The man behind Windows' Task Manager says Apple's Activity Monitor "blows", so he's releasing his own

Published Jul 30, 2026, 6:37 PM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Dave Plummer is building a macOS Task Manager app. He plans to release it on the App Store with a free beta, but may publish it as a git repo if he gets tired of it. He says the Activity Monitor 'blows' and wants a familiar, powerful Task Manager. As much as I love using Linux these days, there's still a special spot in my heart for the Task Manager. Fortunately, if you're on macOS, the very man who created the Task Manager has decided to take a crack at making one for Apple devices. And if you're wondering why he'd do that instead of just using the Activity Monitor, there's a good reason for that; he doesn't like it. Dave Plummer is making the Task Manager...again This time, for a wholly new operating system As spotted by Tom's Hardware, the original inventor of Windows' Task Manager, Dave Plummer, took to X to show off what he's making these days. He's making a macOS version of the Task Manager, and while he's unsure he can release it as open-source, he at least wants to release it as a git repo and let people do what they want with it. He ideally wants to put it up on the App Store once he's done with a free beta period. From the screenshot, it looks pretty much as close to the Task Manager as you can get on a totally different operating system. People took to Plummer's replies to say how much they want this app to release, but one person came forward with a simple question: "Why?" Well, Plummer's reasoning is simple: Fair enough. Plummer hasn't revealed any timeframe for the app's release, so keep an eye on him for future news.