If you are a Linux or OS X power user, then you’re used to having all the necessary tools built into your OS. When you log into a Windows system (What! No command line?) you may feel lost. These tools and shortcuts will help you be productive on Windows systems.
Windows Shortcuts
- Alt-x is a magic shortcut key on Windows 8 and Server 2012. It pops up a little menu in the lower right corner of the screen which contains just the items that an admin needs. Try it!
Windows Programs
If you want Windows to work a little bit like Linux or OS X, you need to install a few of these free programs. Some are gratis, and some are libre.
- WinSCP is secure copy (scp) for Windows
- Notepad++ is like TextMate, Sublime, Kate, or Gedit for Windows
- PuTTY is ssh for Windows
- Process Explorer is a bit like top or htop for Windows
- Process Monitor is similar to Process Explorer, but with more of a focus on capturing and logging events
- Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is a tool for auditing Windows configurations to ensure that they meet security standards.
Linux Software
- SSSD is the easy way to authenticate against Active Directory from a Linux system.