IBM has published the following technical articles, tutorials, and downloads on its DeveloperWorks website. They cover a range of interesting (though not necessarily embedded) technical topics, primarily related to Linux and open source system development. Some require free registration. Enjoy . . . !

• How to build your own Linux distribution — Go to the source to learn Linux basics and build a Linux distribution that's right for you. Linux From Scratch (LFS) and its descendants represent a new way to teach users how the Linux operating systems work. LFS is based on the assumption that compiling a complete operating system piece by piece not only teaches how the operating system works but also allows an independent operator to build systems for speed, footprint, or security.
• Are EJB components without facades a good idea? — The EJB Advocate wrangles with a customer over various forms of facades to get at the heart of exactly what makes a good service oriented architecture when using J2EE components. The EJB Advocate presents the gist of a typical back-and-forth dialogue exchange with actual customers and developers in the course of recommending a solution to an interesting J2EE design issue.
• Build Linux telecom enabled apps with Parlay X APIs — IBMs multi-platform telecom web services toolkit is an integrated development environment for Telecom-enabled applications through Web Services for WSAD. This enables any ISV or Web developer without specialized telecom knowledge to easily build telecom-enabled applications. It includes an integrated simulator that provides an end-to-end solution for developing and testing Telecom applications that use Parlay X APIs. Parlay X Standards are a set of simplified telecom APIs based on Web services published by the Parlay Group and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
• The Openness Matrix — Here's an interesting discussion on what constitutes open as in Open Source, or not open, and what constitutes a standard.
• Building a PHP script — If you're looking for an easy way to setup basic PHP script to work with MySQL, then take a look at this tutorial, which looks at the basics of building a PHP script, including syntax, HTML forms, and MySQL database connections.
• Open source Slimline Open Firmware (SLOF) — As of June 8, 2005, you can download initialization and boot source code based on the IEEE-1275 Standard for Boot Initialization Configuration Firmware.
• SoC design with CoreConnect: 128-bit PLB explained — The objective of this tutorial is to describe the steps required to design a PLB4 IP. PLB4 is the latest 128-bit version of PLB, which is the backbone of CoreConnect. Learn how to how Java/JNDI can be used with an LDAP Booster Pack, standard components (J2SE 5.0), as well as custom application development methods.
• Linux gives new life to old boxes — Build a usable Linux system on a busted laptop with a budget of $50? People do say Linux can make old machines useful. This article shows that with the right Linux distribution and a little ingenuity you can breathe new life into an old machine.
• Ruby on Rails — Ruby on Rails is a recent entry into the world of Web application development that is rapidly gaining mindshare, even while still in beta versions. Rails succeeds by automating the creation of the most common types of Web applications while not straightjacketing you if you want to add custom or atypical requirements. Moreover, compared to many Free Software libraries that perform individual aspects of a Web application, Rails contains a nicely integrated set of tools for all aspects.
• Linux grids go mainstream — Take a look at the financial services space and you'll find that grid has gone mainstream into some of the world's largest enterprises, thanks to commodity Linux servers, open source tools like Globus, and the growing adoption of service-oriented architectures. Our correspondent at the LinuxWorld New York Summit listened in as technology leaders discussed the burgeoning use of grid in the financial vertical.
• Synopsys and IBM: A Partnership for Designers — What are the most important attributes of a successful chip design? Should designers buy tools or build their own? What advantages can a company like Synopsys offer designers? Norm Kelly, director of Business Development for the IP Group at Synopsys, Inc, answers these and other questions.
• Informix Dynamic Server — the Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) offers outstanding online transaction processing (OLTP) database performance, while helping to simplify and automate many of the tasks associated with deploying enterprise databases.

 
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