This free utility is brought to you by the people behind the processlibrary.com website. What it does is tweak the Windows Task Manager to add a little green button next to each process in the process list (see screenshot), which when clicked instantly searches processlibrary.com for information on the process you are interested in.
ProcessQuicklink 2 is a tiny app that comes in at less that I meg of memory usage. Process information appears on the processlibrary.com website in your browser.
You may be wondering as to who might need an app like this, so here’s a list
- People, like myself, who install a whole lot of software and frequently like to check out what is going on in their system
- Anyone who may be investigating an issue such as erratic windows behavior or potential malware.
- Ubergeeks in general.
Search box: one thing that appears in the screenshots on the developers’ site that does not appear in my screenshot is a little searchbox built into the Task Manager that can be used to quickly search the processlibrary.com site. I am unsure as to whether that function was since removed or if it simply didn’t work on Windows 7 64bit (where I tested). In any case hope that it is optional, as it seems like too much clutter in the little space that is the task manager.
The verdict: I will have to tip my hat to the people at processlibrary.com for such a brilliant idea so well implemented. I am unclear, however, as to whether this website ranks amongst the most comprehensive of its kind, as it seems that most of the processes on my system simply found no match in their database, necessitating a Google search in order to get any kind of info.
Still, at under 1 meg in memory I am willing to give this little utility a chance and let it live on on my system and hope that this app helps processlibrary.com build up their library. Also it is just so super cool to click a button to get info on a process!
Version Tested: 2.0.0.12
Compatibility: Requires Windows 2000 / 2003 / XP / Vista, an Internet connection and an Internet browser.
Go to the program home page to download the latest version (approx 412K).
This isn’t new, or brilliant. Process Explorer has more features, and allows web searching of *all* processes…including dll’s and exe’s.
Download Process Explorer from:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx
@Mick : +1 Process Explorer is much better
And It can replace Task Manager quickly
I didn’t find this very useful. I clicked on 3 or 4 processes, it pops to that website — and “no information on this process.” So, of dubious value IMHO.
You guys are all correct;
(1) Process Explorer did this before ProcessQuicklink 2, so not so original.
(2) Process Explorer is a superior program, although the comparison is not really fair since ProcessQuicklink 2 is simply an informational tool.
(3) As previously mentioned, fully half of the processes I searched for turned out no info on the process.
On an unrelated note, I spent 2 days crafting a review of a program that, just before posting, I found was actually Shareware not freeware. Oh well!
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Installed ok, but didn’t function on my 64-bit Vista machine.
Also, as regards the comments posted above, the on-line search in Process Explorer was largely ineffective. Not to mention I can do a Google search myself !
The Computer Rodent
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