Microsoft has acquired Winternals, the company behind windows tool site Sysinternals.com for an undisclosed sum. SysInternals hosts dozens of low-level system tools for monitoring and security, including the popular Process Explorer, Filemon, and Regmon. Windows developers use these tools to track file and registry access, find memory leaks in their applications, and to study key Windows operating system activities.
Power users also use the tools to diagnose machine trouble and discover unwanted programs lurking on their computers. Sysinternals tools are known for being small in footprint, but powerful and simple to use.
Many bloggers are touting this acquisition as a good thing. Microsoft may incorporate these tools into other Microsoft products or the Windows SDK. In the deal, Microsoft also aquires the talents of Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell, the OS and kernal experts responsible for developing all the tools. Mark joins Microsoft as a Technical Fellow with the Platforms and Services Division, and Bryce as a Software Architect with the Core Operating Systems Division.
Others are concerned that the Microsoft acquisition will stifle innovation in this space, and may even remove access to these tools in the future.
Mike Gundleroy advises:
What do you think? Will application developers be helped or harmed by this merger?
Power users also use the tools to diagnose machine trouble and discover unwanted programs lurking on their computers. Sysinternals tools are known for being small in footprint, but powerful and simple to use.
Many bloggers are touting this acquisition as a good thing. Microsoft may incorporate these tools into other Microsoft products or the Windows SDK. In the deal, Microsoft also aquires the talents of Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell, the OS and kernal experts responsible for developing all the tools. Mark joins Microsoft as a Technical Fellow with the Platforms and Services Division, and Bryce as a Software Architect with the Core Operating Systems Division.
Others are concerned that the Microsoft acquisition will stifle innovation in this space, and may even remove access to these tools in the future.
Mike Gundleroy advises:
[G]rab the latest round of their stuff now, before it becomes hard to find or difficult to download.
What do you think? Will application developers be helped or harmed by this merger?
Community comments
Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Shimon Amit,
Re: Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Jim Murphy,
Re: Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Marcie Jones,
Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Shimon Amit,
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If Microsoft change anything with Sysinternals it will be sad. This is a perfect set of tools. Easy, fun, open source, and so forth. Whatever could they improve?
Re: Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Jim Murphy,
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Hard not to agree with Mike about snatching up the latest bits before they get sucked into MSDN somewhere.
Off I go a downlodin'...
Re: Amazing set of tools. Hope things stay the same.
by Marcie Jones,
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Fortunately MSDN is easy to navigate, so they'll be easy to find! ;)
Marcie