Hermann Maurer
Encyclopedia
Hermann Maurer is an Austria
n computer scientist
, serving as Professor of Computer Science at the Graz University of Technology
. He has supervised over 40 dissertations, written more than 20 books and over 600 scientific articles, and started or been involved with a number of companies.
. He studied mathematics
at the University of Vienna
and the University of Calgary
(in Canada) starting in 1959. He earned a doctorate
in mathematics in 1965 under Edmund Hlawka
, with a dissertation entitled Rationale Approximationen Irrationaler Zahlen (Rational
Approximations of Irrational Numbers
). He was a professor at the University of Calgary from 1966 to 1971, then moved to the University of Karlsruhe from 1971 to 1977, and in 1978 became professor at the Graz University of Technology, where he has remained since.
system. A number of his students from this research went on to become influential in computer science, the telecommunications industry, and the civil service.
In the 1980s he worked to develop computer network
equipment in Styria, and is considered to have helped pave the way for European internet
technology. His later research in the area of knowledge management
led him to found the company Hyperwave, which he chaired until its bankruptcy in 2005. Since 2006 he heads a new company, NewHyperG.
and teleportation
when discussing some of them.
He is also quite concerned with the risks of information technology, particularly the risk of cyberterrorism due to increasing reliance on interconnected networks. He favors a move away from the Von Neumann architecture
's treatment of program code as a type of data, with it instead being put on non-modifiable media such as ROM
chips that would be more secure from attacks by viruses
.
On non-technical issues, Maurer writes in favor of greater efforts to promote economic equality in managing a transition to a globalized economy
. As a hobby, he writes science fiction
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n computer scientist
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, serving as Professor of Computer Science at the Graz University of Technology
Graz University of Technology
The Graz University of Technology is the second largest university in Styria, Austria, after the University of Graz. Austria has three universities of technology – in Graz, in Leoben, and in Vienna. The Graz University of Technology was founded in 1811 by Archduke John of Austria. TUG, as the...
. He has supervised over 40 dissertations, written more than 20 books and over 600 scientific articles, and started or been involved with a number of companies.
Life
Maurer was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
(in Canada) starting in 1959. He earned a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in mathematics in 1965 under Edmund Hlawka
Edmund Hlawka
Edmund Hlawka was an Austrian mathematician. He was a leading number theorist. Hlawka did most of his work at the Vienna University of Technology. He was also a visiting professor at Princeton University and the Sorbonne...
, with a dissertation entitled Rationale Approximationen Irrationaler Zahlen (Rational
Rational number
In mathematics, a rational number is any number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction a/b of two integers, with the denominator b not equal to zero. Since b may be equal to 1, every integer is a rational number...
Approximations of Irrational Numbers
Irrational number
In mathematics, an irrational number is any real number that cannot be expressed as a ratio a/b, where a and b are integers, with b non-zero, and is therefore not a rational number....
). He was a professor at the University of Calgary from 1966 to 1971, then moved to the University of Karlsruhe from 1971 to 1977, and in 1978 became professor at the Graz University of Technology, where he has remained since.
Technical contributions
Among Maurer's important contributions is the development and promotion of remote interactive data terminals that could display graphics rather than only the text that was conventional at the time, and even exchange programs. He invented the MUPID system, some of whose ideas would be used in the BildschirmtextBildschirmtext
Bildschirmtext was a V.23 online service launched in West Germany in 1983 by the Deutsche Bundespost, the German postal service. Btx originally required special hardware, which had to be bought or rented from the post office...
system. A number of his students from this research went on to become influential in computer science, the telecommunications industry, and the civil service.
In the 1980s he worked to develop computer network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
equipment in Styria, and is considered to have helped pave the way for European internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
technology. His later research in the area of knowledge management
Knowledge management
Knowledge management comprises a range of strategies and practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute, and enable adoption of insights and experiences...
led him to found the company Hyperwave, which he chaired until its bankruptcy in 2005. Since 2006 he heads a new company, NewHyperG.
Writings on the future
In his more recent publications, Maurer writes extensively on the future of technology. He thinks that future applications of computers can barely be described using today's terminology, and so employs metaphors such as telepathyTelepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
and teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
when discussing some of them.
He is also quite concerned with the risks of information technology, particularly the risk of cyberterrorism due to increasing reliance on interconnected networks. He favors a move away from the Von Neumann architecture
Von Neumann architecture
The term Von Neumann architecture, aka the Von Neumann model, derives from a computer architecture proposal by the mathematician and early computer scientist John von Neumann and others, dated June 30, 1945, entitled First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC...
's treatment of program code as a type of data, with it instead being put on non-modifiable media such as ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
chips that would be more secure from attacks by viruses
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
.
On non-technical issues, Maurer writes in favor of greater efforts to promote economic equality in managing a transition to a globalized economy
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
. As a hobby, he writes science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.