The guy who built Windows Task Manager in 1996 just remade it with a cyberpunk vibe — but there’s one big issue for PC users

Fellow Canadian Dave W. Plummer is a legendary programmer who created some of Microsoft’s most recognizable (and lasting) software.

Not only did he create ZIP file support for Windows and get Space Cadet Pinball running on Windows NT, but he also created Windows Task Manager. As the story goes, Plummer began working on Task Manager at home before bringing it into Microsoft. It began shipping on Windows PCs in 1996, and the rest is history.

Well, sort of.

Plummer has been a regular figure on social media and YouTube (check out Dave’s Garage) for years, and I particularly enjoy his stories and insights regarding the early days of Microsoft and Windows.

Earlier this year, Plummer shared a mockup of what Task Manager would probably look like if he’d never left Microsoft in 2003 to start his own software company.

The example was bathed in neon lighting for a definitive cyberpunk vibe, and of course it was accompanied by a hard-hitting synthwave soundtrack.

It’s been about six months since Plummer showed off the concept, and he’s now returned with a working version of what he calls « Task Manager OG, » or TMOG for short.

It’s not quite as cyberpunk as the original idea. The neon lighting is still there, but it’s toned down, and the synthwave soundtrack seems to have been replaced with classic rock tunes.

Plummer explains that he created TMOG to have « the clarity of Activity Monitor » from macOS with « the depth of Task Manager » from Windows. The software has all the main information about CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, temps, etc. up front, with much deeper diagnostics sitting just below.

Perhaps the best part is that Plummer says his OG version of Task Manager is « half the size of the Windows Task Manager.« 

Here’s the rub. Plummer’s Task Manager OG is, for now, only available on macOS. But as Plummer states, « Windows support will follow shortly. » That’s a bit of a bummer because I wanted to test it out myself; alas, I’m fresh out of Macs in my office.

Plummer has a full website set up for TMOG, where you can download the beta for free (currently for macOS only). The upcoming Windows version of TMOG is listed as native Win32, with no browser shell required.

There’s another Task Manager alternative I’ve been enjoying

While I wait patiently to test out Plummer’s Task Manager OG on Windows, I should remind readers that earlier this year I made the switch to AppControl.

It’s a Windows 11 Task Manager alternative that I found quite capable, and I went so far as to say that AppControl is what the stock Windows 11 Task Manager should have been all along.

AppControl is available to download for free directly from the official website. It doesn’t require any registration to use, and it’s stated that the app collects « little to no data by default. »

What do you think about the cyberpunk-esque look of Plummer’s Task Manager OG? Is it something you’ll try out on your Windows PC once it’s available? Will you test it out on your Mac first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

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