Minimum system specifications have crept upward significantly over the last decade, but hardware limits are no longer the primary driver of that trend. A recent demonstration by Dave Plummer, best known for creating the Windows Task Manager, illustrates how inefficient coding practices contribute to software bloat.
Plummer built a functional text editor called Tiny Retro Pad. The entire application weighs in at just 2,686 bytes. To put that in perspective, this file is smaller than a standard YouTube thumbnail image. Despite its microscopic size, it retains the core functionality of the original Windows Notepad.
Why modern apps are so large
The key to Tiny Retro Pad’s small footprint is efficiency. Plummer designed the app to rely on existing Windows APIs rather than bundling its own libraries. He described this approach as arriving with a “lunchbox and a map of the city” rather than bringing an entire civilization.
Modern development often ignores these constraints. Developers frequently bundle runtimes, layout engines, renderers, telemetry clients, auto-updaters, and portions of Chromium into simple utilities. This practice ensures compatibility across platforms but results in significant overhead on Windows systems.
The impact on system resources
When every installed application carries these heavy dependencies, the cumulative effect is noticeable. A productivity workflow that required minimal RAM in 2015 now demands significantly more memory to run smoothly. This inefficiency contributes to the perception that Windows has become bloated.
Consider the evolution of minimum requirements. Windows 10 launched with a baseline of 1GB for 32-bit systems and 2GB for 64-bit. Windows 11 requires at least 4GB just to boot the operating system. Most users need substantially more than that to handle modern multitasking effectively.
What this means for you
If your PC feels sluggish despite having decent specs, inefficient software design may be part of the problem. Apps that bundle unnecessary components consume CPU cycles and RAM even when idle or performing simple tasks. While high-end hardware can mask these inefficiencies, they still impact battery life on laptops and overall system responsiveness.
Plummer’s experiment serves as a reminder that optimization matters. Developers do not need to trim code for disk space anymore, but efficient programming reduces resource contention. If more utilities focused on lean design rather than bundling the “universe,” Windows 11 would likely feel smoother across a wider range of devices.
Source: Windows Central
Source: Latest from Windows Central
Over to you: Do you notice specific apps on your PC that seem to consume disproportionate resources for their function?
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