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Dave Plummer

Which came first, Windows 95's taskbar or NeXT's Dock? Neither
Winsage
September 4, 2026

Which came first, Windows 95’s taskbar or NeXT’s Dock? Neither

The tech community recently celebrated the 31st anniversary of Windows 95, sparking discussions about its design influences, particularly regarding the potential British roots of its interface. Former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer's post on X led to exchanges among ex-Microsoft employees, including Joe Belfiore, who clarified that the Windows taskbar was not inspired by the NeXT dock but rather by developments from the Cairo team, specifically a persistent "tray" for file transfers. The debate references Paul Fellows, who led the Arthur project at Acorn, which introduced the first "icon bar" in 1987, influencing both NeXTstep and Windows. Acorn's Arthur, initially a BASIC demo, became RISC OS by 1989, maintaining its foundational design elements. The timeline shows that Acorn's icon bar predated NeXTstep's dock and the Windows taskbar, with Windows 2.0 and OS/2 1.1 released in late 1987 and 1988, respectively, showing visual similarities to NeXTstep. The Microsoft Cairo project, which ran from 1991 to 1996, coincided with Windows NT 4 development. The Windows 95 taskbar and NeXT's dock served different functions, but their historical context is significant.
Windows 95's Start menu was invented by a chimpanzee-lab psychologist: 'Even a rocket scientist couldn't figure out Windows'
Winsage
September 2, 2026

Windows 95’s Start menu was invented by a chimpanzee-lab psychologist: ‘Even a rocket scientist couldn’t figure out Windows’

A user on X highlighted their new 5K Dell UltraSharp monitor, leading to a discussion about the Windows 11 taskbar's alignment. Dave Plummer, a former Microsoft engineer, expressed his preference for a left-aligned taskbar, which he viewed as a stand against center alignment. The Start button's creation is attributed to Danny Oran, a behavioral psychologist who joined Microsoft in 1992. Oran's background included teaching chimpanzees to communicate, which informed his approach to user interface design. He observed users struggling with Windows 3.1 and proposed a single button for access to all features, initially called "System" but later renamed "Start." The placement of the Start button in the bottom-left corner was influenced by Fitts's law, which suggests users can quickly click targets in screen corners. Joe Belfiore confirmed this placement aligned with reading habits. The initial implementation of the Start button in Windows 95 had an issue with padding that was corrected in Windows 98. Oran also designed the taskbar, which was ultimately placed at the bottom of the screen to differentiate it from Apple's macOS. Oran holds the original patent for both the Start menu and the taskbar introduced in Windows 95.
Windows 95's taskbar didn't come from Steve Jobs' NeXT Dock, and a former Microsoft VP explains what did
Winsage
September 1, 2026

Windows 95’s taskbar didn’t come from Steve Jobs’ NeXT Dock, and a former Microsoft VP explains what did

The Windows 95 taskbar was not inspired by the NeXT Dock, as clarified by former Microsoft executives Joe Belfiore and Brad Silverberg. Instead, its design was influenced by a Microsoft project called Cairo, which aimed to provide users with easy access to information. The taskbar was created to address usability issues from Windows 3.1, specifically to help users keep track of minimized windows. In 2021, with the release of Windows 11, Microsoft introduced a centered taskbar and later allowed it to be repositioned to any edge of the screen, reflecting a commitment to user experience.
Windows XP's most famous pirated key wasn't a hack, and a Microsoft engineer explains why
Winsage
August 26, 2026

Windows XP’s most famous pirated key wasn’t a hack, and a Microsoft engineer explains why

The FCKGW-RHQQ2-YXRKT-8TG6W-2B7Q8 key is a notorious Windows XP product key that became widely associated with the operating system, which was released on October 25, 2001. Unlike modern free upgrades, Windows XP required users to purchase a physical copy, making the product key essential for installation. The FCKGW key was a legitimate Volume License Key that was misappropriated and allowed users to bypass Microsoft's Windows Product Activation (WPA) system, which linked product keys to specific hardware to combat piracy. This key was whitelisted in the activation logic, enabling installations without activation prompts. Although it is still technically usable on older discs, Microsoft's servers no longer validate it, and the key has been blacklisted. Microsoft recently released a new version of the Windows Bliss wallpaper to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Windows XP.
This 3KB notepad app shows exactly why modern Windows is so bloated
Winsage
July 8, 2026

