Acknowledgments

While writing this book, I have been influenced by many different people and am lucky to be able to say thank you to just a few of them.

First I want to say thanks to our hardworking Development Editor, Damon Jordan. Damon managed to pay a visit to England while we were writing this book; unfortunately, however, he and I did not get to meet up. Damon did get to see some of where I live and work, so he now knows just how much inspiration I get from living in and around Bath. More important, though, he discovered Ubuntu during this book, and I know that he loves the distro, as do countless others. Damon, thanks for encouraging and supporting this endeavor.

My family has been extremely supportive, not least my wife's parents, Chris and John Knott, who graciously opened their house to me for a period of 6 weeks while I worked away from home and wrote this book at the same time. Thanks for letting me shut myself away and letting me get on with it; I appreciated it!

Paul and I are lucky enough to have wonderful parents of our own, Terry and Dawn, who have nurtured and encouraged both of us. Thanks for the love and support that you have given to us.

I also want to thank my wife, Bernice, who has been a rock of support for me during the writing of this book. When I was facing deadlines, she graciously let me get on with them, shutting myself away for days at a time. Finally, I want to pay tribute to our beautiful baby boy, John, who just today (as I write this) took his first steps. There is no other wow moment quite like watching him!

Andrew Hudson

Thanks to Andrew, Shelley, Damon, Mandie, Dallas, Mum and Dad, my wife, Ildiko; and, of course, God, who made all this possible. No book this big could be done without a lot of work from a dedicated team! However, it is important to kick back and enjoy life now and then and spend some time contemplating the important things in life: quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?

Paul Hudson