Dave Carroll

I started my career over 28 years ago at a small Mom-and-Pop computer store building and repairing home computer systems and peripherals. Since then, I've worked in the public and private sectors with 17 years in higher education. Currently, I am a DevOps engineer for a finance company and use PowerShell and Python daily.

I got into scripting early. First just DOS batch files, then VBScript. Around 2009, I learned my first bits of PowerShell converting my homegrown identity management system consisting of more than 10,000 lines of VBScript and interfacing with Active Directory, SunOne LDAP, Oracle DB, MySQL, and more. I enjoyed wowing coworkers (and myself) with the data I could collect and collate using just a few commands of PowerShell. It has allowed me to control the systems I manage and interface with various others.

I attempt to promote and evangelize PowerShell, helping new learners with the basics and participating in the online community as often as I can. I've recently joined the Fediverse and can be found on the Mastodon instance @fosstodon.org/@thedavecarroll. You can also find me on LinkedIn, in the PowerShell Forums, and (less occasionally now) in the r/PowerShell subreddit.

I am much less active on Twitter @thedavecarroll these days.

Also, I have recently gotten into retrocomputing so you may see some content focused on that. The first computer I owned was a Commodore 64, but I would spend more time on my Apple //c that I received a couple years later. My first IBM compatible laptop had an impressive 640K RAM, which I configured part of as a RAM disk, and dual 1.44MB floppy drives.

My Contributions

PowerShell and Technical Blog

Since the middle of 2018, I have been blogging about PowerShell and a smattering of articles on other info tech and interesting topics. Here are the latest articles:

PowerShell Modules

I wrote and maintain the following PowerShell modules:

Name	Repo	Notes
BluebirdPS	BluebirdPS	Getting Started Documentation Report a Bug Submit Feature Request Ask a question
PoShEvents	PoShEvents	PowerShell module to query Windows Event Logs and write events with structured EventData or UserData
PoShGroupPolicy	PoShGroupPolicy	PowerShell module to assist with Group Policy
PoShDynDnsApi	PoShDynDnsApi	PowerShell module used to interact with Dyn Managed DNS REST API
PSTemperature	PSTemperature	Binary module written in C# with PowerShell 7 experimental feature. Converts temperature between Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin, and Rankine.

Iron Scripter Challenge Solutions

I have participated in several Iron Scripter challenges since June 2019. My solutions can be found in my IronScripterSolutions repo.

Contributing Author

PowerShell Conference Book Volume 2
PowerShell Conference Book Volume 3
The #PS7Now ebook which is comprised of the #PSBlogWeek articles for the GA release of PowerShell 7

My Last Presentation

Date	4/27/2021
Event	PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2021
Title	Creating BluebirdPS: A Twitter Automation Client for PowerShell 7 (Video On Demand)
Abstract	In this talk, we will examine the process used in creating BluebirdPS, a PowerShell 7 module for the Twitter REST API. Topics will include learning the API, authentication, module structure, response and error handling, and customizing the output.
Video	Recording

GitHub Info

Support the DevOps Collective's OnRamp Scholarship

The DevOps Collective’s OnRamp scholarships help younger technology professionals, many from underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds, learn about IT automation, DevOps practices, and more - all at no cost to them or their families. We’re changing one life at a time and helping to ensure the continuation and advancement of our trade!

100% of the royalties from sales of these books go towards the DevOps Collective's OnRamp scholarship program.

PowerShell Conference Book Vol 1	PowerShell Conference Book Vol 2	PowerShell Conference Book Vol 3	PS7Now

thedavecarroll / thedavecarroll