IMHO the '++' still looks so... dishonest? Maybe that's not the right word. I mean, it would be fitting if it were a modern version of something called "Nextpad" (which it isn't).

No, ++ isnt a thing owned by anyone and let's not let our feelings for notepad++ color our minds to try and force it into an ownership thing.

They definitely risk losing a formal lawsuit over similarity of purpose & field with explicit intent to confuse those seeking the original marked product, assuming the mark holder pursues that claim. I sure hope they do.