IBM has published the following new 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.

• Linux on the PlayStation 3 — It is unusual for gaming consoles to allow foreign operating systems to be installed on them. Sony decided to open up the PS3 console and allow third-party operating systems to be installed. Learn how to get started developing for the Cell BE processor on the PS3. This article provides an overview, installation, and first programming steps. Its the easiest way for programmers to get their hands on the new Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) processor and take it for a drive.
• IBM Cell Broadband Engine Software Development Kit — The recently released version 2.0 contains additional libraries and improved compiler tools. This complete Cell BE development environment, includes Linux kernel for Cell BE blades, Linux support libraries, tool chains, system simulator, source code for libraries and samples, and a new, fully-integrated installation.
• Whistle while you work — Use Linux or Microsoft Windows, the open source sndpeek program, and a simple Perl script to read specific sequences of tonal events — literally whistling, humming, or singing at your computer — and run commands based on those tones. Give your computer a short low whistle to check your e-mail or unlock your screensaver with the opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
• Use Apache Derby to develop Eclipse plug-ins — Get a demonstration on how to use resource indexing with the Apache Derby database to develop Eclipse plug-ins. The Derby database embedded in Eclipse allows you to create an SQL database on the client side with no security issues or network problems, such as an unstable connection or high latency.
• The strange Heath Robinson Rube Goldberg Computer — The continuing effort to add at least one series of (vacuum) tubes to the Internet progresses with an introduction to the workings of and thinking behind the Heath Robinson Rube Goldberg (HRRG) emulator. Learn how to implement a computer using a mixture of technologies from relays to fluidic logic.
• Save time with text editing one-liners — Text-editing operations are normally done interactively, inside a text editor application. Some tasks, however, can be accomplished quickly and easily, right from the UNIX command line. What's more, these one-liners can be used in scripts to automate various editing procedures.
• Perfect Avocados for the Superbowl with RFID — Learn how supply chain managers can reach their objective of delivering 100% fresh produce during the avocado promotion for the Super Bowl with RFID technology and Theseos Query Engine.
• Python Metaprogramming Decorators Make Magic Easy — Each Python version has added slightly different wrinkles to the way you accomplish metaprogramming tricks. With the newest 2.4 version, Python has grown “decorators”, the most user-friendly way so far, to perform most metaprogramming. Decorators modify the function or method that is defined immediately after the decorator.
• A look at the newest Python Metaprogramming — Python made metaprogramming possible, but each Python version has added slightly different — and not quite compatible — wrinkles to the way you accomplish metaprogramming tricks. Python has recently grown “decorator,” which are the newest — and by far the most user-friendly way, so far — to perform most metaprogramming.
• Simplify JavaScript complex behavior with Finite State — Software engineers have long used finite state machines as an organizing principle for developing event-driven programs. Browser-based applications, popularized by Ajax, are becoming more complex. Designers and implementers can benefit from the discipline and structure that finite state machines offer. In this article, you learn how to use a finite state machine to design complex behavior for a simple Web widget — an animated tooltip that fades into and out of view.
• Quickly add Ajax-style navigation with Rico LiveGrid widget — The Rico library is a JavaScript file that you can include in any Web page to give that page access to a rich set of features and widgets. This article will briefly introduce you to the Rico open-source, client-side JavaScript framework, and then focus on one of its widgets, LiveGrid. It will demonstrate how you can implement LiveGrid to add Ajax-style navigation to your Web applications.
• Ajax tradeoffs and the right XML encoding for you — When using XML in your Ajax apps you have to ask yourself what flavor of XML fits your needs best. Several tradeoffs are involved. Some of the obvious choices to pick from are (X)HTML, SVG or X3D if your data is graphical, Atom for snippets of data over time, OPML for simple outlines, and RDF for semantic graphs. This article gives you everything you need to decide which is the right way to encode your data for your Ajax application.
• Five web widgets that use Ajax and XML — The Web 2.0 revolution emphasizes unique and novel ways to interact with customers on your Web site. A lot of these new, innovative techniques revolve around using graphics and widgets that communicate with the server to retrieve data for display. This article introduce you to five web widgets that communicate with the server through Ajax and XML.
• New XML technology to create dynamic Java properties — With the new XML technology called Hierarchical Inherited Rule-Interpreted XML, you can replace standard Java properties with dynamic versions. It allows you to define properties that you can evaluate based on the state of the application using simple expressions or even Groovy expressions, and it lets you use only one properties file for multiple instances of the application. Learn how to apply this technology in a simple, practical example as a replacement for Java properties files.
• The ins and outs of picking the best XML Parser — Do you know how to select the best XML Parser for your project? Even developers who are very knowledgeable on advanced XML matters can lack a firm understanding of the fundamentals. To ensure a solid foundation, this article covers the most basic XML service: parsing. It introduces the various approaches to parsing and highlights their pros and cons.
• Converting XML to JSON made easy with PHP — JSON is just beginning to gain momentum among Web developers. Its success, seen mainly with JavaScript developers, is due to JSON's elegance and simplicity. It can be a worthy alternative to XML in certain situations. Learn how PHP-based server programs can convert XML-formatted enterprise application data into JSON format before sending it to browser applications.
• Why XML Internationalization is important — As the world gets flatter and smaller, it becomes riskier to ignore the worldwide audience that exists for your content. It's necessary to understand how to build applications and provide content that you can easily adapt to work in multiple geographic locations and across different languages and cultures. One key benefit of XML is the fact that it was designed for international use. This article explains what they are, how they work, and why you want to use them.
• How to internationalize your PHP apps — Localizing an application can be planned, or it can happen as a rushed afterthought. Discover techniques and tools such as gettext, XML, XSLT, and design patterns that can help when retrofitting localization into a mature product or planning for localization up front.

 
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