If you haven’t heard of Leanpub, then that’s about to happen. I only know so much about it, but I can already see the benefits to it. It allows authors to write, publish, and distribute eBooks as they’re being written, and of course at completion. The times are changing, as is technology, and so good authors can’t always be expected to print their books. Trust me, I’m currently reading an AWS book from 2015.

I briefly want to mention a project by Mike F Robbins on Leanpub entitled, PowerShell 101. If you’re not following him on Twitter, you ought to be. In January of this year (2017), he introduced his project to the community; he wanted to write and author an entry-level PowerShell book for anyone that wants to learn PowerShell. The neat thing here, is that he desired to share things he wish he would’ve been told, when he was just starting out. The book discusses the help system, objects, using the pipeline, and more topics you’d expect in a book of this type.

So, I sent Mike a message on Twitter. I told him I would be willing to read the book, as he was writing it, and try and help his publishing efforts by offering comments, critiques, and edits. I wasn’t implying he couldn’t do it alone, but did want to offer my writing and editing skills, and PowerShell knowledge toward his project.

Mike agreed, and so over the last several months, I’ve read chapter by chapter, as Mike’s been pumping them out. I’ve provided what I can to help his endeavor — not that he really needed me — but so he had another set of eyes. I feel it’s important that there’s been another person reading along, and thinking about his instruction, as a newcomer to PowerShell.

So with that, share the book as you can and as appropriate. PowerShell is fun. It’s even more fun, when you have those basics deep in your pocket, and so I’m glad to have been a part of this project. I truly hope this book can bring clarity to someone’s learning, as they move themselves into being a part of our PowerShell community.

If you didn’t catch the above link, here it is again: PowerShell 101.