The text-mode client for Windows is compiled using a Unix porting library. When Citadel calls the editor, it expects that the editor will exit when the user is done with it. This is the case for console-mode editors. However, if you try to call a GUI-based editor (such as Notepad), it will return control to Citadel immediately upon starting the program, and Citadel will think that the user entered a blank message. Try using a console-mode editor (such as EDIT or Pico).