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 tool on the cover of Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition, is an antique fan. Fans have been used to provide relief from the heat since the late 1880s. Antique fans that pre-date 1900 are quite rare and are highly sought after by collectors.

Emily Quill was the production editor, and Audrey Doyle was the copyeditor for Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition. Katherine T. Pinard did the proofread. Jamie Peppard and Darren Kelly provided quality control. Peter Ryan, Keith Fahlgren, and Lydia Onofrei provided production assistance. Reg Aubry wrote the index.

Hanna Dyer designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is a photograph taken from the PhotoSpin Power Photos Nostalgia CD, Volume 9, Disk 2. Emma Colby produced the cover layout with InDesign CS using Adobe's Helvetica Neue and ITC Garamond fonts.

David Futato designed the interior layout. This book was converted by Joe Wizda to FrameMaker 5.5.6 with a format conversion tool created by Erik Ray, Jason McIntosh, Neil Walls, and Mike Sierra that uses Perl and XML technologies. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Helvetica Neue 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.