Acknowledgments

In this era of projects with ever-increasing scope and compressed schedules, acknowledging the contributions of everyone involved along the way is more and more important. All too often, we move on to new projects without remembering to thank the people who have helped us on the current one. A contribution that might on the surface seem small can in fact make or break a project or present a fresh way of solving a problem. It s important not only to thank people personally but also to find every opportunity to recognize their contributions publicly.

My investigation of thin-client/server computing began while I held the position of academic programs manager in the Internet Platform and Tools Division at Microsoft (a group that has probably changed names at least two or three times since I left the company). George Norris, who at the time worked in a Microsoft group doing strategic planning for education using the Microsoft Windows 95 platform, steered me toward Citrix Systems and the company s technology as a potentially great solution for educational institutions. Although George was unable to pursue this technology, we both felt that its use in education would not only benefit schools but would serve as a pilot to help Microsoft understand how thin-client/server computing could positively impact Microsoft s business. I have a deep respect for George, his vision, and his desire to create a real win-win-win situation for education customers, Microsoft, and Citrix Systems.

George steered me to Mark Templeton, vice president of marketing at Citrix. Mark exudes an infectious enthusiasm and passion for evangelizing Citrix s thin-client/server products. He was very willing to work with me while I was at Microsoft in trying to set Acknowledgments up pilot projects that removed both the IS management and hardware barriers preventing use of the latest versions of development tools in higher education. After I left Microsoft, Mark and I continued to talk. Our talks inspired me to write this book. I value Mark s time, attention, and input as well as his insight and vision.

Daniel Heimlich, a Citrix product manager, served as my main contact and Citrix project lead for this book. Daniel s enthusiasm, passion, attention to detail, and devotion to thin-client/server computing paid off quite well as the final version of this book went to press. At this point in my career, I ve decided to put my energy into worthwhile projects that provide an opportunity to work with great people. I would work with Daniel again in a heartbeat.

The information provided in this book was assembled from the archives at Citrix. I especially want to thank the company as a whole for allowing these materials to be used for this book.

I would also like to thank consultants Ursula Habermacher and David Carroll for their writing assistance with the more technical chapters in this book. Both Ursula and David, former Citrix employees, have extensive experience with WinFrame and now provide thin-client/server consulting and training services. It was their assistance and willingness to form a team around this book that got it through some of those critical early stages. I look forward to teaming up with Ursula and David again.

During my Microsoft career, which spanned almost eight years, the people at Microsoft Press always stood out as real stars. Jim Brown, Microsoft Press Publisher, who is not only a colleague but also a personal friend for whom I have high regard, was willing to take a look at this project. He noted its strategic value and along with Acquisitions Director Steve Guty gave enthusiastic consent. The project rapidly picked up pace when Sally Stickney became the project editor. Working with Sally provided a real shot in the arm. Her insights, ability to work as a team member, flexibility, and obvious experience in the publishing industry and daily phone calls really brought this project to fruition. I would also like to thank Jim Johnson and Lisa Theobald for their astute editorial comments and Travis Beaven for the graphics. Travis s particular talents with Adobe Photoshop greatly enhanced my picture in the back of the book; he removed my beard (although I had just shaved) and the dark circles under my eyes. Thanks also to Cheryl Penner, principal proofreader/copy editor, for polishing the final drafts of the galleys and pages, and to Peggy Herman, principal desktop publisher, for laying out the pages so competently.

Compaq Computer Corporation was especially generous. The company not only furnished a server, allowing me to test software, but it was also very gracious about providing product support. William Casperson, a Compaq systems engineer stationed at a local Redmond, Washington, software company made sure that the server ran like a top. He would stop by the Kanter Computing headquarters (my house) when needed. I would also like to thank F. G. Seeburger and Dave Mauldin for their assistance in assuring that the equipment required to complete this project was available.

