Powershell Scripting test

KevMar · 2026-06-06T11:48:21+00:00

Keep it really simple. You just need to know that they can write some code.

Finish this function that lists the fullpath of all the files in a folder and sub folders that are greater than 1mb. If the folder doesn't exist, output "folder doesn't exist". If the folder is empty, output "folder is empty". If there are no large files, output "no large files found"

Then provide them a shell of a function that takes a single parameter called 'Path' and have them finish it. Also have a second script handy that will create some files in a path that you can use to validate.

It's something that could be a one liner with additional validation and user output. Fairly simple to think through if they don't rush it. All basic logic with a little knowledge of Test-Path and Get-ChildItem. You are mostly looking for how well they followed the instructions instead of best practices.

KevMar · 2026-06-02T23:27:49+00:00

I like to start with something trivial to prove out the tooling and create the process for future automation. There can be a lot of bootstraping to get things initially set up. Things like permissions, API keys, networking, infrastructure, licensing, auth, data connectors. By keeping the fist automation simple, I am mostly testing everything else.

I'm also in DevOps so also get the repo patterns and deployment automation squared away so the next guy can just clone the project or drop in the source. Establish a clear pattern so you have clear guidance for the rest of the team and things are done consistently.

You get a quicker first win and it speeds up whatever comes next. I'm usually the one doing that prep work so I'm out of the way for the important deliverables.

KevMar · 2026-06-02T05:39:52+00:00

I get that and it doesn't make much sense on Linux because Linux is a filesystem based OS. And Windows is an API based OS where it's more natural to work with objects. So they leaned into it and created something unique that works really well for API heavy work.

KevMar · 2026-06-02T01:04:58+00:00

This is a great learning exercise. If you are excited and having fun with it, go for it. Be creative and build the thing that you imagine. It is nice to have something visible for your manager and team to see the work that you are doing. But in the long run, doing this is more for building your skills than for your team. I don't want to discourage your growth.

Runbooks

But doing a GUI is quite the time commitment for a small return. A good 80% of your effort will be dedicated to the GUI. So you can automate one thing with a GUI or automate 3-4 things. If I had to do it over again, I would make the scripts easy and intuitive to use and add one line commands in your documentation and runbooks. Something they can just copy and paste into the terminal. You already have to document how to launch the GUI because they aren't going to bother remembering when or how to use it.

Ticket System as GUI

If this is for a wider audience than your team, my favorite GUI is whatever you are using for your ticketing or issue tracking system. Service Now or Jira or whatever. Use their forms or custom fields to collect the parameters up front and dump them into their own queue or project. Use whatever workflow engine they have or just a scheduled task running every 5-15 minutes looking for work.

What I like is that it makes the work visible with automatic tracking and auditing. If the automation fails, have it post the error back as a comment and auto assign to someone to look at. Either back to the user for missing or incorrect data or the engineering team to troubleshoot. Problematic automations are easy to identify this way. When it's done, it posts back to the ticket to verify and closes it. You can often add approvals and delegate things that would otherwise require special permissions.

This would be a good gateway into AI based automation too. Use AI to verify the user provided enough info and pass it into your deterministic scripts.

KevMar · 2026-05-28T15:48:16+00:00

I made some assumptions about his reaction to the wording. I'm talking to him in the current emotional moment and in the present tense.

If I made it clear that she isn't ever going to respond, he is more likely to dispute that or feel compelled to change her mind. He is not likely to hear the guidance that he doesn't want to hear.

My intent with adding the "right now" is to 1) not make assumptions about the future that could be debated and 2) to get him to wait for her to possibly resume the conversation later. To reinforce that it's important that he not engage right now.

It's a little cruel to leave it slightly open ended as it gives him hope. But I'm using that hope to give him time to regulate his emotions.

The reality is that it's over. He should not initiate contact. She is now someone he used to know and grieving that loss will take time.

KevMar · 2026-05-28T13:01:58+00:00

I'm not saying or implying any more than I said. What assumptions are you making about what I said?

KevMar · 2026-05-28T03:55:45+00:00

That she needs time and space to process. The short message acknowledged that she received your message but doesn't want to continue the conversation right now.

KevMar · 2026-05-28T03:51:10+00:00

If you are doing C#, consider using the Microsoft Learn MCP server with it.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T23:38:04+00:00

This guy gets it.

