Colophon
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 animals on the cover of Python and XML are elephant shrews. Different types of elephant shrews are found throughout Africa, most residing along the coast. The elephant shrew’s long nose, which resembles an elephant’s trunk, is the source of its name. The shrew pokes this trunk under leaves and, with its even longer tongue, flicks food into its mouth. It feeds mostly on termites and ants, but also eats shoots, berries, and roots.
Elephant shrews have long, soft fur that is sandy brown on the surface, fading to pale orange or gray. Their bodies range from 3.7 to 4 inches in length, and their tails, 3.7 to 5 inches. They weigh between 1 and 1.7 ounces. Elephant shrews grow to full size in about 46 days, and leave their shelters anywhere from 18 to 36 days after birth. Because they mature and leave their nests so quickly, predators rarely invade the nests.
Most elephant shrews do not burrow, as their feet are not well adapted for digging, but instead find depressions in the ground in which to nest. As they settle into these depressions, they pull leaves and debris over their heads for cover. The elephant shrew is very territorial, as it is mainly a solitary animal. When others approach, the shrew will break into a sudden flurry of kicking, screaming, sparring, and snapping until it is alone once more.
Mary Brady was the production editor and copyeditor for Python and XML. David Futato was the proofreader. Matt Hutchinson and Claire Cloutier provided quality control. Edith Shapiro and Camilla Ammirati provided production support. Johnna VanHoose Dinse wrote the index.
Emma Colby designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is an original illustration from Mammalia. Emma Colby produced the cover layout with Quark™XPress 4.1, using Adobe’s ITC Garamond font.
David Futato designed the interior layout. Mihaela Maier converted the files from Microsoft Word to FrameMaker 5.5.6, 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 Linley Dolby.
The online edition of this book was created by the Safari production group (John Chodacki, Becki Maisch, and Madeleine Newell) using a set of Frame-to-XML conversion and cleanup tools written and maintained by Erik Ray, Benn Salter, John Chodacki, and Jeff Liggett.