The Notepad++ trademark infringement issue has been resolved after the unauthorized project removed all references to the trademark. Don Ho, the original author, clarified his position following user inquiries about the dispute. The resolution maintains the integrity of the Notepad++ brand while allowing community development under proper guidelines.

Don Ho emphasized that ports and forks of Notepad++ code are welcome as the project operates under GPL licensing. However, using the official "Notepad++" name requires endorsement that he cannot provide. This distinction protects users from potential security risks in unverified projects while supporting the open-source nature of the codebase.

The trademark policy addresses critical concerns about potential backdoors or malware in unofficial distributions. Don Ho cannot take responsibility for long-term maintenance of external projects, which could damage Notepad++'s reputation through crashes or vulnerabilities. The policy allows community innovation while maintaining brand trust and user safety.