Rating: 
Summary: concise and straightforward
Review: A concise and straightforward explanation of this incredibly valuable program. Hopefully many will find their way to this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your Money.
Review: After finishing approximately 1/4 of the book, I came to the conclusion that I was robbed. I installed WSH and typed in all code within the first few days. Errors are rampant and it takes too much time to debug the author's typos. I emailed the author for help with some of the code and apparently he doesn't care. Would not recommend the book to someone trying to learn. I think he has the right idea, but the code should work. There are no excuses.
Rating:
Summary: Wrong Title
Review: Book should be called "Teach yourself WSH in 21 days If you know VB". Not really a beginner's guide...dissapointed. Going to buy Tim Hill's new book : )
Rating:
Summary: This is a good purchase!
Review: For a programmer who has used VB, Java, or any ASP, this book will boost your skills incredibly with a minimal learning curve. It shows the basics of the WSH objects and an overview of VBScript and JScript within the first few chapters- it is worth buying the book just for those chapters alone. If you are not familiar yet with the concepts of OOP and looking at object models, you might need a primer found in another book before looking into WSH. It is built purely on objects that your code will refence and it can be a bear to take on unprepared. It will be interesting to see how the .Net framework will integrate the objects in WSH- there is a significant chance that little in this book will be completely valid after Windows XP and Visual Studio .Net have become standard. Nevertheless, this book is an invaluable tool to the Windows programmer who wants to simplify life by automating as many tasks as possible.
Rating:
Summary: This is a good purchase!
Review: For a programmer who has used VB, Java, or any ASP, this book will boost your skills incredibly with a minimal learning curve. It shows the basics of the WSH objects and an overview of VBScript and JScript within the first few chapters- it is worth buying the book just for those chapters alone. If you are not familiar yet with the concepts of OOP and looking at object models, you might need a primer found in another book before looking into WSH. It is built purely on objects that your code will refence and it can be a bear to take on unprepared. It will be interesting to see how the .Net framework will integrate the objects in WSH- there is a significant chance that little in this book will be completely valid after Windows XP and Visual Studio .Net have become standard. Nevertheless, this book is an invaluable tool to the Windows programmer who wants to simplify life by automating as many tasks as possible.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book!
Review: I am really new to WSH but this book made it really easy for me to grasp the concepts. It strarts from the basics and moves to harder material. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to learn not just WSH but VBscript and jscript.
Rating: 
Summary: Missing Appendix A suggests other poor planning.
Review: I guess I'm angry, after spending more time looking for the missing, and oft-referred to Appendix A than the authors spent planning (or writing) the book. "A" suggests even more than one (missing) appendix. The screen reproductions are impossible to read. The authors only "present" features of the language, they do not explain or teach it. One good point: They do present an almost readable summary of data bases. Buy and read different one, then return to this one and use it as a reference.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait
Review: It took them long enough to get this book out, but I have to admit as much as I wanted to slam them for taking so long, I'm really impressed with the end result! You can tell that they started with WSH 1.0 and then updated the content for WSH 2, but it's still full of terrific (and timely) advice. Lots of practical applications for WSH!
Rating: 
Summary: Good learning tool - but you really have to want it
Review: The biggest problem with the WSH and VBScript is that it is marketed as being a powerful but simple "macro" language. Nothing could be further from the truth. VBScript is essentially VB without the forms and graphics. VBScript is just as powerful, has the same controlling capabilities, and uses almost all the same commands and syntax as VB. To think of writing scripts for the WSH as anything less than programming is a mistake. When I first got this book, I read a ways into it, decided I didn't have the time or energy to go on, and put it aside. Had I written a review at that point, it would not have been favorable. Then I learned more about the WSH, what it was and what my expectations should be, what a person could do with it - and I picked it back up, and really applied myself. And apply yourself you must for this book. The first 154 pages of this 600 page book teach you the syntax and structure of VBScript (and some JScript). It's a little dry, and easy to get lost in. But once you have that down, the rest of the book can really open things up and show you quite a bit. Besides an introduction to the language, the book covers "upgrading" your old batch files, writing logon scripts for users, automating network tasks, SQL server, IIS server, as well as showing you how to use ActiveX objects for the file system, CDO, ADO (Database), etc. The book even goes so far as to touch on ADSI scripting for Windows NT and Windows 200 Active Directory. Even though at this point in time the book is a little out-dated (written in the Windows NT 4 time), it is still a good learning tool. Not so unlike other "... in 21 days" books, the average person won't complete the book in that time, and you learn just as much correcting the errors in the code and doing the workshop material as you do from the actual guided lessons. If you're looking for a scripting solution that is quick and easy, WSH and VBScript isn't it, and neither is this book. If you're looking for a powerful automation tool for network and services automation, and you're willing to spend the time it will take to complete this book, then this could be the title for you.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book is a great intro to Windows Script Host. A definate must-have for scripting newbies. Some reviewers here complain some of the scripts dont work, but that's because WSH has been updated since then. After you purchase the book, you can download the scripts from the author's website.
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