Open Source Security: Still a Myth -- Open source may have many benefits over closed systems, but don't count security among them--yet. This article by John Viega looks at why open source software may currently be less secure than its commercial counterparts. John is a coauthor of Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++.

SafariU: Create, Customize, and Share Teaching Material -- Looking for a way to truly customize your course textbook and offer students exactly the material you choose to teach, while saving them a good bit of money? Become a SafariU beta tester and check out the new web-based publishing platform from O'Reilly that allows you to create custom textbooks and online syllabi.

Your O'Reilly Account: New, Single Sign On -- O'Reilly customers and guests now have a single address and one password to access all things O'Reilly, from oreilly.com and Safari Bookshelf to all of the O'Reilly Network sites and DevCenters. When possible, we've consolidated your prior, separate accounts into one new account. Logging into the new system is quick and easy; details on how to do it have been emailed to you, and you can read more about O'Reilly's single sign on in Tony Stubblebine's weblog.

Making Sense of Programmable Logic -- Hardware engineers create the bulk of their new digital circuitry in programming languages such as VHDL and Verilog, and often target it to CPLDs and FPGAs. Michael Barr explains what these devices are and how they are changing the way embedded systems are designed. Michael is the author of Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++.

Choosing a Compiler: The Little Things -- Small differences between compilers can make a big difference in the success or failure of a project. In this article, Michael Barr looks at the criteria for selecting a C/C++ cross compiler. Michael is the author of Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++.

Safari Gets Bigger and Better -- There are now more than 2,000 books from the industry's leading technical publishers available on Safari Bookshelf. As the library grows, so does its functionality: searches are powerfully precise and as broad or specific as you wish; and now, with a Safari Max subscription, you can download chapters to read offline. Safari will help you save time, reduce errors, keep current, and save more money than ever with up to 35% off print copies of your favorite books. If you haven't yet gone on Safari, try a free trial subscription.

Secure Cooking with C and C++ -- Learn how to verify the authenticity of an email address in this recipe excerpted from O'Reilly's Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++.

Practical C++ Programming Style -- Good programming style separates the gems from the junk, the programming artist from the butcher. Learn what makes good programming style from chapter 3 of Practical C++ Programming, 2nd Edition, by Steve Oualline. Get a free trial to read this and four other O'Reilly books on Safari.

Introduction to Closed-Loop Control -- Most control systems utilize feedback in some manner. Here's a look at several fundamental feedback mechanisms, culminating in a description of a basic PID controller, by Michael Barr, author of Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++.

Secure Cooking with C and C++ -- Keep unwanted, malicious data out of your applications with these nine basic rules for proper data validation. This recipe is excerpted from the newly released Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++.

Introduction to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) -- PWM is a powerful technique for controlling analog circuits with a processor's digital outputs. Learn how it works from the author of Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++.

Sift, Stir, Code: O'Reilly Cookbooks -- Looking for the right ingredients to solve a programming problem? Look no further than O'Reilly Cookbooks. Each cookbook contains hundreds of programming recipes presented in a special Problem/Solution/Discussion format, and includes hundreds of scripts, programs, and command sequences you can use to solve specific dilemmas. Get your daily recipes and view our complete list of Programming Cookbooks for Geeks.

Input Validation in C and C++ -- In this sneak peek at an upcoming O'Reilly book, the authors present a security-critical problem: C and C++ do not perform array bounds checking, a particular issue when handling strings. Read about three solutions that will cover most situations in this beta recipe from Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++.

C++: Beyond the Standard Library -- If you are considering learning one or more of the C++ libraries, don't miss Ray Lischner's highlights of a number of open source C++ libraries, including ACE, Loki, and his personal favorite, Boost. Ray is the author of C++ in a Nutshell.