Preface (First Edition)

   

---

Acknowledgments

Despite what anyone tells you, writing is truly a cooperative effort. I am so thankful that there are editors, colleagues, friends , and family who continue to be ready and willing to lend their help. It is these people who provide encouragement and keep you focused on the task at hand, and it is to them that I extend my most heartfelt appreciation .

First, I wish to thank my editor, Mary O'Brien, for the opportunity to write this new edition. Her patience, kindness, leadership, and steady hand guided this project and helped me bring it to successful completion. I'd also like to thank Mary's assistants, Alicia Carey, Stacie Parillo, and Brenda Mulligan. Alicia and Stacey displayed great patience and provided unwavering support throughout the many months I was working on this edition, and Brenda was an invaluable partner throughout the production process. And a special thanks to John Fuller and his production staffgreat job, as always! A hearty thanks to Tyrrell Albaugh for guiding the production process so smoothly, and to Jennifer Kelland for her meticulous and thorough editing work. With such a wonderful team as this, I just can't imagine why I'd ever want to write for anyone else.

Next, I'd like to acknowledge my distinguished technical review team: Sandy Barker, Michael Blaha, Matt Greer, and Michelle Poolet. These folks graciously and generously gave their time, effort, and expertise to provide me with a wealth of valuable feedback and suggestions. This book definitely benefitted from their contributions. Thanks once again to all of you for your time and input and for helping to make this edition even better than I first envisioned .

I want to extend a very special thanks to Ken Getz for once again providing the foreword for my book. Ken is a well-repsected database/VB/.NET expert, a colleague, and a good friend. I'm so pleased to have his thoughts and comments at the beginning of the book.

A special thanks also goes to all of those readers who took the time to send me their thoughts and comments. I am humbled by their praise and support and particularly appreciative of the good, constructive criticism that eventually helped me to improve that material in this edition. I also wish to thank all the academic institutions, government agencies, and commercial organizations that have adopted my book and made it "standard reading" for those just beginning their database careers. I am honored by their support of my work.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Kendra, for her unending patience while I was enmeshed in my writing. Her help and support have been invaluable, and yet again, I owe her a great debt. I would tell you exactly how I feel about her, but she abhors any sort of PDA (public display of affection). Instead of a big verbal hug, I'll just say this:

Well, Ked, now we can take a nice, long, well-deserved break. . . .

---

Top