Acknowledgements

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I first want to thank the authors of the book Design Patterns: Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides. Object-oriented programming principles are relatively new to Microsoft Visual Basic, and their evolution still has a ways to go. Your book, which takes object-oriented programming to new levels, inspired me to share with the Visual Basic community the concepts you developed primarily for C++ programmers. Because of the enhancements that have occurred in each subsequent version of Visual Basic, I think Visual Basic programmers are now ready to embrace object-oriented programming and the use of design patterns as implementation tools.

I next want to thank all the folks at Microsoft Press who made this book a reality. Many thanks to Ben Ryan for contacting me and lobbying for Microsoft Press to publish my unprecedented subject matter for Visual Basic. I'm a programmer who writes, more than a writer who programs, so I'm truly grateful to all those involved in the editing process who have turned my somewhat coherent words into a remarkably readable book. These people include Wendy Zucker, Jean Ross, Mary Barnard, Sally Stickney, and John Pierce. John, thanks for seeing the project through until the end. Jean, thanks so much for your due diligence in confirming the technical accuracy of the sample applications, which I think are a major benefit of this book.

I'd also like to thank Steven Lieblich for his extraordinary confidence in my abilities and for the tremendous opportunity he has given me to put my ideas into practice—ideas that have paid high dividends on many levels. Real-world experience is the affirmation that has allowed me to write this book.

In addition, I'd like to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to my mother, Aurea, who provided me with a solid foundation that has enabled me to achieve my aspirations.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Elva, and our sons, Maxwell and Ethan, who bring such love and joy into my life. Your love and support have helped me cultivate the positive energy required to follow through on my ambitions. What I do, I do for you.