PowerShell running on server core

Posted on By Mark Wilson

Aaron Parker saw my presentation on Windows Server 2008 server core earlier this week and it got him thinking…

I said that Microsoft don’t see server core as an application platform but there’s no real reason why not as long as the applications you want to run don’t have dependencies on components that don’t exist in server core. I even suggested that, with a reduced surface attack area and less patching required, server core is a great platform for those applications that don’t rely on the shell, Internet Explorer, the .NET Framework or anything else that has been removed.

I also mentioned that PowerShell doesn’t run on server core because it relies on the .NET Framework.

So Aaron used SoftGrid to repackage the Microsoft .NET Framework and Windows PowerShell for server core – and it worked! He says there are a few errors, but as a proof of concept it’s a great idea – and a good demonstration of how flexible application virtualisation can be.

Adding Windows Live Messenger presence to a web page

Posted on By Mark Wilson

For a while at the end of 2007, this blog had a feature where it showed presence information for me (with the ability to send me an IM) based on my status in Windows Live Messenger. I’ve removed that functionality now because: a) I find IM to be a distraction and so am very rarely logged in; b) I use a private IM system using OCS when I’m working; and c) I use a variety of IM systems (and three different Windows Live logins), so my presence on any one Windows Live Messenger account is not really relevant.

Even so, if this is something that might be useful, there is a page on Windows Live to generate the necessary HTML (I found this information from Michael Niehaus’ blog).