Professional Windows PowerShell (Programmer to Programmer)

MSH is a new command-line shell for Microsoft server products, including the long-awaited Longhorn server, and will eventually ship with all major Microsoft products, making it the must-know technology MSH will replace current command lines in new Microsoft products and can be used to write shell scripts similar to those used with Unix and Linux Discusses how MSH enables all of the .NET Framework objects to become accessible via scripting, making it a very powerful addition to any developer's or administrator's toolbox Readers are guided through all the ins and outs of MSH and learn how to create powerful solutions; run scripts, programs, and commands; customize the MSH environment; handle data; manage files and disks; and script solutions and .NET objects

User review
Almost useless
My expectations from a book like this are to understand how Powershell works and how to solve problems with Powershell. This book doesn't do well in any of those areas, expecially the last one. I never found a solution by the index and also reading the section, I never found the answer to my question. Just as an example, the error handling section is useless. Unfortunately I don't did not find yet a good alternative.

User review
Good Starter
The book was reviewed and used for a Suncoast Security Society presentation found [,,.]. While reviewing the book we found it well organized and thought out in a logical progression. Where we found it lacking was the examples were a little too simple and we felt the title containing `Professional ,,` wasn't consistant with the content and `Introduction ,,` would have been more appropriate.

As an example in Chapter 13 the COM automation of Excel only showed how to open Excel from powershell. In our presentation we connected to an Active Directory domain, pulled a list of users. Then used the powershell looping mechanism to iterate through the list and push it to Excel. That put the power of powershell in prespective and made a much more effective example.

In conclusion, this book is a great primer for getting you started. However, if you are expirenced in scripting with vbscript you will find yourself wanting a little more to connect the dots and create advanced scripts.

User review
Great book (if I ever get it back)
Great book, judging by reaction of Exchange admin who grabbed it and I have not seen it far from his hands yet. When I ask, he just smiles and says that he will give it back `some day`.

User review
Weak sample scripts
I purchased this book based on two previous reviews and so far I'm somewhat disappointed. For example, I think the author should include how to add comments to a script (e.g. #) early on in the book because adding comments is proper coding practice. Also, none of the author's sample scripts include comments either. Additionally, I find the sample scripts to be very simplistic short examples and I defiantly expected to see far more complex sample scripts that demonstrates the more advanced scripting capabilities of the PowerShell scripting language. Based on this, I'm surprised that this book is in the professional series because what is presented in the book is at an introductory level.

User review
If your new to Powershell this if for your Library
This is a really good book. I have purchased a bunch of other books on Powershell but most of them were written with developers in mind and not system administrators. Well good news, this book is written specifically for Windows System Admins. It walks you through how the scripting language works (.NET), and it provides very clear examples of how to use and create power shell scripts. With this book in hand and the free information that is available on the Microsoft Technet site, you are on you way to becoming a proficient Power Shell Scripter! Well done Mr. Andrew Watt.