I’m onsite (with many of the other SAPIEN team members) at Microsoft Tech Ed 2007 in hot, humid Orlando, Florida! Yesterday was my first session, covering, of course, Windows PowerShell. But, one point that’s come across very clearly here is that many VBScript-using administrators are happy to keep using VBScript – which is great! The […]

PrimalScript “v.Next” is officially to be named PrimalScript 2007, according to the newly-revised www.primalscript.com Web site. This new version will be announced at Microsoft TechEd (as we’ve previously stated), and a limited beta will begin shortly after TechEd. Requests to participate in the beta will be accepted via an online survey after TechEd; watch this […]

In our continuing quest to meet readers’ needs, SAPIEN Press is looking at a variety of eBook programs (as previously announced, we’re currently working with Books24x7.com already). We know that some publishers include PDFs of some books on the CDs that accompany those books. We’re looking at that as an option for future titles that come with a CD, as well. However, that does nothing for folks who don’t want (or can’t) buy the physical book in the first place (international readers are a good example, since postage can often run more than the book itself). And, we don’t include CDs with every book, because it adds a lot of expense – we’d rather just make code samples downloadable, for example (which we already do). So tell us – by leaving a comment to this post – where you go to buy your eBooks, when you choose to buy in that format. This will help us find some of the better programs out there, evaluate them, and see if we can work with them in the future. Thanks!

Thanks to the PowerShell team’s release of the Cmdlet Help Tool (http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell/archive/2007/05/08/cmdlet-help-editor-tool.aspx), I’ve updated the SAPIEN Extensions for PowerShell download (http://www.primalscript.com/freetools) to include an XML help file. Make sure the XML file is co-located with the snap-in’s DLL, and PowerShell should be able to display help for the snap-ins cmdlets, now. If you already have […]

I need some help coming up with examples of when *nix or Windows admins have to parse text files or other string data, in order to accomplish administrative tasks. I’m trying to come up with some examples of how PowerShell’s object-oriented design is more efficient for these tasks on Windows, but am coming up a […]

I’ve posted a new version of what I’m now calling “SAPIEN Extensions for Windows PowerShell,” or “PshX-SAPIEN” for short (this was formerly “PrimalToys for PowerShell,” but that name was causing some confusion since we also have an unrelated collection of COM components called PrimalToys). The new version changes the way the Ping-Computer cmdlet works, modifies Write-Speech to accept pipeline input, and updates everything (I hope) to use the new name for the snap-in.

We’re going to be at TechEd 2007 in Orlando (booth 332, to be specific). Don Jones will be delivering a session on Tuesday (and again on Wednesday) on Windows PowerShell: The Future of Administration, which will also be simulcast via Microsoft Office LiveMeeting. As we count down the five weeks remaining until TechEd begins, we’ll try and share some fun little tips and advice for those of you who will be attending.