This week's developerWorks newsletter highlights several gaming-related articles that we recently published. Not subscribed? Sign up for your customized newsletter today!

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Welcome, developers!
Maybe it's the ubiquitous coverage of the London Olympics. Or the fact that for many of us, it's the middle of summer. Or maybe it's just time for a little fun. Whatever the reason, games are a hot topic on developerWorks right now, and what better way to learn more about technology than through the most entertaining realm of IT?

First, programmer David Strauß shows you how to create your own implementation of Conway's Game of Life using CoffeeScript and the HTML5 canvas element. Although some would argue that this "zero-player" simulation does not qualify as a game, the exercise is still a fun way to improve your skills. And if you find yourself taking a shine to canvas, why not dig a little deeper with "Handling user input in HTML5 canvas-based games"? Author Kevin Moot demonstrates how to capture keyboard and mouse events, and how to defeat the web browser's default event behaviors -- plus, he'll show you how to work with touch input from mobile devices. If you're drawn to the business side of gaming (it is a multi-billion-dollar industry), Kimberly Chulis's article reveals how big data analytics can help you understand the dynamic world of digital gaming, and how to influence the way gamers spend their money.

...or, occasionally, earn it. (Ask me how I won $1.53 at the poker table last week!)

Until next week,
John Swanson and the developerWorks editorial team


Our other top features on developerWorks this week:

• Integration: Eighteen practices to help you install a cloud application in an appliance (Cloud computing)
• Use PL/I to determine the algorithm for an IMS HALDB PSE (Information Management)
• How the multicore era changes the concurrency landscape (Java technology)
• Develop structured modules and use the Encrypted Offline Cache feature in IBM Worklight (Mobile development)
• Create software builds with the Jazz Team Build feature in Rational Team Concert (Rational)
• Enable WebSphere Adapter for JDBC to connect a new schema at runtime (WebSphere)

Tags:  linux websphere developer big unix canvas weekly game html5 ibm developerworks news aix gaming newsletter life data games edition db2 conways of mobile rational analytics