One of the reasons that I prefer Linux to Microsoft is the command line – not only is Linux better-suited to management at the command line, but GNU Bash is much more pleasant to use than Microsoft’s CMD.EXE. While Microsoft’s command-line shell has improved somewhat over the years, it’s definitely inferior to Bash and other *nix shells by a long shot.
Still, I’m a bit intrigued by Jon Udell’s description of MSH, Microsoft’s next-generation shell. I typically scoff at Microsoft’s claims to "innovation," since Microsoft is often quick to claim innovation for things that Apple or UNIX did, better, a few years before. But the features in MSH that Udell writes about actually do seem to qualify as innovation, and some interesting ideas. For example, MSH’s ability to export data in XML format or Excel format, rather than just plain text. (Not that there’s anything wrong with plain text, but…
Jon Udell"s description of MSH:
http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2004/11/02.html#a1106

MSH is still a long way away, probably not due until Longhorn finally trots out sometime in 2006 or 2007. That’s no reason that the Bash folks, or maybe some other project, shouldn’t be thinking of ways to upgrade the Linux command-line experience and take it to the next level.
If Linux and other *nix OSes are going to stay ahead in this area, they need to start now.
Full story:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/index.php?p=86

Has anyone here tried MSH? Does it even compare to bash or is it a different beast?