http://www.windowsitpro.com/authors/author/author/5737979/rss/5737979en-USSun, 27 May 2012 06:25:38 GMTSun, 27 May 2012 06:25:38 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-powershell/powershell-getting-started-142467
By Don Jones
Why are so many admins afraid of little old PowerShell? Probably because they don’t understand it. Don’t let common misconceptions stand in your way -- get to know the power of PowerShell and increase your value in the workforce.]]>Don JonesTue, 22 May 2012 10:45:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/article/windows-powershell/powershell-getting-started-142467http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powerfun-142134
By Don Jones
My workload has recently gotten so tight that I’m no longer able to commit to even a semi-regular blogging schedule. Rather than letting myself get lazy, I’ve decided to formally end my blogging career over here, at least for the time being.]]>Don JonesMon, 27 Feb 2012 12:36:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powerfun-142134http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershells-[cmdletbinding]-142114
By Don Jones
Folks are often confused about when to use this "decorator" in PowerShell scripts and functions. Let’s clear up the confusion.]]>Don JonesWed, 08 Feb 2012 12:18:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershells-[cmdletbinding]-142114http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/tricks-testconnection-ping-141908
By Don Jones
Learning to use Test-Connection properly opens up a whole new world of capabilities in your PowerShell scripts]]>Don JonesWed, 01 Feb 2012 13:58:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/tricks-testconnection-ping-141908http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/guest-post-142115
By Jon Newman
For many companies and organizations today, Facebook is as important as email or websites as a tool for reaching their customers. However, tools for managing Facebook as part of an IT strategy are woefully lacking. FacebookPSModule (http://facebookpsmodule.codeplex.com) exposes Facebook as a PowerShell module, enabling organizations to automate Facebook access using familiar techniques, and to integrate Facebook with other elements of their IT.]]>Jon NewmanWed, 01 Feb 2012 12:31:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/guest-post-142115http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-algebra-141896
By Don Jones
With all its punctuation and (parentheses), PowerShell can sometimes seem more like a math exercise than a command-line shell. Here’s how to make sense of at least one common "gotcha."]]>Don JonesWed, 25 Jan 2012 12:52:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-algebra-141896http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/listing-wmi-namespaces-141894
By Don Jones
Quickly list WMI namespaces available on any computer]]>Don JonesTue, 17 Jan 2012 12:43:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/listing-wmi-namespaces-141894http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/learn-powershell-world-free-book-141921
By Don Jones
Always wanted to learn PowerShell but haven’t had the motivation? If you’re willing to give me an hour a day, I’ll help you out - if you’ll share the experience!]]>Don JonesMon, 16 Jan 2012 13:40:57 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/learn-powershell-world-free-book-141921http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-powershell-params-141813
By Don Jones
There’s a ton of confused folks out there when it comes to PowerShell parameters, but I understand why. Let’s clear things up. ]]>Don JonesTue, 10 Jan 2012 16:50:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-powershell-params-141813http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-project-141775
By Don Jones
Companies are starting to recognize the value of PowerShell-based automation in their environments - but when their team’s skills aren’t up to snuff, what do they do?]]>Don JonesTue, 03 Jan 2012 09:54:09 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-project-141775http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-editor-roundup-141759
By Don Jones
This was a major undertaking for us, involving three focus groups, some lengthy surveys and statistical analysis, and a lot of follow-up with product vendors, technical reviewers, and interviewees. We’re very pleased with the result, and hope that you’ll find it useful. There’s no charge, and no registration required, in order to obtain the paper. We just ask that you tell a friend or colleague where to download it for themselves!]]>Don JonesSat, 31 Dec 2011 11:13:41 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-editor-roundup-141759http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-141421
By Don Jones
Don’t get confused: -Contains and -Like are drastically different. Here’s what they do.]]>Don JonesTue, 20 Dec 2011 11:03:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-141421http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/years-resolution-learn-powershell-2012-141420
By Don Jones
If you’re not already learning PowerShell - and I mean LEARNING, not just stumbling through, here are some reasons and resources to do it right now.]]>Don JonesMon, 19 Dec 2011 10:59:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/years-resolution-learn-powershell-2012-141420http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/verbose-debug-output-powershell-141422
By Don Jones
Try to stay away from Write-Host - consider these alternatives to producing debug and verbose output!]]>Don JonesThu, 15 Dec 2011 11:05:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/verbose-debug-output-powershell-141422http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-proxy-functions-141413
By Don Jones
Quickly create customized versions of PowerShell cmdlets using proxy functions, a new trick introduced in PowerShell v2.]]>Don JonesTue, 13 Dec 2011 11:50:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/powershell-proxy-functions-141413http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/dealing-cmdlet-conflicts-141415
By Don Jones
Cmdlet name conflicts in PowerShell can seem confusing - but there’s a method to the madness!]]>Don JonesThu, 08 Dec 2011 11:57:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/dealing-cmdlet-conflicts-141415http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/figuring-pipeline-input-binding-tracecommand-141414
By Don Jones
Look under the hood to see what PowerShell is doing when piping data from one command to another]]>Don JonesTue, 06 Dec 2011 11:55:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/figuring-pipeline-input-binding-tracecommand-141414http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-reports-powershell-part-3-3-141151
By Don Jones
In the final part of this series, I’ll show you the way I like my reports to be created.]]>Don JonesWed, 16 Nov 2011 09:13:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-reports-powershell-part-3-3-141151http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-reports-powershell-part-2-3-simple-text-reports-141149
By Don Jones
In Part 1, you saw what NOT to do - the approach that most folks take when they’re starting out. Let’s see a better way to make textual reports.]]>Don JonesTue, 15 Nov 2011 09:53:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/making-reports-powershell-part-2-3-simple-text-reports-141149http://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/creating-reports-powershell-part-1-3-141148
By Don Jones
Creating inventory reports is a common task in PowerShell, but if you’re self-taught - or carrying some VBScript habits - then you may be approaching it in entirely the wrong way.]]>Don JonesMon, 14 Nov 2011 09:37:00 GMThttp://www.windowsitpro.com/blog/powershell-with-a-purpose-blog-36/windows-powershell/creating-reports-powershell-part-1-3-141148