Acknowledgments

from Mark Wutka:

Writing a book like this is more than just a team effort. The team members are more than just the people whose names you see in the credits; they are also our family and friends.

The first person I would like to thank is you, the reader. Without you, there would be no need for this book. I sincerely hope that you enjoy and learn from this book and that you find it useful enough to refer to it frequently.

I can't give enough thanks to my wife, Ceal. You have put up with me all these years and supported me in everything that I do. Your love and encouragement help get me through every day.

I owe such a huge debt to my Mom for all that she has done for me. She always gave me encouragement and served as a wonderful role model. While I was working all day and writing in my spare time, my Mom was making me look like a slacker by working, writing a book, and writing her dissertation. I can't say enough to thank you, but . . . thank you! Thank you also to Dr. John Graham for supporting both of us!

I'd like to thank several of my colleagues. First, Alan Moffet, who is incredibly sharp and thorough. I wish I had his depth of knowledge. I would also like to thank Chuck Cavaness and Cliff McCartney for their assistance over the years. It is great to have such top-notch gurus to bounce ideas off of. It's like having a personal think-tank. Thanks to Mike "Dot-Com" Connor for his suggestions and also for several of the menu images I used in the book. Thanks also to Mike Bates of the John H. Harland company for his suggestions and support. I'd also like to thank Joe Weber for his excellent input on the original outline for this book. I put a lot of stock in what Joe says.

The folks at Sams have been a pleasure to work with. I'd especially like to thank Todd Green for his patience with my bizarre schedule and frequent trips out of town and for getting me to do this book in the first place. Thanks also to Sean Dixon and Jan Fisher. I know there are a lot more people working on this book that I have never talked to and whose names I don't know. Thank you, too. I couldn't have done any of this if it weren't for you folks.

Finally, I would like to thank the multitudes of developers out there who are working on open-source projects—especially those working on OpenOffice. Thanks to your excellent work, I did much of the work on this book with OpenOffice running on Mandrake Linux. The folks on the Jakarta project are doing a fantastic job as well, not just with Tomcat, but with Ant, Struts, and a number of other tools.

from Alan Moffet:

During the course of writing this book, I became very busy with work. Several projects demanded most of my time. Fortunately for me, the people at Sams have been very patient and great to work with. I'm particularly grateful for Todd Green and Sean Dixon, whose encouragement and support haven't wavered. Thanks, Todd and Sean.

It's also been a pleasure to work with Mark Wutka. Mark's a sharp developer with a lot of experience. He understands how to use Java and its platforms in real-world applications. His practical writing and examples have made the book what it is.

Kunal Mittal stepped in and helped with several chapters. Marc Goldford and Jeff Linwood helped us to stay on track technically. I appreciate your work and expertise.

I also need to thank my parents. They helped me develop a love for learning and the discipline that has served me so well.

Finally, I have to thank my family and friends. Your smiles, teasing, hugs, and occasional games of "horse" put everything into perspective. You make it all possible.

from Kunal Mittal:

I would like to dedicate this book to my wife, Neeta, and my dog, Dusty, for their patience as I chose to bail on their weekend plans to work on completing chapters for this book. I could not have done it without their support and understanding.

I would also like to acknowledge Todd Green, who introduced me into this book and gave me the opportunity to contribute to it. I would also like to thank the entire Sams team that has made this book a reality.