Earlier this week Microsoft released the final version of Windows PowerShell 1.0. PowerShell, formerly known as Monad, is a powerful text-based command shell for Windows, basically the command prompt on steroids. Though I can't for the life of me find a changelog for the latest version, there's a wealth of information at Microsoft's TechNet web site as well as the official PowerShell blog.

I'm ashamed to say that as intrigued as I am buy Windows PowerShell's powerful syntax, I've yet to really give it a try. Usually when I want to do something complex on the command line I just type up a few lines of Ruby. Microsoft is trying hard to push PowerShell adoption, however, with a script repository and a scripting sweepstakes in which 12 Xbox 360s are being handed out.