Grid computing represents a big step in the world of computing. The technology is still fairly nascent, but at the developerWorks Grid computing zone, they're publishing a steady stream of new articles, tutorials, resources, and tools. Many visitors interested in Grid computing are asking some very basic questions: What do we do with all of this stuff? Where do we start? How do the pieces fit together? What comes next? This page provides an overview for readers who want to learn about Grid computing but don't know where to start. It places the basics of Grid computing into their proper context and ties together relevant developerWorks articles, tutorials, and tips.

Shuttle Inc, the supplier of mainboards and small form factor (SFF) barebone computers, announced that MandrakeSoft's Linux distribution will be bundled with Shuttles Network Appliance (NA) XPC product line. The commencement of shipping marks the fina lization of this long anticipated deal.

Early last week I received an AMD Opteron 240 and an Asus SK8N motherboard. I was so anxious to get Linux on it I could hardly sit still... A week later, Linux is on it, in 32 bit mode only, and my hard drive has informed me that if I reinstall again it is going to go on strike.

The GCC3.3.1 switch on NetBSD has happened for some of the popular platforms. Matthew Green announced that he has switched the Alpha, ARM, i386, sparc and sparc64 ports to use GCC 3.3.1 as the default system compiler.

The FreeDOS Project has released kernel v2032 which fixes a few bugs and adds new features.

Years have been spent trying to crack life's genetic code with high-powered computers. Now scientists are looking at things from the opposite angle, and are harnessing life itself to generate a new strain of computer devices. Read the full story at CNN.

A Siliconvalley.com article notes that the application of networking technology in the home can be silly and frivilous, but if applied correctly, could really be beneficial. A refrigerator with a flat panel display on it to check your email in the kitchen is truly silly, but a home that can notify the out of town owner that there's been a power failure can prevent that owner from coming home to a fridge full of rotten food.

gijsbert points us to this comprehensive guide to setting up and configuring PF, the BSD packet filter. PF is one of the more robust enterprise firewall applications available today.

This article is the first part of a two-part series that provides recommendations for securing the Sun Linux 5.0 operating system. This part provides recommendations for securing local access and file systems. The information in this article applies only to the Sun Linux 5.0 distribution, although some of the techniques or recommendations might apply to other Linux distributions. This article is ideal for a reader with a beginner to Intermediate level of expertise.

The LittleWhiteDog web site posted an article showing how to configure and secure a BSD system.

Apple seeded build 7B74 of Mac OS X 10.3, Panther, to developers and testers, ThinkSecret reports. The new build was posted to the Apple Developer Connection Web site late Saturday. Apple has determined which bugs will be fixed in the initial Panther release.

Call it a back-to-basics movement or simply professionals seeking the best tools to get the job done well and on time. With enterprises putting a premium on productivity, a quiet revolution among programmers is eschewing the heavy, feature-filled IDE and turning instead to the venerable standby: the code editor. Developers seek more control over productivity with an old programming tool standby.

The concept of source-based distributions, where all software is compiled from source code locally for maximum control and performance, took off with the introduction of Gentoo Linux and its wonderful package management called Portage.

Microsoft, which is trying to drive growth by investing in everything from small business software to video games, has quietly set its sights on a new industry -- searching the Web.