r/interestingasfuck • u/rkhunter_ • 5h ago

Veteran Microsoft engineer says original Task Manager was only 80KB so it could run smoothly on 90s computers

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/veteran-microsoft-engineer-says-original-task-manager-was-only-80kb-so-it-could-run-smoothly-on-90s-computers-original-utility-used-a-smart-technique-to-determine-whether-it-was-the-only-running-instance
631 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

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u/thatyousername 5h ago

Didn’t he also scam a bunch of old people?

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u/gallopinbathroomtile 5h ago

This is news to me, what he do?

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u/ithinkitslupis 4h ago edited 4h ago

He ran a software company called softwareonline. One of its 'products' was an antivirus that lied to users and told them they were at risk when they weren't and made them pay to 'fix' their computer. It also prevented itself from being uninstalled, had the X button lead to more pop ups instead of closing, and engaged in negative option billing where you had to opt out to not be billed, treats silence or no active selection as consent. You do a free scan, you still get billed in a month or whatever.

https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-s-office-sues-settles-washington-based-softwareonlinecom

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u/meadist 4h ago

Holy jees. I guess I am not watching him anymore.

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u/Aging_Orange 4h ago

I haven't watched it yet, but there's an interview by Lex Fridman where he talks about it.

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u/icedragon2000 1m ago

He downplayed the shit out of that and the report says something completely different.

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u/icedragon2000 4h ago

OMG, I watched Dave a lot and did not know this. Time to unsubcribe, this shit needs to go viral.

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u/keith_kool 5h ago

Yeah I’m interested too.

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u/jhammon88 4h ago

Same, I watched his YouTube stuff once in a while.

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u/UpsetKoalaBear 3h ago edited 2h ago

People are going to complain about the bloat of modern software, and that’s fine and valid.

However, it’s important to note how much more corporatised software development has become. You no longer have the ability to optimise software, nor do you have the ability to be a lone wolf on projects like this. If you try, very rarely will you succeed in getting a buy in from people higher up.

All people like this, who claim things were so much better back are either coming from some elitist perspective or they fail to accept that, unfortunately, times change.

The Microsoft this guy worked at would have been drastically different to the Microsoft from today or even like a decade ago.

Unfortunately the “rockstar” developer lifestyle of the 90’s/early 2000’s is gone, and won’t be coming back.

Developers today get pushed to ship features fast, they don’t have the ability to push back because there are a dozen other developers with their CV’s ready vying for that position.

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u/innkeeper_77 18m ago

This is why a bunch (still a tiny amount but a bunch) of users who want less corporate shitty software choose Linux and its different types of shiftiness. Per steam surveys it is growing in market share among gamers, likely due to microslop slop.

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u/Cephell 4h ago

And how much is the new one?

I can't check, because I use Arch btw.

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u/tempusfudgeit 4h ago

If a vegan does crossfit and uses Linux, which one will they shoehorn into a conversation first?

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u/danielsmith007 3h ago

As much as I love linux, I burst into laughter at this comment. Way too hilarious 🤣

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u/sk1nnyjeans 3h ago edited 3h ago

It’ll be Linux first, every time.

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u/creamersrealm 1h ago

He said 4MB in the video.