Blogs, Articles, and Posts
- Microsoft Coreutils for Windows: native Linux command-line tools
Microsoft announced Coreutils for Windows at Build 2026, making a set of Unix-style command-line tools available as native Windows applications. Built on an open-source Rust reimplementation of GNU coreutils, the package ships as a single binary. It bundles the standard coreutils, findutils, and a GNU-compatible grep. Because many command names overlap with existing Windows built-ins, you must be aware of shell conflicts before using them in cmd or PowerShell. The project carries a preview label on GitHub despite being announced as generally available. - Microsoft Artifact Registry becomes the trusted source for first-party PowerShell modules
Microsoft is transitioning its first-party PowerShell modules to the Microsoft Artifact Registry to provide a more secure and reliable distribution channel. This new platform serves as a Microsoft-controlled publishing pipeline that offers stronger provenance and ownership guarantees than the community-driven PowerShell Gallery. Administrators are encouraged to adopt the PSResourceGet module to manage these resources and separate package discovery from production consumption. - Bypassing the VCF 9.1 Subnet Trap
How the SDDC Manager API and a Bit of PowerShell Saved My Upgrade. If you are gearing up for the VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.1 upgrade, grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. - Using PSBoundParameters or IsPresent when checking PowerShell Switch or Parameters usage
Had a talk with a colleague about whether to use IsPresent or PSBoundParameters to validate if a Switch or Parameter was used in a Script or Function. In this blog, I will explain what they do and how you can use both. - Microsoft Artifact Registry is the New Home for Trusted Code
A recent Microsoft blog laid out some changes for PowerShell developers work in terms of installing modules and the role of the Microsoft Artifact Registry. - How to Turn Off Touchscreen on Windows 10 & 11
If you don't need your laptop touchscreen, turn it off. Here's how to disable it on Windows 10 and 11, re-enable it, and troubleshoot touch issues. - Events are Easy
Events are easy. Events let you know when something happened, and respond to it if you choose. Events are incredibly useful.
Projects, Scripts, and Modules
- Coreutils for Windows
UNIX-style core utilities for Windows. The same commands and pipelines you use on Linux, macOS, and WSL - natively. - All-in-One PowerShell Script to Manage Active Directory Contacts
While Active Directory contacts are essential for maintaining an accurate Global Address List (GAL), managing them natively can be time-consuming and difficult to scale. To simplify the process, we developed a PowerShell script that supports 12 Active Directory contact management actions. With support for both individual and bulk operations, it helps admins efficiently manage the entire contact lifecycle from creation to deletion.
Community
- Betting on Yourself with Frank Lesniak
Frank Lesniak joins Andrew Pla for a wide-ranging conversation that covers Frank's newly minted Microsoft MVP status, his journey through PowerShell, and what it looks like to build a real presence in the tech community. Frank talks through the pipeline struggles that tripped him up early on, how his VB Script and object-oriented background made the shift to PowerShell's object model feel disorienting, and how AI has quietly changed the way he approaches scripting today. The conversation takes a thoughtful turn as Andrew and Frank dig into impostor syndrome, the value of conference speaking, and how showing up consistently in the community compounds into a career. Frank also shares an update on DuPage Animal Friends, the nonprofit he serves, which supports one of the country's highest-performing open-admission animal shelters. - PSConfEU 2026
I attended my third PSConfEU event, this time it was in Wiesbaden (Germany). In this long blog post, I will recap the week, the sessions, the event, the people I met, and everything else surrounding it.
Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.
PowerShell does not have a built in PDF reader, so it is not possible without installing a module or calling a third party app. The PSWritePDF module will do what you are asking. The module can be installed from the gallery, so you could technically install and import it in a single line.