Dave W. Plummer, an engineer at Microsoft who created the original Windows Task Manager, has released a new version of his utility called TMOG (Task Manager OG). The application features cross-platform compatibility and runs not only on Windows 11 but also on macOS and Linux. The app's code was written using artificial intelligence — the developer compiled a detailed 107-page technical specification and submitted it to the Claude Code system for processing.
Dave Plummer created the first Task Manager back in the 1990s. The utility made its public debut in Windows NT 4.0 in 1996. The original version of the program occupied just 80 kilobytes, which was necessary to ensure smooth performance on the computers of that era. This latest experiment vividly illustrates how dramatically the approach to software development has changed over three decades.
The impetus for the TMOG project came from personal circumstances. The developer's son was hospitalized with appendicitis, and while waiting at the medical facility, Plummer decided to spend the time coding. He had a new MacBook Air laptop powered by the M5 chip on hand. Initially, the engineer planned to test AI code generation capabilities using the new version of Microsoft Word, but ultimately chose a task he knew down to the finest detail. By the time his son was discharged after the first surgical procedure, a working draft of the application was already up and running. An internal bleeding complication necessitated a second hospitalization, which gave the developer additional time to refine the software.
The first working versions of TMOG were generated on the M5-powered portable device in approximately four and a half hours. According to Dave Plummer, the generated code worked on the first attempt, after which a phase of fine-tuning and optimization began. Among the key features of the new utility, the developer highlights a user interface refresh rate of 60 Hz instead of the once-per-second update typical of the standard Windows Task Manager. TMOG also includes extensive appearance customization options and several retro-style preset themes, including a neon interface design.
Judging by discussions in professional communities following the public announcement, the application still has some rough edges typical of software developed with heavy use of generative AI. The developer is actively engaging with users, responding to technical comments. At the same time, many participants in the discussions note the high responsiveness of the interface and the functionality of the beta version. Some in the audience approached the concept with skepticism, pointing to potential vulnerabilities in AI-generated code, since fully verifying automatically produced code is nearly impossible.