The initial planning and thinking about this book began during a discussion of SQL Server futures in

The initial planning and thinking about this book began during a discussion of SQL Server futures in July 2001. The discussion was with Rob Howard during a trip to Microsoft to discuss the first book I was working on at that time. After that, I stayed involved in what was happening in ADO.NET by going to the SQL Server Yukon Technical Preview in Bellevue, Washington, in February 2002 and by working with the ASP.NET and SQL Server teams at Microsoft since July 2003.