Acknowledgments

I'd like to thank Dominic Shakeshaft of Apress for encouraging me and making this book possible. The staff at Apress, especially Adam Heath, Matthew Moodie, and Tracy Brown have been very helpful and gracious. The book is much better for their reviews, comments, and edits.

I owe huge debt of gratitude to Professor Dominic Soda, who taught me most of the mathematics I know and shared his deep love of learning with me while I was his student and, later, his colleague.

Thanks also to all my students in CS 292 over the last four years who have put up with successive versions of the course notes that became this book. And to Knox College for giving me the time and resources to finish this book.

Finally, I owe everything to Diane who hates that I work nights, but loves that I can work at home.