Dave Plummer

Early life and education

David William Plummer was born in 1968 at Regina General Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan. He spent much of his childhood at his father's hardware store and his grandfather's workshop, environments that fostered his early interest in how things worked. His first encounter with a computer occurred at age eleven at a local RadioShack, where he successfully helped set up a new machine despite having no prior experience. This event sparked a lifelong passion for computing that would define his career.

Plummer discovered he could access the computer lab at the University of Regina on Saturday mornings, and he began visiting weekly to explore the systems. His mother soon enrolled him in a community computer class offered by the university, providing him with more formal early instruction. He attended Miller High School but dropped out during his senior year, during which time he programmed several video games for the Commodore 64, including one titled Tour de Force. After working various jobs and collaborating on a computer game project with a friend, Plummer returned to high school at age 21 to complete his diploma.

He subsequently enrolled at the University of Regina and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor's of Science in computer science with high honors. He moved to Redmond, Washington, in 1993 to work for Microsoft as an intern in the MS-DOS department. In a 2021 YouTube video, Plummer said that he is autistic and has ADHD. He also wrote a book about his experiences with autism titled Secrets of the Autistic Millionaire.

Career at Microsoft

Plummer moved to Redmond, Washington, in 1993 to begin an internship in the MS-DOS department at Microsoft, working under Ben Slivka. As an intern, he was responsible for writing significant features such as the Smart Drive cache for CD-ROMs and the DISKCOPY utility. His performance led to a full-time job offer from the company with a starting salary of $35,000 per year, marking the start of a formative decade-long tenure. While employed at Microsoft, Plummer began developing the Task Manager application at home as a personal project.

He eventually demonstrated his prototype to senior technical lead Dave Cutler, who granted him permission to bring the project into the workplace for further development. Plummer integrated and refined the program within Microsoft's systems, leading to its official release with the 1996 shipments of Microsoft computers. The Task Manager became an indispensable tool for monitoring system performance and managing applications for generations of Windows users. During his time at Microsoft, Plummer's contributions extended beyond Task Manager to include work on MS-DOS 6.2 and the Windows NT operating system. He also created the Windows port of the classic game Space Cadet Pinball, which became a beloved piece of software nostalgia for many users. Furthermore, he developed the native ZIP file compression support known as ZIPFolders, integrating it directly into the Windows shell. In a 2020 YouTube video, Plummer also revealed his role in the Windows XP anti-piracy system, noting he used digital images of the Microsoft Bob software as a seed for its pseudorandom number generator.

Entrepreneurship and legal settlement

Plummer left Microsoft in 2003 to found his own company, SoftwareOnline LLC, a vendor of utility software for Windows. The company sold millions of copies of both first-party and third-party utility programs, according to Plummer's own account. During this period, he also founded Xeriton Corporation, whose flagship product was the Blue Phone technical support service. Xeriton was sold to Support.com in December 2009 for $8.5 million, representing a significant entrepreneurial exit.

SoftwareOnline faced legal challenges in 2006 when the Washington State Attorney General's Office filed a lawsuit alleging violations of the state's Consumer Protection Act. The complaint centred on two SoftwareOnline products named Registry Cleaner and InternetShield following consumer complaints. The company agreed to a settlement which included $150,000 in civil penalties and $40,000 for legal fees. An additional $250,000 penalty was suspended contingent on the company's full compliance with all terms outlined in the settlement agreement.

Online presence and public speaking

Plummer maintains an active online presence, primarily through his YouTube channels Dave's Garage, started in 2018, and Dave's Attic. His content covers a wide range of topics from deep technical programming tutorials and computer history to his personal interest in automobiles. His channels have become a resource for those interested in software engineering and vintage computing, presented with his characteristic detailed and explanatory style. He continues to code in his free time and uses his platform to discuss both historical and contemporary software topics.

