Windows Scripting Self Paced Learning Guide review

Gallery

Verdict:

Review Date: 18 Aug 2004

Price when reviewed:

Reviewed By: Mike James

Our Rating 4 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

ISBN 0735619816

Pages 350

Ed Wilson's book is superficially about learning VBScript. It starts as a fairly slow and methodical introduction to writing programs using Windows Scripting Host until, at page 148, you reach a chapter called "Why Windows Management Instrumentations?" Suddenly, you are using VBScript to access the WMI system and do all sorts of useful things. This is a nice idea but it's hardly practical to bring in the WMI at the same time as describing the basic facilities of VBScript. It simply makes both more difficult to master.

After dealing with WMI the book moves on to Active Directory Services Interfaces (ADSI). Then it takes on networking components, Logon scripts, the Registry, working with printers and configuring IIS. Each of these topics is advanced in terms of scripting and yet they are used as vehicles to introduce simple programming ideas and VBScript syntax. For example, at the end of the chapter on login scripts the Quiz Yourself section asks what the Join and RefreshSchemaCache functions do. These two functions are in very different leagues: one simple and one advanced.

This book is better suited to people who know some VBScript and want to find out how it can be usefully employed. The author's goal was probably to create useful programs at the same time as teaching the basics, but the two don't always go hand in hand. A more practical approach would be to learn to program and then learn to do useful things with your new skill.

Prev Next

Get more reviews, tutorials and in-depth advice, every month with Computer Shopper.
Click here to try 3 issues for £1

< Previous Reviews : General Next >

Sponsored Links

Be the first to comment on this article

You need to Login or Register to comment.