful (especially at the sizes used in practial file browser layouts) which counts for more than the unhelpful war over who can use the loudest colors.
So I was very disappointed to see the latest 7.x installer finally dropping the option to “use the old, ugly icon.” That old icon needed some cleanup for higher resolutions and quality, but nevertheless it precisely embodied how I want and expect my text files to look.
Since it is now removed, I decided it was time to do that refresh myself - I’ll undoubtedly be overriding that icon every time there’s an update from now on. I’m no designer, but luckily one needn’t be a designer to get the usability right.
If anyone else is also prefers to keep the original going, that refresh is available at http://honoredsoft.com/notepad++.ico.
And if Don Ho is interested in restoring the alternative icon option using this refresh, he is welcome to do so.
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