IBM has published the following 12 technical articles and tutorials on its DeveloperWorks and AlphaWorks websites. They cover a range of interesting (though not embedded) technical topics. Some require free registration. Enjoy . . .

• LPI certification: Compiling sources and managing packages — Welcome to “compiling sources and managing packages,”… the first of four tutorials designed to prepare you for the Linux Professional Institute's 102 (release 2) exam. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to compile programs from sources, how to manage shared libraries, and how to use the Red Hat and Debian package management systems.
• Developing secure programs — This column explains how to write secure applications; it focuses on the Linux operating system, but many of the principles apply to any system. In today's networked world, software developers must know how to write secure programs, yet this information isn't widely known or taught. This first installment of the Secure programmer column introduces the basic ideas of how to write secure applications and discusses how to identify the security requirements for your specific application. Future installments will focus on different common vulnerabilities and how to prevent them.
• Writing GnomeVFS modules — This article describes how to use GnomeVFS — a C library for accessing various file systems — to extend GNOME and develop your own extensions to the virtual file system. The article is centered around an imaginary example file system that lets you access an in-memory directory tree.
• JAR Class Finder — JAR Class Finder is a WSAD/Eclipse plug-in utility for finding JAR files containing a given class for the Java build path of a project and for helping to fix NoClassDefFound exceptions. This utility helps users to quickly and easily resolve ClassDefNotFound exceptions, which commonly occur during run time. It can also be used to avoid getting such errors if used before run time.
• Access USB devices from Java applications — The Java platform has traditionally prided itself on its platform independence. While that independence has many benefits, it makes the process of writing Java applications that interact with hardware quite tricky. In this article, a research scientist examines two projects that are making the process easier by providing APIs through which Java applications can make use of USB devices. While both projects are still in embryo form, both show promise and are already serving as the foundations of some real-world applications.
• Data visualization using Perl/Tk — Generating a visual representation is often the best way to understand large data sets, but standard tools such as gnuplot often fall short. This article shows how to use Perl/Tk, the standard GUI toolkit for Perl, to quickly build custom plotting and graphing tools.
• Metaclass programming in Python, Part 2 — This article revisits the working of metaclasses and their relation to other OOP concepts. It contrasts class instantiation with inheritance, distinguishes classmethods and metamethods, and explains and solves metaclass conflicts.
• Visual Application Builder — The Visual Application Builder is a set of WebSphere Studio plug-ins that allow even non-expert programmers to quickly develop browser-based/J2EE applications and application templates that target various devices. The model-based Rapid Application Development (RAD) environment allows easy building of form-based applications that interface with data from various sources, such as RDB and Web services. It allows the use of one project to generate code for various target platforms and for new technologies that will evolve.
• The new Rational Developer PowerPack — Sign up for the free Developer PowerPack of your choice, and over the next 6 weeks you'll get a robust collection of resources “designed by developers for developers” that will enable you to evaluate Rational developer tools. You can choose from the following PowerPacks: Java Platform edition, XDE Developer – .NET edition, Rose Enterprise for Windows, Embedded Solutions, and Rapid Developer for J2EE Development.
• Get a free UML poster and CD from Rational — Learn how the Unified Modeling Language can help you build better software faster. This wall poster from IBM Rational is an eye-catching, instant reference guide to UML notation, with handy tips, techniques, and reminders of the most commonly used UML rules and guidelines. The IBM Rational software UML CD includes a tutorial on model-driven development with the UML. It's an excellent way to introduce yourself and your entire team to the UML and its value. You can Order Here.
• A visual tour of OGSA : Grid Computing — The goal: diverse resources that interoperate. To get there, grids must be built on standard interfaces and protocols, and the Open Grid Services Architecture maps the path. In this article, we lay out the components of OGSA and explain their significance. The Globus Toolkit 3 is the first major implementation of the standard; others are under development.
• Manageability Services for Linux — Manageability Services for Linux are grid services that provide manageability functions for system resources. (Globus Toolkit 3.0 is included.) These services take advantage of self-describing and on-demand features of grid services to control resources in autonomic and/or grid environments. Manageability Services for Linux is a prototype for such a manageability framework for managing Linux resources. This prototype consists of a Sametime messaging service for notifying users of critical changes, and a collection of manageability services for some of the most commonly used resources, including Linux OS, Linux processes, disk partitions, system statistics, and system services.

 
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