Microsoft's tutorials also assist participants setting up a development environment with Microsoft's popular Visual Studio Code editor, as well as installing Node.js as a JavaScript runtime.

Microsoft's JavaScript and Node.js series builds on the free beginner Python classes it released last year and followed up with more tutorials this May.

Never mind the complaints: JavaScript scripting is the best way forward for Microsoft Office and the Windows platform.

You have a 50/50 shot at accessing a new experiment from the Visual Studio dev team that integrates tutorials with the IDE for an experience that combines guidance with live code.