Acknowledgments
From the editor’s desk in Round Rock, Texas, the first thing I would like to do is thank all the Java Enterprise authors at O’Reilly who were generous enough with their time to return and divulge their experiences. This book represents a logical next step for our Java publishing program, as many of our authors are now considered field experts in the areas they wrote about. And all of the authors have brought a wealth of knowledge that they have picked up—not only by writing their own books, but also by talking to readers like you after their particular books were published. Thank you all.
On the personal side, I’d like to thank Mike Loukides, mentor and friend, who encouraged me to take on such an ambitious project with so many authors so quickly. I found myself brooding about how I would go about tackling this project at our booth at JavaOne 2002 (just before I got sick), and, as usual, Mike helped me see both the forest and the trees. He was also instrumental in getting me some medicine. As the author byline hints, this is not a typical O’Reilly book, but I think after reading it you’ll agree that it meets O’Reilly’s high standards.
Finally, I’d also like to pass my thanks to my wife, Michelle, who is always ready with a healthy dinner and a hug, even when I have to work late into the night. There’s nothing quite like shutting down the computer at 8 P.M., coming out to watch some comedy on TV, and finding a nice, warm quesadilla waiting for me along with a family ...