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New Book: Learning Rails

Learning Rails targets web developers whose programming experience is tied directly to the Web. Rather than begin with the inner layers of a Rails web application -- the models and controllers -- this unique book approaches Rails development from the outer layer: the application interface. You can start from the foundations of web design you already know, and then move more deeply into Ruby, objects, and database structures. Browse the book now.

The Energy Secret

By Julian Darley
Comments: 5

Do we really understand the deepest causes of the economic crisis? If not, then we run the risk that our remedies will not produce sustainable results. Read more.

iTunes App Store: The First Five Months

By Ben Lorica
Comments: 5

Taking a cue from Raven's recent post announcing the 10,000 iPhone app milestone, I decided to update some charts from earlier posts on the U.S. iTunes app store. First, the weekly growth in the number of apps was slower in November: the number of apps grew less than 10% on a weekly basis for all of November. During the last... Read more.

Is Apple OS X More Secure than Windows?

By John Viega
Comments: 5

I've been operating almost exclusively on a Mac since OS X came out. I grew up in Unix, and never liked the lack of usability in Windows, so it was a good fit. However, I don't have any particular interest in making Apple look better than it really is, particularly when it comes to security. Read more.

Give O'Reilly. Our gift guide has something for everyone on your list.

O'Reilly has something for every techie and crafter on your list, from hobbyist to pro. Check out our Gift Guide to see our new titles, and pick up some great gifts for the holidays. Give O'Reilly.

Data Center Power Efficiency

By Jesse Robbins
Comments: 7

James Hamilton is one of the smartest and most accomplished engineers I know. He now leads Microsoft's Data Center Futures Team, and has been pushing the opportunities in data center efficiency and internet scale services both inside & outside Microsoft. His most recent post explores misconceptions about the Cost of Power in Large-Scale Data Centers: I’m not sure how many... Read more.

The Lawsuit Ain't Over Til the Fat Lady Sings

By James Turner
Comments: 0

Last week, the final judgment was issued in the SCO v. Novell lawsuit. Later in the week SCO filed notice of intent to appeal. We thought it might be a good time to check in with the chronicler of all things SCO, Pamela Jones of Groklaw, and see just where things stand. Read more.

A Conversation with the Authors of JRuby Cookbook

By Timothy M. O'Brien
Comments: 0

A Conversation with the Authors of JRuby Cookbook

Henry Liu and Justin Edelson authors of the just released JRuby Cookbook talk about JRuby, the current state of the Java platform, and some of the compelling benefits of integrating a language like Ruby with the Java platform. Read more.

Key Security Issues for the Amazon Cloud

By George Reese
Comments: 0

Last week I posted a blog entry on Twenty Rules for Amazon Cloud Security. In that article, I provided 20 things you can do so that you can feel confident in the integrity of your Amazon EC2 instances. As I... Read more.

Interview with Andy Oram: Upcoming Books and Current Trends

By Timothy M. O'Brien
Comments: 0

Interview with Andy Oram: Upcoming Books and Current Trends

This is a brief interview with Andy Oram about the state of the technology publishing market. What are the trends in online publishing, and how does it affect O'Reilly? In this interview, I ask Oram about his views on free books and I ask him to talk about some of the trends he has identified in computing and technology. Read more.

Where are the XML Editors?

By Eric Larson
Comments: 17

A generic XML editor that works reasonably well for non-technical users seems to be a myth. Would a simple generic XML editor for end users be a valuable tool? What would it look like? Read more.

Upcoming Free Live Webcast on Drupal

Everything You Wanted to Know about Drupal but were Afraid to Ask — In this live webcast, happening Friday, Dec. 5th, Drupal developers Jeff Eaton and James Walker will guide newcomers through the nuts and bolts of Drupal's content management system, content management framework, and community. Attendance is limited, so register now.

Why I Love Twitter

By Tim O'Reilly
Comments: 80

If you care what I think, you know that Twitter is just about the best way to learn what I'm paying attention to. I pass along tidbits of O'Reilly news, interesting reading from mailing lists and blogs I follow, and of course, tidbits from the twitterers I'm following. These are all the things I could never find time to put...

My Web Doesn't Like Your Enterprise, at Least While it's More Fun

By Jim Stogdill
Comments: 17

The other day Jesse posted a call for participation for the next Velocity Web Operations Conference. My background is in the enterprise space, so, despite Velocity's web focus, I wondered if there might not be interest in a bit of enterprise participation. After all, enterprise data centers deal with the same "Fast, Scaleable, Efficient, and Available" imperatives. I figured there... Read more.