Mark Russinovich, the Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Azure and a renowned programmer, has successfully leveraged artificial intelligence to transition ZoomIt, a popular Windows tool, to macOS in an impressively short timeframe. This tool, which has been a staple for over two decades, offers screen zooming, recording, and annotation capabilities, primarily catering to technicians and educators preparing presentations.
Originally developed to enhance the teaching of Windows Internals classes, ZoomIt allows instructors to magnify and annotate specific areas of the Windows interface. Its evolution over the years has seen the addition of features such as screen recording and webcam overlays, making it an invaluable resource for many users. Until recently, however, it was exclusively available on Windows.
Microsoft employees wanted ZoomIt on Mac, but Russinovich didn’t think he’d have time
In the early 2000s, Russinovich faced a challenge: how to effectively teach a large audience about specific elements of the Windows interface. His initial attempts with a clunky tool from Toshiba laptops proved inadequate, prompting him to create ZoomIt, which allowed for intuitive drawing and highlighting during presentations. This innovation quickly gained traction among instructors, leading to the addition of a break timer feature at the request of his co-author, David Solomon.
Fast forward to today, and the demand for a macOS version of ZoomIt has grown, especially among Microsoft employees who frequently demonstrate software on Mac laptops. Despite the interest, Russinovich initially dismissed the idea due to time constraints. However, the potential of AI changed the game.
“Prior to AI, I would have never even considered doing this,” he remarked, acknowledging the tedious learning curve associated with adapting software for macOS. Yet, with a newfound determination, he acquired a Mac and began the process of creating a macOS version of ZoomIt, anticipating a lengthy development period.
AI recreated ZoomIt’s original features in about half an hour
Utilizing AI, Russinovich was able to construct a functional macOS version of ZoomIt in just two days, a stark contrast to the months he had initially anticipated. “I started incrementally building up the Mac version so that I could control what was happening and make sure that it worked the way that I wanted,” he explained. The AI model, fed with the original Windows code, significantly expedited the process, allowing him to focus on refining features rather than starting from scratch.
Throughout the weekend, he continued to enhance the macOS version, addressing bugs and incorporating user-requested features. Notably, he initially overlooked the “DemoType” feature but later recognized its value and prompted the AI to include it. “This is a feature Scott Hanselman asked me to do to implement a few years ago. I implemented it for him, and then he doesn’t use it,” he quipped, reflecting on the collaborative nature of software development.
Windows code made it easier for AI to clone it for macOS
While the AI’s access to the Windows code provided a solid foundation, Russinovich still faced the challenge of adapting the software to meet macOS’s unique requirements. He noted that the AI handled many of the platform-specific intricacies, allowing him to bypass extensive learning about macOS systems. The result was a high-fidelity clone of ZoomIt, complete with essential features like break timers, panorama screenshots, and video recording capabilities.
How to download and use ZoomIt for macOS
ZoomIt for macOS is now available as a free and open-source tool, requiring macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. Users can easily install it via Homebrew or directly from Microsoft’s GitHub repository. The installation process is straightforward, and once set up, users can access its functionalities through a convenient menu bar icon.
To get started, users can utilize keyboard shortcuts to zoom, draw, record, or copy selected screen areas. As AI continues to evolve, it is expected that more Microsoft applications will find their way onto macOS, further bridging the gap between the two operating systems.
