Our look is the result of reader comments, our own experimentation, and feedback from distribution channels. Distinctive covers complement our distinctive approach to technical topics, breathing personality and life into potentially dry subjects. The animal on the cover of REALbasic: The Definitive Guide is a greyhound. Greyhounds were first bred approximately 3,000 years ago in Egypt, making them one of the oldest breeds of domesticated dogs. Mummified greyhounds have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. They were bred as hunting dogs. They hunt by sight, not smell, and have the keenest eyesight of all dogs. Their hunting strategy is to outrun their prey, a task they easily accomplish. Greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog, reaching speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. In recent times, this speed has led to the sport of greyhound racing. Numerous societies promote the adoption of retired racing greyhounds.

The distinctive silhouettes formed by their graceful, virtually fat-free bodies, their even temperaments, and their power and speed have long made greyhounds favorites of royalty. At one time in England it was against the law for "commoners" to own greyhounds. Greyhounds have also made their mark in art and literature. There are references to greyhounds in the Bible and in classical literature from Homer to Shakespeare. Mary Brady was the production editor and Norma Emory was the proofreader for REALbasic: The Definitive Guide. Darren Kelly, Claire Cloutier, and Linley Dolby provided quality control. Kimo Carter provided production support. Matt Neuburg wrote the index.

Hanna Dyer designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is an original engraving from The Illustrated Natural History: Mammalia. Emma Colby produced the cover layout with QuarkXPress 4.1 using Adobe's ITC Garamond font.

Melanie Wang designed the interior layout, based on a series design by David Futato. The design was implemented by Neil Walls using tools created by Mike Sierra. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is LucasFont's TheSans Mono Condensed. The illustrations that appear in the book were produced by Robert Romano and Jessamyn Read using Macromedia FreeHand 9 and Adobe Photoshop 6. The tip and warning icons were drawn by Christopher Bing. This colophon was written by Clairemarie Fisher O'Leary.

Whenever possible, our books use a durable and flexible lay-flat binding. If the page count exceeds this binding's limit, perfect binding is used.