perm filename LETTER.WAL[P,JRA] blob sn#170720 filedate 1975-07-30 generic text, type C, neo UTF8
COMMENT ⊗   VALID 00002 PAGES
C REC  PAGE   DESCRIPTION
C00001 00001
C00002 00002	\\M1BASL30\M2BASB30\M3NGR25\M4NGR20\F2\CSTANFORD UNIVERSITY
C00007 ENDMK
C⊗;
\\M1BASL30;\M2BASB30;\M3NGR25;\M4NGR20;\F2\CSTANFORD UNIVERSITY
\F3\CSTANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305
\F4COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT\←L\-R\/'7;\+R\→.\→S   Telephone:
\←S\→.415-497-4971
\F1\CJuly 28, 1975



Dr. John Walters
HP Labs, Deer Creek
3500 Deer Creek Road
Palo Alto, Cal   94304

Dear Dr. Walters:

\J
Last spring I taught a graduate course on abstract data structures and language design at
San  Jose State,  and am  currently teaching a  seminar there  on the
mathematical semantics of  programming languages.   In the process  I
met several  people from HP. They  suggested I contact you  about the
possibility of an opening at your lab. 

I am therefore enclosing a reasonably complete biography, the salient
features of which are expertise in at least the following areas:

Language design and translator  writing: This is based on  many years
experience  as   a  programmer,  several  years  teaching  translator
writing, language implementation,  and research  in specification  of
languages and data  structures, and finally the writing of  a book on
LISP,  language design,  and implementation  (to be published  in the
McGraw-Hill series on computer science). 

Systems   programming:  Many   years   experience  in   the   design,
implementation, and maintenance of operating systems and time-sharing
systems. 

Display-based and interactive  programming: Based  on the design  and
use  of  sophisticated display-based  time  sharing  systems, and  on
recent   research  into  interactive  programming   as  a  means  for
controlling   complexity   and   maintaining   correctness   in   the
construction on complex programs. 

Theory - mathematical semantics, theorem proving, verification, 
and automatic programming: This incorporates several years research in the
practical as well as theoretical aspects of theorem proving as a technique
to attack problems in computer science as well as mathematics. Recent work in
attempting to understand how to construct correct programs has involved
study of contemporary verification techniques as well as study of mathematical
models for  programming languages.

Computer science education and CAI: One of the reasons for careful study of
programming languages and methodology is to improve on the way people
approach the problems of writing programs. My book reflects many of
my thoughts on how to design correct and understandable programs. What is
also needed are the computer-based tools to reinforce good pedagogy.

If any of my areas of interest seem to fit an available slot at your lab,
please contact me.
\.
\←L\→S\←R\-L\/'2;\+L\→L

Yours sincerely,



John R. Allen
Research Associate
Computer Science Dept
Artificial Intelligence Lab

\←S\→L