Original Windows Task Manager creator releases AI-coded cross-platform successor

Dave Plummer's 'vibe coding' experiment yields a faster, more customizable app for Windows, Mac, and Linux

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By LineZotpaper

Published24 August 2026

Read Time3 min

Dave Plummer, the former Microsoft engineer who wrote the original Windows Task Manager in 1996, has released a new version for Windows, Mac, and Linux — built largely by artificial intelligence. The project began as an experiment to test whether AI-assisted 'vibe coding' could produce production-quality software. The result is a more feature-rich, efficient, and highly customizable task manager that Plummer says proves AI's potential depends heavily on careful specification and rigorous testing.

Dave Plummer has returned to his most famous creation — but this time, the code was written as much by a machine as by him. The new Task Manager, available now as a beta for Windows, macOS, and Linux, started life as a 107-page specification that Plummer fed to Fable, an AI coding platform. After a three-and-a-half-hour first pass, the first iteration of the application was produced.

"I picked Task Manager as a simpler target to see how ready AI is for primetime… or if it would just degrade to slop," Plummer told The Register. "And it turns out it depends on what you ask for, largely! And what you test and instrument. It's like having a very ambitious and precocious intern, but like the classic genie in the bottle, be careful what you wish for."

The new version goes far beyond the original's bare-bones process-killing functionality. It offers deep system insight similar to today's Windows Task Manager, but with more metrics and drilling capabilities. Visually, it evokes 1990s media player skins — Plummer deliberately styled it after his Pioneer RT-909 reel-to-reel tape deck. Users can switch fonts, themes, and even adjust a bloom-and-saturation slider that goes up to 11.

Rather than taking the common Electron route for cross-platform apps, Plummer opted for native UI on each platform: Swift on macOS, Direct2D/DirectComposition on Windows, and Qt on Linux. "It's more work," he said, "but worth it in a task manager or something that has to have game-like response times." The performance payoff is evident: the Windows version is roughly half the size of Microsoft's built-in Task Manager and uses half the RAM.

The code is currently proprietary, with a paid Pro version planned that will add more features. Plummer has not set a price yet, and there may be additional beta releases before the final launch.

While Plummer insists the project was never intended as a challenge to Microsoft, the new app's superiority in several areas — more features, better performance, higher customization — inevitably invites comparisons. For developers and power users, it demonstrates what can be achieved when AI is paired with clear requirements and domain expertise.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Shows AI can produce functional, cross-platform desktop applications when given precise specifications and iterative testing — but results vary wildly with prompt quality.
Demonstrates a viable alternative to Electron for cross-platform development, using native UI code for better performance, which could influence how developers approach future multi-platform apps.
Puts subtle competitive pressure on Microsoft by offering a Task Manager that is both more capable and more efficient — even if that wasn't Plummer's goal.

Background

Dave Plummer wrote the original Windows Task Manager in 1996 as a side project while at Microsoft. It became a staple utility for generations of Windows users. In recent years, AI-assisted coding — often called 'vibe coding' — has emerged as a controversial trend, with early enthusiasts declaring it a productivity revolution while skeptics warn of quality and security pitfalls. Plummer's experiment is one of the most visible tests of whether AI can produce a real-world tool that outperforms its traditionally coded predecessor.

Key Perspectives

[Dave Plummer / Developer]: Sees AI as a powerful assistant that amplifies human intent — but warns that vague prompts produce unreliable results. He emphasizes that AI coding is "like having a very ambitious intern" that requires constant supervision and clear direction. [Skeptics of AI coding]: May point out that Plummer's specification was 107 pages long, suggesting the process required significant human effort upfront. Critics might argue that while AI can accelerate development of well-defined tools, it struggles with novel or ambiguous tasks. [Open-source advocates]: The proprietary nature of the new Task Manager may draw criticism. Some will note that while the app is impressive, its code is not available for community review or contribution, limiting its long-term value.

What to Watch

Release timeline and pricing for the Pro version — will it undercut or match Microsoft's ecosystem?
How the broader developer community reacts: will other legacy utility authors follow Plummer's lead and attempt AI-assisted rewrites?
Microsoft's response — whether Redmond acknowledges the project or makes improvements to its own Task Manager.

Sources

I picked Task Manager 'to see how ready AI is for primetime… or if it would just degrade to slop' – OG dev talks to The Reg — www.theregister.com - Articles