May 5, 2026
Ctrl+C the code, not the name
Clarification on the Notepad++ Trademark Issue
Notepad++ wins the name fight as fans clap back at the hate
TLDR: The Notepad++ naming dispute is over after the other project removed the brand from its product and website. Commenters mostly backed the creator, arguing he has every right to protect the name, while others warned that attacking free software makers is exactly how communities drive them away.
The Notepad++ name drama is officially cooling down, but the comment section absolutely had its moment. The project’s creator, Don Ho, says the trademark fight is over because the other project removed the Notepad++ name from its app, site, and materials. Translation for non-lawyers: people can still build their own versions from the code, but they can’t slap the famous name on it and make it look official. Ho stressed he’s fine with forks and ports of the software, even on Mac, but drew a hard line at letting outside projects borrow the brand.
And wow, the crowd had thoughts. The loudest reaction was basically: protect your name or lose it. Several commenters were shocked this wasn’t spelled out even more bluntly, with users like s0ss and EvanAnderson jumping in to say trademark owners often have to defend their name or risk it becoming meaningless. Others took the emotional route, saying the backlash against Ho was exactly the kind of behavior that burns out open-source creators who give away their work for free. That angle got especially fiery, with one commenter calling the attacks on him "disgusting."
The funniest response? A wildly dramatic Halloween metaphor about someone putting out candy and another person running off with the whole bowl screaming. Subtle? Not even a little. But that was the mood: lots of sympathy for the creator, lots of side-eye at the name-copying, and a very online mix of legal hot takes, moral outrage, and meme-worthy imagery.
Key Points
- •Notepad++ says the trademark infringement issue has been resolved.
- •The external project's author removed all uses of the Notepad++ trademark from the product, website, and related materials.
- •Don Ho says he supports ports and forks of the Notepad++ code base under the GPL.
- •The post distinguishes open-source code reuse from endorsement or authorization to use the Notepad++ trademark.
- •Ho says unauthorized use of the Notepad++ name could expose users to malware risks and could damage the project's reputation if external projects have maintenance or security problems.