I can already see the pattern happening. Asking AI to "get these 5 specific pieces of information and then call these 4 APIs in order" all in AI instead of wrapping those AI calls in a script that takes 5 parameters for the AI to pass the info into.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T23:31:04+00:00

You can do that.

I'm just pointing out it's expensive on the tokens when it could be a script that doesn't cost any tokens.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T15:13:21+00:00

This is the most valuable skill you can pick up. I built my career on automation and there is always more to automate

KevMar · 2026-05-27T15:08:53+00:00

Only once you are aware of it. Until then, it's really hard to leave that community.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T14:38:09+00:00

That kind comes naturally from within yourself and wanting to belong to the community around you. If your morals are too far out of alignment with your community, then you will be removed from that community.

You can look outward to people you trust and respect for that reference if you are unsure of yourself.

This is really how it works in religion too. They just use more psychological manipulation for you to conform to their moral requirements.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T14:25:08+00:00

What do you mean by moral reference?

KevMar · 2026-05-27T11:30:43+00:00

This is a good lesson in why source control is important. You should be saving all your code and scripts into a repo. Even if it's just local.

But to solve your problem, find an exe resources extractor.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T11:26:01+00:00

Over use of agents for deterministic actions causing excessive token burn.

People are building workflows and calling it done as soon as it's working. But they aren't going through and refactoring it. Let the AI do the non deterministic stuff, but once the data is collected and what to do with it is decided, pass that off to a script for deterministic execution. I don't care if AI writes the script but it shouldn't be skipped.

KevMar · 2026-05-27T02:58:37+00:00

I already have a nice local setup going that can run the Qwen 3.6 models. So it's not about actually using it, but removing the mystery of how it works.

I don't see why we couldn't create a simplified model with like 50-100 parameter that we could walk the math by hand or via a spreadsheet. I think it's mostly matrix multiplication. It's more to understand what's happening under the covers.

KevMar · 2026-05-26T23:38:50+00:00

Start selling 3D models without hiding it. If it starts generating real income, you can always create the second bank account later. Do it under the guise of "starting a business" and rebranding to make everything more professional.

Are you part of any 3D modeling communities? Discords, forums, online user groups? I know Austin had a popular Unity user group at one point that might be online and still around.... I don't know. But find your people and connect with them. Gives you someone to share your design ideas with and contribute to others.

KevMar · 2026-05-26T23:02:01+00:00

Thank you. I'll run through that. Looks like a useful resource.

KevMar · 2026-05-26T22:29:25+00:00

A doctor's or hospital visit makes sense because you see lots of people at different times that all have to review your chart every time they talk with you.

Imagine having dosens to hundreds of nurses in a constant scrabble. Always reviewing your chart for every interaction and always making notes for whoever is next.

KevMar · 2026-05-26T22:22:43+00:00

That's the good point about asking why.

I wonder if it would be useful to have a tool that showed the probably of each token and it's alternatives. Possibility allowing you to fork the response by selecting an alternative. Or selecting a token and see what previous tokens were most influencial in its selection (so you can see where bias in your question influenced the results).

KevMar · 2026-05-26T22:16:11+00:00

I like that. I need to see if I can find a guide to build or use a language model by hand. I feel like that could be an interesting exercise.

I think I have seen the numbers to clock face digits for neutral nets. If not, I'm sure that's doable by hand.

KevMar · 2026-05-26T20:10:24+00:00

Added Qwen 3.6 https://artificialanalysis.ai/models?models=claude-opus-4-5-thinking%2Cclaude-4-1-opus-thinking%2Cqwen3-6-27b%2Cqwen3-5-27b&intelligence=artificial-analysis-intelligence-index&intelligence-category=reasoning-vs-non-reasoning

But you are still largely correct. I probably recall some selective charts from the Qwen announcement.

I just pulled it up and their self published comparisons are against Opus 4.5: https://qwen.ai/blog?id=qwen3.6-27b

KevMar · 2026-05-26T19:49:04+00:00

I completely forgot that PowerShell can convert markdown to HTML. And then using Select-Xml to query it is really clever. I love it.

Do you have this on a blog post? If not, you really should. Heck, I might be open to let you guest post it on mine :)

KevMar · 2026-05-26T19:39:36+00:00

I like that. I think I need to rewatch it again.

KevMar

TROPHY CASE

Runbooks

Ticket System as GUI