He has also become a sought-after speaker at academic institutions, sharing his knowledge from a career at the forefront of software development. Plummer has delivered lectures at his alma mater, the University of Regina, on multiple occasions including in 2018, 2020, and 2022. In 2021, he presented at the University of Oxford, further expanding his reach as an educator. His public discussions often extend to broader industry critiques, such as a 2026 commentary where he explained how he would address perceived shortcomings in the modern Windows operating system for users who find it unsatisfactory.

Later projects and TMOG

Plummer continues to program in his free time and remains engaged with the evolution of system tools. In 2026, he announced a new project called TMOG, a modern reimagining of the Task Manager concept built for contemporary computers. TMOG is designed to be a cross-platform application, available for free on macOS, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The release represents a return to the type of system utility work that first made him famous, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to creating practical software.

The free version of TMOG offers core task management functionality, while Plummer has indicated plans for a future paid professional version. The pro edition is intended to unlock a suite of additional advanced features for power users and system administrators. This project is developed outside the confines of large corporate development structures, allowing for independent innovation. It follows his long-standing pattern of identifying and filling gaps in user-facing system tools.

Personal life and advocacy

As of 2021, Plummer lives in Sammamish, Washington, with his wife Nicole and their four children. His diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD has become a part of his public identity and advocacy work. He has spoken openly about how these neurodivergent traits have shaped his life and problem-solving approaches, particularly in the fields of programming and systems design. This openness provides a visible example of neurodiversity within the technology sector.

Plummer authored a book titled Secrets of the Autistic Millionaire: Everything I know about Autism, ASD, and Asperger's that I wish I'd known back then. The work serves as both a memoir and a guide, reflecting on his personal journey and aiming to provide insights for others on the spectrum. His advocacy contributes to a broader conversation about neurodiversity in the technology industry, highlighting the unique perspectives and talents that autistic individuals can bring to complex technical fields. Through his writing and speaking, he aims to bridge understanding and share lessons from his own experiences.

Questions about Dave Plummer

What did Dave Plummer create for Windows?

Dave Plummer is the original creator of several fundamental Windows components. His most famous contribution is the Windows Task Manager, the application used to monitor system performance and end processes. He also ported the Space Cadet Pinball game to Windows NT, where it became a staple for users. Additionally, he developed the native ZIP file support known as ZIPFolders, integrating compression directly into the Windows Explorer interface.

Where is Dave Plummer from?

Dave Plummer is originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was born at the Regina General Hospital in 1968 and was raised in the city. He attended Miller High School in Regina and later graduated from the University of Regina with a degree in computer science in 1994. His Canadian roots are a frequent point of reference in his personal storytelling and public lectures.

What is Dave Plummer's YouTube channel about?

Dave Plummer has YouTube channels called Dave's Garage and Dave's Attic. On Dave's Garage, he creates content regarding computer programming and his personal interest in cars. His videos include descriptions of his role in software development and his personal projects. He started the Dave's Garage channel in 2018.

What is TMOG?

TMOG is a modern task manager application created by Dave Plummer and announced in 2026. It is a cross-platform tool written for contemporary computers and is available for free on macOS, Windows, and Linux. The project is a spiritual successor to his original Windows Task Manager, updated for current systems. Plummer has stated there are plans for a future paid professional version that will offer advanced features beyond the core functionality of the free release.

Did Dave Plummer write a book?

Yes, Dave Plummer authored a book titled Secrets of the Autistic Millionaire: Everything I know about Autism, ASD, and Asperger's that I wish I'd known back then. The book details his personal experiences living with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. It serves as a reflective guide combining memoir elements with advice, aiming to share insights he gained later in life that he wishes he had known earlier. The book is part of his broader advocacy for understanding neurodiversity.

Where does Dave Plummer live now?

As of 2021, Dave Plummer resides in Sammamish, Washington, in the United States. He moved to the Washington state area in 1993 for his internship at Microsoft in nearby Redmond. He lives there with his wife, Nicole, and their four children, maintaining his programming work and online content creation from this location. His family life in Sammamish is part of the personal context he occasionally shares with his audience.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.