Mike Muuss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Muuss
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Mike Muuss in 1999.
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| Born |
Michael John Muuss
October 16, 1958 |
| Died | November 20, 2000 (aged 42) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Pohl |
Michael John Muuss (born October 16, 1958 – died November 20, 2000) was an American computer scientist. He is famous for creating a very important computer program called ping. This program helps people check if their computer can connect to other computers on a network, like the internet.
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Mike Muuss's Computer Career
Mike Muuss went to Johns Hopkins University. After college, he became a top scientist at the Army Research Laboratory in Maryland. He worked on many cool computer projects there.
What Did Mike Muuss Do?
Mike was an expert in several computer areas. He specialized in:
- Geometric solid modeling: This is like creating 3D shapes and objects on a computer.
- Ray-tracing: This is a way to make very realistic computer graphics by tracing how light would bounce off objects.
- Computer networks: He worked on how computers talk to each other.
He wrote many computer programs and tools. One of his most important creations was BRL-CAD, a powerful software for 3D modeling. He also helped create the idea of a "default route" or "default gateway," which helps computers know where to send information on a network.
The Story of Ping
The program Mike Muuss is most remembered for is ping. He wrote this program in December 1983. It's a small program, only about a thousand lines of code.
Ping is incredibly useful. It sends a small message to another computer on a network and waits for a reply. This helps you know if the other computer is online and how fast the connection is. Because it's so helpful, ping is now used on almost all computer systems, including Unix, Windows, and Mac OS X.
Awards and Recognition
In 1993, Mike Muuss and many others received a special award called the Flame from the USENIX Association. This award honored their contributions to a major computer software release called 4.4BSD-Lite.
Mike Muuss is also mentioned in a few books. These books talk about his role in helping to track down computer "crackers." Crackers are people who try to break into computer systems without permission. His work helped make computer networks safer.
Remembering Mike Muuss
Sadly, Mike Muuss died in a car accident on November 20, 2000. To remember him and his important work, his friends and family created the Michael J. Muuss Research Award at Johns Hopkins University. This award helps support new research in computer science.
