I have things I need to do. If Linux cannot help me do them then in what way is it a widely suitable mass operating system as proponents are constantly claiming instead of merely a hobby tool that can do a very limited range of things.

Notice other than games I’m fond of I haven’t demanded compatibility of specifics. I’ve presented problems (ex. I own an iPhone, I’m happy with it, I’m not changing it, I can either work around it with Windows via a VM a few times a year or I can’t).

For my ask about Notepad++ I’m looking for features I use commonly. If a text editor doesn’t have them all I might be able to get along but this is trimmed down list. Fact is I don’t like the idea of having to have a dozen different pieces of software when I used to be able to use just one. Who would?

I’ve searched extensively for replacements for many of my programs and these are about the last of the hold-outs. Don’t want to give advice based on personal experience? Then don’t. Want to tell me that Linux can’t do these things for me? Then do so in a straight-forward manner.

Frankly answers like yours that are just a brush-off don’t help. People say it’s okay to switch to Linux because the community is helpful, that they will help you when you have problems.

So my problem is whether to switch and people like you think I’m a lost cause. You talk about workflows. I’m talking about tools, software, programs. As in replacements and equivalents. I’m okay with replacing some of my NPP workflow with another program, I’d like if something existed that did it all which is why I ask, to source knowledge from those who have experience and may know off the top of their head an option.

You are telling me and everyone else watching this post that it’s TOO MUCH for Linux to ask to be able to play a handful of games, to do some simple text manipulation tasks that one program in Windows can handle, to find a GUI wrapper for a freely usable open source mass adopted program like FFmpeg and to find a powerful renamer that’s GUI driven. Because that’s all I’ve really asked. The rest at the end is just opinions and context about my previous experiences and how I use a computer.

Thank you for the education on linux executables.