If a user ever has to open a Windows console and take a trip back in time, they'll run into several limitations of that environment. Microsoft has decided to expand the console's features in Windows 10, but waiting for a new operating system makes little sense when something like Cmder already exists—an excellent console emulator with expanded graphical elements that can combine DOS and Linux commands without a hitch.
The Problem with the Windows Console
The command dir C:\*.jpg /s might seem like a foreign language to younger users, but those of us with a few years on our backs (like yours truly) know it simply lists all .JPG files across the C: drive, including every subfolder. Fortunately, we no longer need such commands to find files, but there's always that occasion that demands a trip back in time to face the famous system console. The truth is that Microsoft has ignored its console for years. Compared to terminal windows in various Linux distros, the Windows console is anemic.
Why Cmder Stands Out
Windows 10 sets out to fix that situation, but just as you can replace Task Manager with something more advanced, you can also optimize the console with the Cmder emulator. The main benefit of this emulator comes through its aesthetics. Folders in blue, executables in green, and regular files in white (using ls, not dir) is an excellent way to differentiate content. With a simple keyboard shortcut, Cmder lets you open multiple consoles in separate tabs, and its advanced options offer a very high level of customization. Personally, I think anyone interested should take their time there and patiently explore all the parameters.
Cmder is available in a "mini" version that doesn't exceed ten megabytes, and a full version that includes UNIX commands with the help of the msysgit package. At this point, some users might prefer Cygwin, but I believe they won't waste time if they decide to take a closer look at Cmder. To close, both versions of Cmder are completely portable.
