Long-time Microsoft employee and veteran Dave Plummer, who is behind the creation of some of the most recognizable components of the Windows operating system, is bringing the classic task manager (Task Manager) to Apple platforms. Currently, the macOS operating system has the factory Activity Monitor application for monitoring active processes and system resources, but according to the developer, its functional capacity is extremely unsatisfactory for the needs of more demanding users.
The motivation behind the project is based on the serious differences between the two graphical environments. The original Task Manager for Windows, developed by Plummer as an extremely lightweight tool with a size of only 80 KB, traditionally offers a significantly richer assortment of settings. It provides detailed control over process priorities, management of auto-starting applications, system services and detailed hardware diagnostics.
The technical implementation of the new software for macOS is implemented entirely in the Swift programming language, without containing direct programming code from the original Microsoft dispatcher. Although Redmond has granted the engineer official permission to display and share the original source code of the Windows XP version, architectural differences require a complete rewrite of the tool for Apple computers.
The tool is currently in beta testing. Plummer's plans include officially publishing the final version in the App Store. The engineer hinted that if at some point he decides to discontinue independent support for the project, he will make the source code open-source, allowing the community of independent programmers to continue its development.