One of the technology which did not make it to Windows Vista Final was released separately on first day of IT Forum conference in Barcelona, Spain. Bob Muglia in his keynote address announced the release of Windows PowerShell 1.0 (known previously as project Monad) today as a free download.
Microsoft Windows PowerShell command line shell and scripting language. Using a new admin-focused scripting language, more than 130 standard command line tools, and consistent syntax and utilities, Windows PowerShell allows IT Professionals to more easily control system administration and accelerate automation. Windows PowerShell is easy to adopt, learn, and use, because it works with your existing IT infrastructure and existing script investments, and because it runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server “Longhorn”.
By David Aiken, PowerShell Architect Evangelist and Jeffrey Snover, Windows PowerShell Architect. David Aiken has also recorded a video of these examples that you can view online on his Channel 9 DFO Show.
Windows Vista Blog has highlighted 12 Cool Features of Windows PowerShell
More info can be obtained How to Download PowerShell, Windows PowerShell Blog