# About the Cover Artwork

The cover artwork of this book continues the freedom theme of the first edition of Samba-3 by Example. The history of civilization demonstrates the fragile nature of freedom. It can be lost in a moment, and once lost, the cost of recovering liberty can be incredible. The last edition cover featured Alfred the Great who liberated England from the constant assault of Vikings and Norsemen. Events in England that finally liberated the common people came about in small steps, but the result should not be under-estimated. Today, as always, freedom and liberty are seldom appreciated until they are lost. If we can not quantify what is the value of freedom, we shall be little motivated to protect it.

Samba-3 by Example Cover Artwork: The British houses of parliament are a symbol of the Westminster system of government. This form of government permits the people to govern themselves at the lowest level, yet it provides for courts of appeal that are designed to protect freedom and to hold back all forces of tyranny. The clock is a pertinent symbol of the importance of time and place.

The information technology industry is being challenged by the imposition of new laws, hostile litigation, and the imposition of significant constraint of practice that threatens to remove the freedom to develop and deploy open source software solutions. Samba is a software solution that epitomizes freedom of choice in network interoperability for Microsoft Windows clients.

I hope you will take the time needed to deploy it well, and that you may realize the greatest benefits that may be obtained. You are free to use it in ways never considered, but in doing so there may be some obstacles. Every obstacle that is overcome adds to the freedom you can enjoy. Use Samba well, and it will serve you well.