If you use the formatting bar to format text, it unlocks the View→Markdown menu which has two options - Markdown or Syntax. This allows you to toggle seeing the source or formatted markdown.

If you do not use the formatting bar to format text, markdown is not enabled. I manually typed in text in markdown format and the menu didn’t un-grey.

You can go into the app settings and turn off formatting, which will hide the formatting toolbar.

I think you really have to work hard to be offended by this.

Additionally, for those Notepad Purists™ who are offended by any features being added… Tabs are handy. And having it auto-save drafts and auto-open them is also handy - for me. Maybe you don’t like that, but you can disable the auto-save in settings. Can’t turn off tabs, but you can set it to open in new windows, so pretty close to disabling that.

If this is what drives you over the edge to use Linux… okay, bud, have it your way - and I’m a Linux enthusiast, so I’m all for it. But being pissed off by something you have to specifically enable seems a bit silly to me. It’s the hallmark of fascism - “Other people have the right to exist! FUCK THAT!” - a little hyperbolic, but the principle is vaguely the same. :P (And what’s the internet without hyperbole? :) )