Mike Cowlishaw
Encyclopedia
Mike Cowlishaw is a retired IBM Fellow
, a Visiting Professor at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick
, and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
(roughly the equivalent of the NAE
in the USA), the Institute of Engineering and Technology
(formerly IEE), and the British Computer Society
.
programming language (published in IBM Systems Journal in 1984) and the NetRexx
programming language (1996–1997), his work on color perception and image processing (1982–1985), the STET
folding editor
(1977), the LEXX live parsing editor (1985, possibly the first editor with color highlighting) for the Oxford English Dictionary
, electronic publishing, SGML applications, PMGlobe, the IBM Jargon file (IBMJARG) through 1990, Java
-related languages, the Acorn System 1
simulator,
MemoWiki, and decimal
arithmetic.
He has also contributed to and/or edited numerous computing standards, including ISO
(SGML, COBOL
, C
, C++
), BSI
(SGML, C), ANSI
(REXX), IETF (HTTP 1.0/RFC 1945), W3C (XML Schema), ECMA
(ECMAScript
, C#, CLI
), and IEEE (754 decimal floating-point).
He retired from IBM in March 2010.
13) is now included in Java 5.0, and in 2002, he invented a refinement of Chen-Ho encoding
known as Densely Packed Decimal
encoding. Cowlishaw's decimal arithmetic specification formed the proposal for the decimal parts of the IEEE 754 standard revision
, as well as being followed by many implementations, such as Python
and SAP
Netweaver
. His decNumber decimal package is also available as open source under several licenses and is now part of GCC
, and his proposals for decimal hardware have been adopted by IBM and are integrated into the IBM Power6
and IBM System z10
processor cores, and in numerous IBM software products such as DB2
, TPF
(in Sabre
), WebSphere MQ, operating systems, and C and PL/I compilers.
, he wrote classic articles in the 1970s and 1980s on battery technology and on the shock strength of caving ropes, and caved in the UK, New England, Spain, and Mexico. He still appears to cave in Spain with Speleogroup and designs LED
-based caving lamps, etc.
In recent years he learned to fly, and holds a National Private Pilot License (Microlight).
IBM Fellow
An IBM Fellow is an appointed position at IBM made by IBM’s CEO. Typically only 4 to 9 IBM Fellows are appointed each year, at the annual Corporate Technical Recognition Event in May or June. It is the highest honor a scientist, engineer, or programmer at IBM can achieve.The IBM Fellows program...
, a Visiting Professor at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
, and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
(roughly the equivalent of the NAE
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in the USA), the Institute of Engineering and Technology
Institute of Engineering and Technology
The Institute of Engineering and Technology Lucknow is a state government-funded engineering college in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is a constituent college of Gautam Buddh Technical University .- History :The IET was established by the government of Uttar Pradesh in 1984, for imparting...
(formerly IEE), and the British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
.
Career at IBM
Cowlishaw joined IBM in 1974 as an electronic engineer but is best known as a programmer and writer. He is known for designing and implementing the REXXREXX
REXX is an interpreted programming language that was developed at IBM. It is a structured high-level programming language that was designed to be both easy to learn and easy to read...
programming language (published in IBM Systems Journal in 1984) and the NetRexx
NetRexx
NetRexx is an open source, originally IBM's, variant of the REXX programming language to run on the Java virtual machine. It supports a classic REXX syntax, with no reserved keywords, along with considerable additions to support object-oriented programming in a manner compatible with Java's object...
programming language (1996–1997), his work on color perception and image processing (1982–1985), the STET
STET (text editor)
The STET text editor may have been the first folding editor; its first version was written in 1977 by Mike Cowlishaw. The editor runs on the IBM VM/CMS operating system....
folding editor
Folding editor
A folding editor is a text editor which supports text folding or code folding, a mechanism allowing the user to hide and reveal blocks of text—usually named...
(1977), the LEXX live parsing editor (1985, possibly the first editor with color highlighting) for the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
, electronic publishing, SGML applications, PMGlobe, the IBM Jargon file (IBMJARG) through 1990, Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
-related languages, the Acorn System 1
Acorn System 1
The Acorn System 1, initially called the Acorn Microcomputer , was an early 8-bit microcomputer for hobbyists, based on the MOS 6502 CPU, and produced by British company Acorn Computers from 1979....
simulator,
MemoWiki, and decimal
Decimal
The decimal numeral system has ten as its base. It is the numerical base most widely used by modern civilizations....
arithmetic.
He has also contributed to and/or edited numerous computing standards, including ISO
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
(SGML, COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
, C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
, C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
), BSI
BSI
BSI is a three letter acronym that can stand for:* Backside illumination, a type of digital image sensor* The Baker Street Irregulars, a fictional group featured in Sherlock Holmes stories* Banca della Svizzera Italiana* Bentley Systems Inc....
