Michael Vaughn's UW-Madison Website (original) (raw)
About
I'm Michael Vaughn, a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and my advisor is Tom Reps. My research interests lie at the intersection of operating systems and programming languages. In particular, I'm interested in how techniques from formal verification and program synthesis can be applied to make operating systems safer, more secure, and easier to develop.
Computer Science References I Like
Kernel Hacking
Linux is pretty darn cool. It's good to know how it works
- Linux Kernel Development by Robert Love is a fantastic overview of kernel architecture.
- The Linux Cross Reference, because you can't live on grep alone.
C Programming
An important American philosopher once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." C is a powerful language, and a great tool. It's also the source of millions of security exploits and bugs. Learn it well, and use it with care.
- Read K&R. It's a quick read and a life-saver.
- Check out Expert C Programming by Peter van der Linden. A wise man told me to read it. He was right.
F# and other ML-like languages
The NoFAQ backend is written in F#, and it's honestly a delight to maintain. I can't imagine using another language. I strongly recommend learning some ML-esque language, because the skills you learn will pay dividends, even when you're using other languages. Haskell is a good way to start, because it's popular and has a lively user community. Real World Haskell and Learn You a Haskell are both good introductions to the intracacies and applications of ML-style typing and functional programming.
Other Things I Like
Because you should get away from that darn computer once in a while
Bicycling
When it's not covered in snow, Wisconsin is a great state for cycling. Budget Bicycle Center is a Madison institution with reasonable prices and friendly staff. I ride a Raleigh Clubman with a Brooks saddle. It's just about the most fun you can have making yourself sunburned and incredibly tired.
Reading
Read fiction! It's good for you! I like William Gibson, Cormac McCarthy, Jorge Louis Borges, Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, and a lot more.
Other Madison Events and Venues
American Players Theater is a delight. So is the Wisconsin Film Festival.