Don Jones (MVP)

Win a Kindle

don@sapien.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:01:00 GMT

Here's my hands-on review of the Amazon Kindle, along with a chance for you to win your own!

Fun WMI Trick Proves You Should Read the Help

don@sapien.com — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:33:00 GMT

Did you ever read the help for Windows PowerShell’s Get-WmiObject cmdlet? I mean really read the help?
You’ve probably noticed the -computerName parameter, but pay close attention to how it’s listed in the help:
[-computerName string[]]

External blog...

don@sapien.com — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

I'm moving some of my blogging activities to http://www.concentratedtech.com; you'll notice me blogging less on http://blog.sapien.com going forward. I'll also be cross-posting some of my PowerShell-related blog entries right here. You should also notice a much higher volume of blogging out of me in the near future :) so stay tuned.

PowerShell v2 eBook

don@sapien.com — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:52:00 GMT

The v2 Windows PowerShell eBook I'm co-authoring with Jeff Hicks (http://www.sapienpress.com/pshv2) is updated to reflect the latest Community Technology Preview (CTP) from Microsoft. Learn about the changes to remoting, the new transactional registry, the latest on script cmdlets, and much more - get involved with this CTP faster and get feedback to the PowerShell team!

New PowerShell Training Videos

don@sapien.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:48:00 GMT

We're very pleased to announce a brand-new series of training videos for Windows PowerShell, available now on our online store. These feature extremely high production values, tons of instructions, are in 720p high-definition video (viewable on your computer), hands-on exercises with guided answers, and much more. They're based upon the same outline we use in our instructor-led training classes, and these videos form the basis for our new online training. You can download demos of the new training immediately. Enjoy!

PowerShell + Exchange = New Book Preview

don@sapien.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:45:00 GMT

Author Ilse van Criekinge is writing Exchange Management Shell: TFM, and two unedited preview chapters are now available on the SAPIEN Press Web site.

Interviewed on PowerScripting Podcast

don@sapien.com — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:42:38 GMT

I was recently interviewed for Episode 16 of the PowerScripting Podcast. The hosts were kind enough to let me discuss several PowerShell-related topics in some detail, including my role with PowerShellCommunity.org, how to get started with PowerShell if you're a complete newbie, where this PowerShell thing is going anyway, and more. Give it a listen! Fair warning - it's pretty lengthy as podcasts go, but I think you'll agree that it's worth it. Play it during the morning commute!

Improve our Community - Your Help Needed!

don@sapien.com — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 03:38:55 GMT

Think something in this community could use improvement? You may be right. Here's how to be heard.

A load of scripting goodness for half price - Happy New Year!

don@sapien.com — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:01:53 GMT

SAPIEN will offer PrimalScript Professional, two books, and PowerShell self-paced training for about 50% off on December 31st only.

PowerShell Help - Online!

don@sapien.com — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:43:46 GMT

The PowerShell team has made the PowerShell Help available online, on TechNet.

Not PowerShell. Still cool.

don@sapien.com — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:01:30 GMT

As someone who spends as much time away from home as at home, I value simple, effective travel tools. This one blew me away, and it's free.

New Community Features

don@sapien.com — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:55:30 GMT

We've added some great new features to the community - why not start taking advantage?

Automating GUI apps with PowerShell

don@sapien.com — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:35:40 GMT

The December issue of MSDN Magazine (sorry, not online as I post this, so no links yet) has a great article by James McCaffrey about using PowerShell to automate GUI apps. Worth reading - look for the "TEST RUN" column on page 95.

PowerShell v2 Book Now Available

don@sapien.com — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:45:34 GMT

We killed ourselves to get it to you in a timely fashion... and now it's available at a discounted price.

Custom Objects

don@sapien.com — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:51:15 GMT

There's a growing awareness of how to create and leverage custom objects in PowerShell. But which way is best?

My new favorite trick

don@sapien.com — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:41:57 GMT

Objects... not text; objects. Objects... objects... keep repeating it.

Cmdlet directory online

don@sapien.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:36:57 GMT

Searching for a cmdlet to do something in particular? Check out our new global cmdlet directory, now sporting 630+ cmdlets in its index!

Will you help... or just sit back?

don@sapien.com — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:05:44 GMT

As this Community develops, I hope *everyone* can feel comfortable stepping in, making comments, discussing solutions, and making improvements... although I hope they won't feel they have to stand back and simply offer criticism from afar.

New PowerShell book!

don@sapien.com — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:03:56 GMT

Jeff Hicks and I have posted sample chapters and the table of contents to our upcoming 2nd edition PowerShell book.

Welcome to the community!

don@sapien.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:16:24 GMT

Welcome!

I'm extremely proud to be the first Community Director of PowerShellCommunity.org and its parent organization, the PowerShell Business League. Over the next few blog posts, I'll be explaining more about what this community is for, what features we offer to PowerShell users, and why I think this is the best darn place on the Web to learn about PowerShell, whether you're an IT Pro or a software developer.

First, though, I want to take a moment and explain how and why the community and its parent organization are structured. Many of you probably have a Chamber of Commerce in your local community; the purpose of a Chamber is generally to help various businesses - even those that compete with one another - work together to help achieve common goals. Chambers will often support legislation that's beneficial to their members, provide common services like health insurance plans, and provide education that helps generally improve the situation for every business in the local community.

That's more or less why the companies sponsoring this community became involved. Sure, they get to have their logo at the bottom of the page, but more importantly they all recognize how important PowerShell is going to become over the next few years, and they want to help educate IT professionals and software developers in using and developing for the shell. That's a benefit to everyone: The better PowerShell does as a product, the easier all our jobs will be, and the better all these businesses will do. You'll notice that even though some of our sponsors are mutual competitors in business, they've still teamed up here to provide a central, independent community.

I hope you'll join me in participating, and in inviting others to do so. If you run across a PowerShell blog, let the author know that we'd love to host that blog here, for free. If you run across a repository of scripts, let the owner know that we've got a free place for them to live here, as well. If you find some news or events related to Windows PowerShell, submit it in the appropriate section of the community so that everyone knows about it. Tell your colleagues and coworkers to sign up, and to visit this site often for the latest in PowerShell news.

Together, we can create something that PowerShell's predecessor technologies - VBScript and so forth - never really had: A strong, central community that "owns" PowerShell - not in the legal sense, but in the sense that we've made it our tool of choice.

Cheers!
Don Jones