Windows PowerShell is new object-based command-line interface shell and scripting language built on top of .NET. PowerShell provides improved control and automation of IT administration tasks for the Windows platform. All commands in PowerShell are called cmdlets (pronounced ‘‘commandlet’’), and they use verb-noun syntax — for example, Start- Service, Stop-Service or Get-Process, Get-WMIObject, and so on.  PowerShell   includes more than 200 commands and utilities that are admin focused. In addition, PowerShell provides a powerful scripting language that supports a wide range of scripting styles, from simple to sophisticated. PowerShell provides a set of cmdlets for manipulating objects, formatting objects, and outputting objects. PowerShell’s native command type is the cmdlet. A cmdlet is a simple command used for interacting with any management entity, including the operating system. You can think of a cmdlet as equivalent to a built-in command in another shell. The traditional shell generally processes commands as separate executables, but a cmdlet is an instance of a .NET class, and runs within PowerShell’s process. PowerShell also has great support for WMI. Using get-wmiobject, we can create any WMI object, for example to get bios information, see below

PowerShell is Microsoft's latest Windows operating system (OS) shell and scripting tool. A shell is a program that provides a user interface for the OS. When we're talking about PowerShell, the "shell" part usually refers to its command-line interface (CLI). A CLI is a basic user interface that lets you enter a command (or a series of commands) at a prompt. When you press Enter, the shell performs an action, then the CLI displays the  prompt again and waits for another command. At first, a CLI might not seem as efficient as a graphical user  interface (GUI) because you have to type in commands, making sure of spelling, spacing, quotes, etc. However, command shells have always supported some form of batch execution, which is also called scripting. A script is simply a list of commands stored in a text file you can execute on demand. PowerShell is no exception—although PowerShell is an excellent CLI, it becomes even more flexible with the use of scripts. A PowerShell script is simply a text file with a .ps1 extension that contains a list of commands PowerShell should execute.

Some of the capabilities and function of PowerShell are as follows
• PowerShell works with standard Windows commands and applications. You don’t have to throw away what you already know and use.

• PowerShell introduces a powerful new type of command. PowerShell commands (called cmdlets)  share a common Verb-Noun syntax and offer many usability improvements over standard commands.

• PowerShell understands objects. Working directly with richly structured objects makes working with (and combining) PowerShell commands immensely easier than working in the plain-text world of traditional shells.

• PowerShell caters to administrators. Even with all its advances, PowerShell focuses strongly on its use as an interactive shell: the experience of entering commands in a running PowerShell application.

• PowerShell supports discovery. Using three simple commands, you can learn and discover almost anything PowerShell has to offer.

• PowerShell enables ubiquitous scripting. With a fully fledged scripting language that works directly from the command line, PowerShell lets you automate tasks with ease.

• PowerShell bridges many technologies. By letting you work with .NET, COM, WMI, XML, and Active Directory, PowerShell makes working with these previously isolated technologies easier than ever before.

• PowerShell simplifies management of data stores. Through its provider model, PowerShell lets you manage data stores using the same techniques you already use to manage files and folders.

Here at computer anthem  we will  be looking on to Powershell v2
Windows PowerShell V2 is an enhanced and extended edition of the original implementation of PowerShell. The changes are dramatic, and they improve both the performance capabilities of PowerShell and its versatility. You can do things with PowerShell V2 that you simply could not do with PowerShell V1, and you can perform standard tasks in much more efficient ways than before.