(SGML, C), ANSI
American National Standards Institute
The American National Standards Institute is a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international...
(REXX), IETF (HTTP 1.0/RFC 1945), W3C (XML Schema), ECMA
ECMA
Ecma or ECMA may refer to:* Ecma International, an international standards organization for Information Communication Technology and Consumer Electronics* Engineering College Magazines Associated, a group of student-run engineering-based publications...
(ECMAScript
ECMAScript
ECMAScript is the scripting language standardized by Ecma International in the ECMA-262 specification and ISO/IEC 16262. The language is widely used for client-side scripting on the web, in the form of several well-known dialects such as JavaScript, JScript, and ActionScript.- History :JavaScript...
, C#, CLI
CLI
-Computing:* Command-line interface, sending commands to a computer by text typed into a command-line interpreter .* Call Level Interface, an SQL database management API...
), and IEEE (754 decimal floating-point).
He retired from IBM in March 2010.
Decimal arithmetic
In recent years, he has been working on aspects of decimal arithmetic; his proposal for an improved Java BigDecimal class (JSRJSR
JSR may refer to:*Java Specification Request, in computing*Joint spectral radius, in mathematics*Jet Set Radio, a video game*The Journal of Sex Research*Java Specification Request, a proposal made in the Java Community Process...
13) is now included in Java 5.0, and in 2002, he invented a refinement of Chen-Ho encoding
Chen-Ho encoding
Chen-Ho encoding is an alternate system of binary encoding for decimal digits.The traditional system of binary encoding for decimal digits, known as Binary-coded decimal , uses four bits to encode each digit, resulting in significant wastage of binary data bandwidth .The concepts behind Chen-Ho...
known as Densely Packed Decimal
Densely Packed Decimal
Densely packed decimal is a system of binary encoding for decimal digits.The traditional system of binary encoding for decimal digits, known as Binary-coded decimal , uses four bits to encode each digit, resulting in significant wastage of binary data bandwidth...
encoding. Cowlishaw's decimal arithmetic specification formed the proposal for the decimal parts of the IEEE 754 standard revision
IEEE 754 revision
IEEE 754-2008 was published in August 2008 and is a significant revision to, and replaces, the IEEE 754-1985 floating point standard...
, as well as being followed by many implementations, such as Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
and SAP
SAP AG
SAP AG is a German software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Headquartered in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, with regional offices around the world, SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software...
Netweaver
NetWeaver
SAP NetWeaver is SAP's integrated technology computing platform and is the technical foundation for many SAP applications since the SAP Business Suite. SAP NetWeaver is marketed as a service-oriented application and integration platform...
. His decNumber decimal package is also available as open source under several licenses and is now part of GCC
GNU Compiler Collection
The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...
, and his proposals for decimal hardware have been adopted by IBM and are integrated into the IBM Power6
POWER6
The POWER6 is a microprocessor developed by IBM that implemented the Power ISA v.2.03. When it became available in systems in 2007, it succeeded the POWER5+ as IBM's flagship Power microprocessor...
and IBM System z10
IBM System z10
IBM System z10 is a line of IBM mainframes. The z10 Enterprise Class was announced on February 26, 2008. On October 21, 2008, IBM announced the z10 Business Class , a scaled down version of the z10 EC...
processor cores, and in numerous IBM software products such as DB2
IBM DB2
The IBM DB2 Enterprise Server Edition is a relational model database server developed by IBM. It primarily runs on Unix , Linux, IBM i , z/OS and Windows servers. DB2 also powers the different IBM InfoSphere Warehouse editions...
, TPF
Transaction Processing Facility
TPF is an IBM real-time operating system for mainframes descended from the IBM System/360 family, including zSeries and System z9. The name is an initialism for Transaction Processing Facility....
(in Sabre
Sabre (computer system)
Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
), WebSphere MQ, operating systems, and C and PL/I compilers.
Other activities
Outside computing, he also is known as a caver. A life member of the NSSNational Speleological Society
The National Speleological Society is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. Originally located in Washington D.C., its current offices are in Huntsville, Alabama...
, he wrote classic articles in the 1970s and 1980s on battery technology and on the shock strength of caving ropes, and caved in the UK, New England, Spain, and Mexico. He still appears to cave in Spain with Speleogroup and designs LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
-based caving lamps, etc.
In recent years he learned to fly, and holds a National Private Pilot License (Microlight).
External links
Books
- The NetRexx Language, Cowlishaw, M. F., ISBN 0-13-806332-X, Prentice-Hall, 1997
- The REXX Language, Cowlishaw, M. F., in English: ISBN 0-13-780651-5, (second edition) 1990; in German: ISBN 3-446-15195-8, Carl Hanser Verlag, 1988; in Japanese: ISBN 4-7649-0136-6, Kindai-kagaku-sha, 1988