This 3KB notepad app shows exactly why modern Windows is so bloated

Dave Plummer, known for creating the Windows Task Manager, discusses software bloat in a recent video, highlighting his compact notepad application, Tiny Retro Pad, which is only 2,686 bytes. He notes that while modern applications require higher specifications due to increased complexity, the lack of optimization in code has led to performance degradation. For example, Windows 10 required 1GB of RAM for its 32-bit version, while Windows 11 requires a minimum of 4GB. Plummer emphasizes the importance of efficient coding practices and critiques the tendency of modern software to include unnecessary components, suggesting that prioritizing efficiency could improve user experience on platforms like Windows 11.
"Not every app needs to bundle the universe": This tiny notepad app shows why Windows has become so bloated
Winsage
July 7, 2026

“Not every app needs to bundle the universe”: This tiny notepad app shows why Windows has become so bloated

Dave Plummer created a notepad application called Tiny Retro Pad, which is 2,686 bytes in size, contrasting with larger modern software. The application mimics the original Microsoft Notepad without contemporary features. Plummer emphasizes the importance of working within constraints, recalling a time when developers had to focus on efficiency due to hardware limitations. He utilized existing resources within the Windows ecosystem to maintain the compactness and functionality of Tiny Retro Pad.
Ex-Microsoft engineer rebuilds Notepad in 2.5KB using nothing but stuff Windows already had
Winsage
July 4, 2026

Ex-Microsoft engineer rebuilds Notepad in 2.5KB using nothing but stuff Windows already had

Dave Plummer, a retired Microsoft engineer, has developed TinyRetroPad, a Notepad-like application that is only 2.5 kilobytes in size. TinyRetroPad includes features such as Open, Save, Find and Replace, printing, font selection, word wrap, and an unsaved changes prompt. It is built on existing Windows components, allowing it to function efficiently without extensive resources. TinyRetroPad is based on Dave’s Tiny Editor and utilizes RICHEDIT50W for text handling. The application's file size increased incrementally with each feature added, with the final size being 2,476 bytes. Crinkler, a compression linker, was used to optimize the executable. TinyRetroPad is still in development, facing issues like high memory consumption and compatibility problems. In contrast, Windows 11's Notepad has become larger and more complex, weighing approximately 352KB and incorporating features that some users find unnecessary. Windows 11 LTSC retains the classic Notepad without modern features, while TinyRetroPad aims to demonstrate the potential for simplicity in application design.
silver Android smartphone
Winsage
July 4, 2026

Ex-Microsoft engineer rebuilds Notepad in 2.5KB using nothing but stuff Windows already had

Dave Plummer, a former Microsoft engineer, is recreating Notepad in 2.5 kilobytes with a project called TinyRetroPad, which includes features like Open, Save, Find and Replace, printing, font selection, word wrap, and unsaved changes prompt. TinyRetroPad leverages existing Windows infrastructure, utilizing built-in resources to function efficiently. It is based on Matt Power’s Dave’s Tiny Editor and operates as a wrapper around RICHEDIT50W. The size of TinyRetroPad increased with each feature added, reaching 2,476 bytes with printing. The project uses Crinkler, a compression linker, to optimize the executable. TinyRetroPad currently lacks a dedicated Releases page and may trigger false positives from antivirus software. Users have reported issues such as excessive memory usage and compatibility problems with older Windows versions. In contrast, the modern Notepad in Windows 11 has grown to approximately 352KB, with a total disk footprint nearing 5MB, leading to user backlash over its complexity. Windows 11 LTSC retains the classic Notepad, while TinyRetroPad aims to demonstrate the potential of leveraging existing OS capabilities rather than adding unnecessary features.
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