viii About IDG Books Worldwide Welcome to the world of IDG Books Worldwide. IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., is a subsidiary of International Data Group, the worlds largest publisher of business and computer-related information and the leading global provider of information services on information technology. IDG was founded over 25 years ago and now employs more than 5,700 people worldwide. IDG publishes over 195 publications in 62 countries. Forty million people read one or more IDG publications each month. Launched in 1990, IDG Books is today the fastest growing publisher of computer and business books in the United States. We are proud to have received 3 awards from the Computer Press Association in recognition of editorial excellence, and our best-selling “… For Dummies” series has over 7 million copies in print with translations in more than 20 languages. IDG Books, through a recent joint venture with IDG’s Hi-Tech Beijing, became the first U.S. publisher to publish a computer book in The People’s Repub- lic of China. In record time, IDG Books has become the first choice for millions of readers around the world who want to learn how to better man- age their businesses. Our mission is simple: Every IDG book is designed to bring extra value and skill-building instruction to the reader. Our books are written by experts who understand and care about our readers. The knowledge base of our editorial staff comes from years of experience in publishing, education, and journalism—experience which we use to produce books for the 90s. In short, we care about books, so we attract the best people. We devote special attention to details such as audience, interior design, use of icons, and illus- trations. And because we write, edit, and produce our books electronically, we can spend more time ensuring superior content and spend less time on the technicalities of making books. You can count on our commitment to deliver high quality books at compet- itive prices on topics you want to read about. At IDG, we value quality, and we have been delivering quality for over 25 years. You’ll find no better book on a subject than an IDG book. John Kilcullen President and CEO IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.

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