[ Editor's Note: O'Reilly has made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the use of lay-flat bindings as a cost-savings measure given today's economic climate. O'Reilly will provide this feature again as soon as possible. ]

One of the things I've always loved about O'Reilly books is that you don't do things the way "the industry" does. You do things the way you think they should be done.

So nobody else puts animals on their covers. So what! I like the fact that I can lean over to a colleague and say, "Hey, can you hand me the weasel book?" and he'll know that I'm talking about Web Design in a Nutshell.

I like that your books are dense with information and compact. A lot of computer reference books seem to think that we'd all rather read a 3" thick tome with 24 pt. leading. I like that your books lay flat when I open them up. It's a small thing, but it matters. I don't know how many times I've spilled mocha on one of those 3" thick books because I was using the cup as a way to keep the page open.

I like that you treat your readers as intelligent and creative people. Clear explanations without a condescending attitude is one thing that keeps me coming back for your books.

Finally, I like that you cover subjects as diverse as SSH, Learning Cocoa, Learning XML, Managing Mailing Lists, and Building Wireless Community Networks. I think you have a firm grasp on something fundamental--that people who are really into computers refuse to be confined to narrow subject areas.

Keep up the great work, and don't forget what got you where you are now.

Erik

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