Lex Fridman Podcast #479 – Dave Plummer: Programming, Autism, and Old-School Microsoft Stories
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Aug 29, 2025 Dave Plummer, a former Microsoft software engineer behind Windows 95 and creator of the Task Manager, shares captivating stories from his career and personal experiences with autism. He discusses the evolution of software development, the nostalgia of early programming adventures, and the complexities of debugging legacy code. Plummer also reflects on the intersection of love and autism, providing insights into communication challenges and the creative impact of programming. His journey reveals the unique perspectives that shape both technology and personal lives.
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Humble TRS-80 Origins
- Dave Plummer learned on a TRS-80 Model I and spent his youth riding his bike to Radio Shack to use their machines.
- He taught himself by trial, error, and reading labels, which ignited lifelong fascination with computers.
Machine Code Galaga And A Lost Backup
- On a Commodore 64 Dave wrote a hand-coded machine language clone of Galaga and lost it copying floppies.
- He learned low-level programming limits and the pain of losing weeks of work the hard way.
Focus On What You Enjoy In School
- As a student, focus on classes you enjoy and tolerate the rest to avoid future pain.
- Prioritize skills and subjects that engage you; they'll make learning sustainable and meaningful.
