gistfile1.rb

# Stripped down Child
pid = fork
unless pid
  DRb.start_service

  # fetch the TupleSpace over DRb using a proxy object
  ts = Rinda::TupleSpaceProxy.new(DRbObject.new_with_uri('druby://127.0.0.1:53421'))

  loop do
    # break if no more items in the queue
    break if done_work and ts.read_all([:enum, nil, nil]).empty?

    item = ts.take([:enum, nil, nil])
    result =  block.call(item[2])

    # return result, item[1] is the result's index in an array or hash
    ts.write([:result, item[1], result])
  end
  
  DRb.stop_service
  exit!
end