Hello, world! My name is Max and this is my blog. I use it to cover different topics related to software development and computer science that I find interesting. Frequently discussed topics are data structures and algorithms, compiler design, artificial intelligence and simulations, as well as other topics relating to the field of software engineering and the occasional diatribe.
As for me, I grew up in New York and attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where I studied Environmental Science. I currently live and work in Boston, where I ply my trade as a backend software engineer.
I have a diverse range of interests, however my number one passion has always been programming. I first started programming with various dialects of BASIC some time around 1993-1994 and then Perl and C. I starting using various Unix dialects through shell service providers until I finally had my own computer I could dedicate to Linux in 1997 -1998. From there my appetite for programming exploded, and as of yet there are no indications of it ceasing. Like all those interested in computer science, I harbor a secret desire to discover “the next big sorting algorithm”. Unfortunately not everyone can be Donald Knuth…
If I had to big just one programming language to ever use, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose C++. When I first tried using C++ in the mid 90’s, you still ended the standard header files with .h in include statements, using void main() was taught in books, and the STL was an industry secret that was nowhere to be found for middle school students like myself at the time.
Another one of deep interests is the history of computing, both the evolution of the hardware, and (obviously) the way programming has grown along side of it. I have a small collection of old Unix workstations: a Sun IPC and a Sun SPARC station 10 as well as a few others. I’ve always wanted to own my own mainframe.
Having said all that, I do make time to tough grass. I love being out in nature and I can often be found hiking, snowboarding, or sailing on the Charles river. My other great passion in life is music, both playing guitar and attending concerts.
Having recently relocated to Boston, I’ve been busy exploring while taking in all the history, sights, and everything else my new home has to offer.