Professional Java User Interfaces

Acknowledgements

I have been working on this book for more than five years, in one way or another. It is by no means the result of a single person (the author). A very large number of people shaped it, so many that it will be impossible to name them all.

I should first thank Sally Tickner and the management at John Wiley and Sons, for allowing me to deliver the manuscript after such a huge delay, which was mostly caused – only a partial excuse – by my never-ceasing joy of working on and taming new and complex adventures, rather than lack of interest in the subject.

It's easy to remember Steve Rickaby of WordMongers, whose expert hand made this book readable and sometimes even enjoyable. If it wasn't for his help this gigantic work would have been very different.

A special thanks too to my students, who kept the fire of honest enthusiasm and the Spirit of Wonder high, and who were extremely patient with my shameful schedule. I hope I gave them back at least a small portion of what they gave to me.

I wish also to thank the reviewers for their careful work, the many clients and colleagues for the countless lessons that I tried to put together in the book, and all the people who spent precious time out of their lives putting into written form their hard-won experience, often without any economic return.

Last but not least, my biggest thanks go to my family, my Bella, and my closest friends. Without their presence, patience, and constant support, this book wouldn't have been possible.