- Paperback: 576 pages
- Publisher: Manning Publications; 1 edition (20 Feb 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1932394907
- ISBN-13: 978-1932394900
- Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 18.9 x 2.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 127,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
PowerShell replaces cobbled-together assemblies of third-party management tools with an elegant programming language and a powerful scripting shell for the Windows environment. In the tradition of Manning's ground breaking "In Action" series, this book comes from right from the source. Written by Bruce Payette, one of principal creators of PowerShell, Windows PowerShell in Action shows you how to build scripts and utilities to automate system tasks or create powerful system management tools to handle the day-to-day tasks that drive a Windows administrator's life. Because it's based on the .NET platform, PowerShell is also a powerful tool for developers and power users.
Windows PowerShell in Action was written by Bruce Payette, one of the founding members of the Windows PowerShell team, co-designer of the PowerShell language and the principal author of the PowerShell language implementation. The book enables you to get the most out of the PowerShell environment. Using many examples, both small and large, this book illustrates the features of the language and environment and shows how to compose those features into solutions, quickly and effectively.
This book is designed for anyone who wants to learn PowerShell and use it well. Rather than simply being a book of recipes to read and apply, this book gives you the deep knowledge about how PowerShell works and how to apply it.
About the Author
Bruce Payette is one of the founding members of the Windows PowerShell team. He is co-designer of the PowerShell language along with Jim Truher and is the principal author of the language implementation. He joined Microsoft in 2001 working on Interix - the POSIX subsystem for Windows - then moved to the help found the PowerShell project shortly thereafter. Prior to joining Microsoft he worked at various companies including Softway (the creators of Interix) and MKS (producers of the MKS Toolkit) building UNIX tools for Windows. He lives in Bellevue, Washington with his wife, many computers and 3 extremely over-bonded and very spoiled cats.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is quite comprehensive on PowerShell; what it can do and how to do it. The range of coverage works for the novice to the advanced user. The chapter on script security solidly explains the raison d'etre of the PowerShell security model (most needed in these days of bad hackers) and how to work within this model for created secured scripts for yourself and/or for distribution to others.
The "author notes" (sidebars really) scattered throughout the book are gems of information that provide great commentary about topics on the page and are worth just reading all on their own. These notes provide a deeper understanding about PowerShell that serves both the beginner as well as the experienced PowerShell user.
This book will reside amongst the more referenced books on shelf beside the computer such as the bat book (sendmail) and the red book (Unix admin).
To address the other review: I've read through this book several times. The number of typos is insignificant overall (Harry Potter books usually have more). The Appendix A.2.3 is a structured example. The example counts bytes and 'du' count blocks. This isn't a case of "not knowing Unix" since 'du' is for disk usage, not directory usage. It's a case of the previous reviewer being myopic on this point.
The "author notes" (sidebars really) scattered throughout the book are gems of information that provide great commentary about topics on the page and are worth just reading all on their own. These notes provide a deeper understanding about PowerShell that serves both the beginner as well as the experienced PowerShell user.
This book will reside amongst the more referenced books on shelf beside the computer such as the bat book (sendmail) and the red book (Unix admin).
To address the other review: I've read through this book several times. The number of typos is insignificant overall (Harry Potter books usually have more). The Appendix A.2.3 is a structured example. The example counts bytes and 'du' count blocks. This isn't a case of "not knowing Unix" since 'du' is for disk usage, not directory usage. It's a case of the previous reviewer being myopic on this point.
16 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've been using PowerShell solidly for the last 4 or 5 months and consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable on the subject. I bought the book, however, because there are definite holes and inaccuracies in the public documentation.
My first 10 minutes with book were disappointing as it contains many typos - Manning really should hire a competent proof reader.
The leading chapters do explain the odd expression evaluation rules quite well, covering most of the gotchas, so would be invaluable to anyone using PowerShell for the first time.
Appendix A2 compares PowerShell to UNIX shells and the author shows his lack of knowledge of UNIX shells, for example he failed to notice that the "du" command shows directory usage information, and instead goes on about how you need to be familiar with bourne shell evaluation and awk. This is particularly surprising given Bruce Payette's pedigree at MKS.
I'd recommend this book if you are new to PowerShell and don't have the time to figure it all out yourself, but if you _do_ have time, you may want use freely available resources, and wait for the second edition.
My first 10 minutes with book were disappointing as it contains many typos - Manning really should hire a competent proof reader.
The leading chapters do explain the odd expression evaluation rules quite well, covering most of the gotchas, so would be invaluable to anyone using PowerShell for the first time.
Appendix A2 compares PowerShell to UNIX shells and the author shows his lack of knowledge of UNIX shells, for example he failed to notice that the "du" command shows directory usage information, and instead goes on about how you need to be familiar with bourne shell evaluation and awk. This is particularly surprising given Bruce Payette's pedigree at MKS.
