Wow, Microsoft Acquires Wininternals.

PressPass just released the news that Microsoft has acquired Winternals. This is amazing. I've seen Mark Russinovich speak and he presented the data extremely eloquently. However, what impressed me even more was the tools provided at Sysinternals were always really "tight". I mean that in every sense of the word. They were small, they were targeted, and they were flippin' cool. Tight.

May Mark and Bryce Cogswell (who I know nothing about) continue to stay "tight" inside the firewall.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    July 18, 2006
    Yeah, I just read the news on Digg.com. Amazing Microsoft didn't acquire them sooner. I always found it kinda funny that one of the leading Windows experts wasn't working for Microsoft.

    I hope their tools remain freely available and will be actively maintained. Maybe they could replace the Windows task manager with Process Explorer :-)
  • Anonymous
    July 19, 2006
    Their tools have been invaluable to me.  I hope they stay free; I am a tightwad.
  • Anonymous
    July 19, 2006
    imagine the day when Rob resumes his lecture sessions on the why's and how's of the windows installer like in the early days of his blog...
  • Anonymous
    July 19, 2006
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    July 19, 2006
    I don’t like this, if they find something like the Sony root kit next year will they be able to tell us about it?  Or will Sony just shut them up by saying it is Microsoft being anticompetitive?

    The fact that Microsoft is now buying out all the best independent people (just look at what they did to DevelopMentor) means that is now a lot less trusted 3rd party sources for information on Windows C# etc.
  • Anonymous
    July 23, 2006
    In response to ringi:
    I know quite a few people who work for Microsoft that tell me, and I am sure Rob will attest to this, that Microsoft encourages open communication and honesty.  The MSDN blogs are a testament to that fact as well.  There have been some pretty scathing remarks from some of the authors and Microsoft lets them stand unedited.  I am sure Mark and Bryce will continue to provide us with the great, insightful information that they always have.  I don't think Microsoft wants to be the evil empire that tell Mark and Bryce what and  where to write.  On the contrary, I just think they want to attach their name to one of the most popular and widely used toolsets for developers and System Administrators.  My earlier remark was more sarcasm than anything else, but if they begin to charge for the toolsets, I will pay for them.  Like I said, they have been invaluable to me.  Microsoft would have to put a HEFTY tag on them to make it not worth it to me.
  • Anonymous
    July 24, 2006
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    July 25, 2006
    I do hope they continue to stay "tight" and "free"!

    their tools are invaluable for the install and integration specialist.  
  • Anonymous
    July 28, 2006
    tchurch, can you name an example of bloat in Microsoft’s other low-level development tools?  Which features from windbg should be cut in your opinion?  In what way is cl.exe no longer free?  What makes Verifier bulky?  Please be specific.