Acknowledgments

Whenever I sit down to write acknowledgements I feel like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, when, at the end of the movie, he is overwhelmed with gratitude for the multitude of friends in his life. I am lucky to have the supportive family and friends that I do. Here is a brief thank you.

Thanks to my dear wife Lynne and my children CJ, Gregory, and Samantha. There are no words to express the wonderfully bizarre rituals of raising a family, except maybe "Go team!" Thanks to the rest of my family—my father and "Grandma T," Shirley and Buddy, my mother, and the "Arizona gang."

Thanks to a great co-author, Al Saganich, for another heroic effort. Thanks to Steve Anglin at Sams Publishing for his patience and willingness to get it right.

Thanks to my new friends at McDonald Bradley: Sharon McDonald, Ken Bartee, Danny Proko, Charlie Sowell, and Gayle Levin. The warm McDonald Bradley culture is the perfect environment for innovation, camaraderie and software excellence. Thanks to my MDITDS colleagues for their hard work on a tough, forward-looking project: Sandy Whittington, Janice Pryor, Ruben Wise, Don Bolser, Joel Gladding, and Larry Thimm.

Finally, thanks to my readers. Your dedication to poring through source code and struggling through complex explanations inspires me to keep pushing hard to make it better. Thanks.

—Michael Daconta

Acknowledgements are always the most difficult part of writing a book. So many people are involved and contribute in so many different ways, and I'm always afraid I'll miss someone important. But here goes:

First I'd like to thank my wife Becky and my children Jackie and A.J. and, of course, my parents Al Sr. and Carol, without whose continued support I could never have even entertained the idea of beginning a book, never mind completing one. You put up with more then anyone should ever have too and always had a smile to help me over the rough spots.

I'd also like to thank my friends Mike and Sally and their children Dan and Lauren, who supplied many Saturday night dinners, providing sustenance for both body and soul, not to mention a much-needed distraction from the pressures of everyday life!

No work of this nature could ever have been completed without dedication. I've trained in the martial arts now for years and I owe that dedication to my instructor, Sifu Henrick Hamberg, and my constant training partner Chris Nadeau. Without you two I would never have gotten where I am today.

Many thanks to my co-conspirator Mike Daconta for involving me in yet another great project. You are a wellspring of great ideas and I can only imagine what you will come up with next. And to Steve Anglin and the entire staff at Sams Publishing for patience, understanding, and drive to get it right.

And, of course, the entire crew at the Maynard BEA Education office, especially Tyler, Stephanie, Jay, Jose, and all the other great people of BEA. You guys provide so much insight, ideas, motivation, and inspiration and you are all so much fun to work with!

And finally, special thanks to Jay Cross, who got me involved in the whole Java thing so long ago.

You guys are all the best! Thanks!

—Al Saganich