User-Level Spin Locks - Threads, Processes & IPC

Spin locks are used by SMP OS kernels for kernel thread (control path) synchonization. It is a busy-waiting style meaning that the thread trying to acquire the spin lock will constantly poll for the availability of the lock. Therefore thread holding a spin lock should not do a lot of things.

Here is an interesting post
The Code Project - User-Level Spin Locks - Threads, Processes & IPC about user level spin lock.

ACM Queue - The Reincarnation of Virtual Machines -

Mendel Rosenblum, Co-Founder of VMware was interviewed by ACM Queue talking about ACM Queue - The Reincarnation of Virtual Machines - Like the best of the 1970s and 1980s, VMs have returned to the scene -- and they're a lot cooler than polyester pants.

The story gives a clear overview of the VM landscape. Considering the fact that the VM market is poised for a big battle between VMWare, Microsoft Virtual PC, and Xen, and VM's technical closeness with network emulators, this is indeed an exciting field I need to follow.