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 Version Control with Subversion are hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricatta) or Honu ?Ea, as they are known in Hawaii. The hawksbill is a medium-sized turtle weighing up to 270 pounds, with a shell of about 3 feet in length. This sea turtle can be found around tropical reef areas in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The hawksbill gets its name from its distinctive sharp beak-like mouth and is also known for its beautiful shell coloring, referred to as "tortoise shell," which was exploited by the fashion industry for many years. Hawksbill sea turtles are listed as an endangered species in Hawaii, and are protected under the state law, as well as many other endangered species laws.

At birth, a hatchling is so small it can fit into the palm of your hand. The incubation period ranges from 50 to 70 days. Hatchlings usually emerge in groups at night, when the sand temperature is cool and when there is a lesser threat of predators. Hatching may take place over several evenings, and the sea turtles immediately head toward the sea, guided by the light of the moon and the stars' reflection off the oceans. The mortality rate is high, due to the physical challenges that face their tiny bodies. Those that safely reach the water disappear into the ocean and will reappear when they are older. Male sea turtles are easily distinguished from females by their longer and thicker tails, which extend beyond the posterior part of their shell.

Nesting also occurs at night, mostly between the months of May and October. Females will go ashore to choose the site for laying their eggs. They look for small isolated beaches. When they find their site, which is usually beyond the tideline and underneath vegetation, they dig a body pit with their fore and hind flippers, excavating the egg chamber. Once the last egg has been laid, they refill the chamber with sand and return to the sea. Females only nest every two to three years, but can lay up to six groups of eggs within one breeding season. Anesting can contain from a few eggs to 230 small eggs, with an average of 130. Females that are re-nesting often return to the same beach, sometimes very close to the previous spot. Reg Aubry was the production editor and copyeditor for Version Control with Subversion. Leanne Soylemez was the proofreader. Leanne Soylemez, Darren Kelly, and Claire Cloutier provided quality control. Jamie Peppard provided production assistance. Lucie Haskins wrote the index.

Ellie Volckhausen designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is a 19th-century engraving from Cuvier's Animals. 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. Joe Wizda converted the files from XML 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 Janet Santackas.