Microsoft Windows

Advancing User Interface Design

I don’t usually find myself paying much attention to Microsoft’s “previews of coming attractions”, or even checking them out when I see a link.  However, when looking at the latest WServerNews references to Windows  7 I had to check it out - and I’m glad I did.

While the article presented some interesting comments on Windows 7, it also provided a link to a WndowsVista blog entry where a short demo of the developing Microsoft multi-touch screen technology can be viewed.  This demo had my mind swirling once again at how this technology might be used in the business environments where I work — my mind was running wild with ideas of how I might use it. 

I wonder just how long it will be before such technology will find its way into common usage - maybe 5 years?

Windows PowerShell Rocks

Nobody has ever accused me of adopting software or utilities upon their immediate release. Actually, as the plethora of articles about new product or product under development occur, I look them over briefly, but generally don’t give them much attention. With that said, it is no surprise that I had no clue that Microsoft was developing a new tool for administrators — Windows PowerShell.

Having worked within a UNIX and Linux environment for many years, I became very accustomed to creating powerful scripts to accomplish tasks. Even with the limitations of Microsoft’s command shell, I often would find that I could do things much more quickly at a command line than with a graphical interface. Now Microsoft has given me a whole new tool to learn — and I suspect I will find myself using the command line once again more and more frequently.

I only discovered Windows PowerShell today when I was reading the April edition of Microsoft TechNet Magazine. What caught my eye initially was an article regarding PII (Personally Identifiable Information). The article ( Really talking about security on your system) showed various examples of finding PII on your system using Windows PowerShell. As of this writing I am not finding the article on-line however, as it appears to be the March issue that is on-line at this time.

Getting the glimpse I did of PowerShell from the article had me quickly imagining many uses for the power which seemed to be available using this new tool. I searched for, downloaded and have now installed PowerShell on my XP, Vista and server 2003 systems.

If you have not investigated this free tool from Microsoft I’d suggest that you go for it! I have only begun to look at the functionality available, and I am impressed — and it generally takes a bit for me to be this way about a new product.