Michael J. Young -- bio

Undergraduate Education

I received my undergraduate education at Stanford University, where I completed the Honors Program in Philosophy and graduated with an A.B. degree. During my junior year I attended the Stanford campus in Vienna, Austria.

Graduate Studies in Computer Science

Later, I studied computer science at three different colleges, and graduated with a Master of Science degree in computer science in April of 2007. The specific colleges and courses are listed on the coursework page.

Computer Programming

I have worked as a computer programmer since 1984. I currently specialize in the design and development of interactive web applications. My computer programming work is described on the programming page.

Books and Articles on Computing

Since 1986, I have written 27 books on computing, which have sold more than a million copies and have been translated into many languages. My book XML Step by Step won the top award, "Distinguished Technical Communication," in the 2000-2001 International Technical Publications Competition of the Society for Technical Communication. These books are described on the books page.

From 1988 to 1993, I wrote a series of articles for several programmer's magazines. Recently, I wrote a collection of papers on various topics within computer science, and also created a blog presenting articles on interesting new developments in computing. These writings are showcased on the papers & articles page.

Professional Memberships

From 1987 through 1988 I was a member of the ANSI Committee on the Standardization of the C Language (X3J11). This committee was formed in 1983 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to create a standard specification for C. The specification was finally ratified in 1989, creating a standard version of the language commonly known as ANSI C.

In 2005 I joined the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery). I find their Digital Library, Guide to Computing Literature, and TechNews email newsletter to be extremely valuable in my work. I also admire—and try to abide by—the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

Home

I currently live and work in Taos, New Mexico. Taos is situated at 7,000 feet on a desert mesa nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southern tip of the Rockies.