I'd recommend this book if you are new to PowerShell and don't have the time to figure it all out yourself, but if you _do_ have time, you may want use freely available resources, and wait for the second edition.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
34 reviews
57 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Don't Make This Your First Purchase
9 July 2007
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Consider this book the Definitive Reference for PowerShell. Written by one of the designers of the PowerShell environment, the author knows all the ins and outs, back-alleys, hidden rooms, and secret handshakes the language offers - and isn't afraid to grab you by the hand and drag you along (like it or not!) for the tour of your life.
Therein, however, is the reason I can't recommend this as your first PowerShell book. The book is very logically planned out, the information very well presented in relatively easy to understand language, there is an abundance of script snippets to demonstrate what is being talked about, and the writing style itself is entertaining to read. But the author knows too much on the subject, and like any proud parent, often "too much information" is given, delving too deep into the gears and cogs of PowerShell and the underlying .NET framework for the (often basic) building block component, which might overwhelm the new PowerShell user, especially if the user does not have programming, let alone scripting, experience.
So although I say don't make this your first purchase, make it your second - and probably your last. Start with an "Introduction" style book (like Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner) to get used to the complex environment (even if you've only had VBS/JS experience), get comfortable with the basics of the shell, then move up to this title. You'll soon find out that every aspect you thought you knew has much more to the story than you thought, and you'll walk away from this read able to do just about everything you want.
Therein, however, is the reason I can't recommend this as your first PowerShell book. The book is very logically planned out, the information very well presented in relatively easy to understand language, there is an abundance of script snippets to demonstrate what is being talked about, and the writing style itself is entertaining to read. But the author knows too much on the subject, and like any proud parent, often "too much information" is given, delving too deep into the gears and cogs of PowerShell and the underlying .NET framework for the (often basic) building block component, which might overwhelm the new PowerShell user, especially if the user does not have programming, let alone scripting, experience.
So although I say don't make this your first purchase, make it your second - and probably your last. Start with an "Introduction" style book (like Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner) to get used to the complex environment (even if you've only had VBS/JS experience), get comfortable with the basics of the shell, then move up to this title. You'll soon find out that every aspect you thought you knew has much more to the story than you thought, and you'll walk away from this read able to do just about everything you want.
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Do not stop at think, go straight to buy and read.
28 Feb 2007
Format:Paperback
Where's the 6 stars option? I haven't enjoyed a software engineering book to the same extent for a long time. 'PowerShell in Action' works on two levels. Firstly it delivers immediately in getting you up to speed on PowerShell and being able to use it in-anger for simple tasks (and from there on it just gets better and better as it tackles more complex scenarios).
Secondly however it's not just a 'What' and 'How' tutorial, but also guide to 'Why'. Since Bruce was the design lead for the actual PowerShell language only he can tell you why they choose to implement features the way they did. On this level the book reads like one engineer talking to another. It gives you a fantastic insight into the thought processes behind the choices (what alternatives where considered, and discarded, and why).
The text is full of Bruce's entertaining and sly asides which make it clear that here's a guy that's quite possibly used every language on the planet. As a reader you get the clear impression that nothing in PowerShell is there out of whimsy. And when you start working through the book you'll get a real impression of how every feature of it hangs together and supports the whole. Get this book.
Secondly however it's not just a 'What' and 'How' tutorial, but also guide to 'Why'. Since Bruce was the design lead for the actual PowerShell language only he can tell you why they choose to implement features the way they did. On this level the book reads like one engineer talking to another. It gives you a fantastic insight into the thought processes behind the choices (what alternatives where considered, and discarded, and why).
The text is full of Bruce's entertaining and sly asides which make it clear that here's a guy that's quite possibly used every language on the planet. As a reader you get the clear impression that nothing in PowerShell is there out of whimsy. And when you start working through the book you'll get a real impression of how every feature of it hangs together and supports the whole. Get this book.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Awesome Detail from Start to Finish
18 Feb 2007
Format:Paperback
If you are looking for a good source of information to use the new Windows Powershell, this is the book for you! What is the old saying if you want the truth go to the source? Well Bruce is the source being one of the team leads has obviously given him some insight into the internal workings and he shares this with the reader.
Whether you are a scripting novice who needs help from start to finish, or you are an advanced scripter who just wants to dive right in, this book has something for everyone. It goes from start to finish covering everything from the basics of not only what Windows Powershell is but also scripting and even dabbles into object oriented programming. This book is truly the place to go for all your Windows Powershell needs, great job Bruce!
Whether you are a scripting novice who needs help from start to finish, or you are an advanced scripter who just wants to dive right in, this book has something for everyone. It goes from start to finish covering everything from the basics of not only what Windows Powershell is but also scripting and even dabbles into object oriented programming. This book is truly the place to go for all your Windows Powershell needs, great job Bruce!
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