The little things are pretty amazing about Linux.

[Trev]

I like Windows' console subsystem, but I would like to see built-in support for backquotes. 'Cause this:

set hostname=`hostname`

is easier than this:

for /f %i in ('hostname') do @set hostname=%i

Obviously, hostname is a bad example, but it was simple. Hmmm. [browsing platform SDK] Looks like attaching to a console and preprocessing its input buffer is pretty simple. Time to play. . . .

Apart from [legally] recompiling the kernel, there's not much you can do in Linux that you can't do in Windows. So really, it all boils down to how much of your skill set matches up with the operating system's out-of-the-box features.

Trev

[Trev]

@Waccoon

It wouldn't be hard to implement your command prompt status bar idea. Of course, you always have the option of making cmd.exe your shell instead of explorer.exe.

But I'm not sure what you mean by native. Since you mentioned Cygwin, I'm guessing you're looking for an Explorer extension that provides a Bourne-style command-prompt in all status bars or in a toolbar attached to the taskbar.

Actually, a transparent, pop-up command-prompt attached to the taskbar would be kind of cool.

Trev