I never thought I’d be writing a technical book. I have a MA in English Literature so I always pictured myself sitting in an oak paneled room surrounded by books and attentive students listening to me pontificating on the latest criticism of 19th Century novels. It didn’t take me long to realize though that path wasn’t for me and I really wasn’t cut out for a life in academia. But now I was an ex-English major working in a book store, starting a family and with little career prospects.

Working in a bookstore did offer some advantages. One advantage was the easy access to technical books. I had endless access to books just like the one you are reading now. I thought to myself, why not read these books, learn from them, and try working in IT? I didn’t see a need to go back to school in order to learn IT. I had the books, I had the computer at home to work on, and I had the goal of acquiring an IT certification. I eventually passed the certification exam and soon after that I got my first break into IT working for a small consulting company.

So, why does any of this matter? The point is that many, if not most, of the people working in IT today didn’t plan to be in IT. They come from a diverse background. The one thing that binds them together is their desire to learn and study to become experts in their field. They all started down the path by reading books just like the one you are holding. They made a decision to start an IT career. This is an important book because it’s the beginning. The book is the stepping stone to becoming a professional. Although it isn’t the great American novel I had hoped to someday write, it was still a pleasure and honor to have been asked by Kathi and Apress to revise it because, unlike a novel, this book has practical, real world applications. I also take pride in the fact I have given back a little for the benefits similar books have given me in the past.

Enjoy the book and never stop learning.