Getting reviewers to look at your materials can be a real challenge, even when you re employed by the same company at the same location. The level of cooperation that I received from the members of the Citrix community would have been incredible if I were an on-site employee. It was even more incredible considering that we worked at opposite ends of the country with them in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and me in Redmond, Washington. The quality of their reviews was outstanding as well. I would like to thank not only Daniel Heimlich, but also Kurt Moody, Ed Janaczek, Russ Naples, and Seng Sun, who were always available to provide technical assistance and were real cheerleaders for this project. I also deeply appreciate the time spent by Bill Madden, Bob Williams, Tammy Olivia, Dave Manks, David Weiss, James Marsala, Bill Brown, Linda Cohen, Jane Regan, and Bob Faerman. The Citrix reviewers were subject to regular calls from me as I tried to verify technical details and track down information. Everyone was quite generous with time and very willing to an-swer questions. If someone didn t know an answer, he or she helped me find a source. I also appreciate the support and assistance for the different aspects of this project provided by Deepa Swamy, Fay Wilmot, Craig Bernstein, Eric Thav, Erich Steller, Jeff Krantz, Josh Drachman, Vicky Harris, Ken Downs, Marc Andre Boisseau, Janet Hansen, and Peter Savino. I m also grateful to Liz Bullington at Sicola Martin for her assistance in obtaining art source files. I hope that I haven t left anyone out, but if so, please accept my apologies and also my appreciation for your help.

In addition to the technical help from Citrix, Solveig Whittle, product manager in the Microsoft Windows NT group, also reviewed materials and answered questions. I appreciate Solveig s support and look forward to working more closely with her as Microsoft s Hydra project reaches maturity.

I would very much like to thank Ed Iacobucci, chairman of Citrix Systems, for providing the Foreword to this book. I would also like to thank Roger Roberts, CEO of Citrix Systems, for fostering a corporate culture that encourages people to go above and beyond mere duty in assisting with a project of this type.

I m very grateful for all of the help provided by MooseLogic, Inc., one of Citrix s resellers. Scott Gorcester and all of the professionals at MooseLogic might be best described as technical support saints. They understand the use of WinFrame inside and out and have been most generous with their assistance.

In Chapter 8, you ll find a case study from Idaho State University. This case study shows how you can make programming tools available on a WinFrame server. ISU Professor Corey Schou is responsible for making this happen. Corey s an incredible person and a great teacher. He knows how to create an educational experience for his students that not only imparts the requisite theoretical concepts but also provides students with practical skills for the real world. When you ask Corey for help, he ll tell you that his students can do miracles, but the impossible might take a few days. I value my association with Corey very much.

During the course of this project, Kevin Fisher of Contour Data, a FoxPro developer and a colleague of mine, turned from skeptic to believer with regard to thin-client/server computing. I want to thank Kevin for all his input. I also want to thank members of the Lake Washington schools Dan Phelan, Hugh Mobley, George Ainsworth, Jeff Bowers, Cheryl Chikalla, and Dean Irvine for envisioning ways in which thin-client/server computing can revo- lutionize the use of information in schools and for their patience while I focused on this project.

I m most appreciative of the support provided by Mark Templeton s and Daniel Heimlich s families. Last year, I proposed the first incarnation of this project in a meeting at Mark s house, with a second meeting on his boat (yes, life can be rough sometimes). I want to thank Mark s wife, Yvonne, for her hospitality when we met. I very much enjoyed our exchange of stories about software industry survival. Mark s kids, Warren, Pinckney, and Pierce, really added a nice perspective and dimension to those meetings. I also want to thank Cheryl Heimlich, Daniel s wife, who has also been gracious as Daniel received my frantic calls on evenings and weekends, and I d like to wish them both the best of luck with their new baby, Julia Angel Heimlich.

With regard to my own family, my mother, Nettie Kanter, along with my aunt, Enid Weinberg, kept the Boca Raton, Florida, offices of Kanter Computing open for the duration of this project. You can t imagine how much I appreciated their help.

Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Minna, and my boys, Sam and Matt. Sam and Matt are a real source of inspiration; they re very sharp and insightful considering their ages of 8 and 5, respectively. They ve made working at home a very worthwhile experience. Minna has endured my doctoral dissertation and eight years of Microsoft life. She s not only my wife and a wonderful, devoted full-time mother but also the legal counsel, administrator, and business manager for Kanter Computing. Minna is an extremely bright and caring individual who is concerned with her family and with the community at large. Without her love, support, and all the work she does on a daily basis to keep this family moving, I would not have been able to complete this project.

Joel P. Kanter, October 1997