# Michael Howard Kay

> British computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q1381603](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1381603)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Howard_Kay)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/michael-howard-kay

## Summary
Michael Howard Kay is a British computer scientist, engineer, and writer known for his significant contributions to information technology, particularly in the development and implementation of XML, XSLT, XQuery, and XPath. He is also recognized for his notable work on the Saxon software.

## Biography
- Born: 1951-10-11 in Hanover
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Education: Doctor of Philosophy (1976), Trinity College, Salesian College
- Known for: Contributions to XML, XSLT, XQuery, XPath, and the Saxon software
- Field(s): XML, XSLT, XQuery, XPath, XML Schema, information technology

## Contributions
Michael Howard Kay has made significant contributions to the field of information technology, primarily through his work with XML and related technologies. His notable work includes the development of Saxon, a software implementation that plays a crucial role in processing XML documents. His expertise spans key XML standards such as XSLT, a language introduced in 1999 for transforming XML documents, and XPath, also introduced in 1999, which is a query language used for selecting nodes within an XML document. Furthermore, he has contributed to XQuery, a functional programming and query language for XML that emerged in 2007. These technologies are fundamental for the encoding, querying, and transformation of data, building upon XML, which was established by the W3C in 1998. Kay's involvement in these areas has provided practical tools and implementations that are essential for handling structured data in various applications. He is also a member of the XML Guild.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Michael Howard Kay primarily known for?
A: Michael Howard Kay is primarily known as a British computer scientist, engineer, and writer, recognized for his significant work on XML technologies, including XSLT, XQuery, and XPath, and for developing the Saxon software.

### Q: Where did Michael Howard Kay receive his education?
A: Michael Howard Kay was educated at Salesian College and Trinity College, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1976. His doctoral advisor was Maurice Wilkes.

### Q: What is Saxon?
A: Saxon is a notable work by Michael Howard Kay, which is associated with his contributions to the field of XML, XSLT, XQuery, and XPath.

### Q: What is Michael Howard Kay's nationality?
A: Michael Howard Kay holds British citizenship.

## Why They Matter
Michael Howard Kay's work is profoundly significant in the realm of information technology, particularly concerning structured data management. His deep engagement with XML, XSLT, XQuery, and XPath has provided foundational tools and practical implementations that are indispensable for modern data processing. By contributing to and developing software like Saxon, he has enabled countless developers and organizations to effectively encode, transform, and query XML documents, which is a cornerstone of data exchange and storage across various industries. His expertise has helped shape the practical application of these W3C standards, making complex data operations more accessible and efficient. Without his contributions, the landscape of XML processing and information technology would be notably different, highlighting his lasting impact on how digital information is structured and utilized.

## Notable For
*   Developing Saxon, a notable software for XML processing.
*   His extensive contributions to XML, XSLT, XQuery, and XPath.
*   Being a Fellow of the British Computer Society.
*   Earning a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1976.
*   His doctoral advisor was Maurice Wilkes, a prominent British computer scientist.

## Body

### Personal Life and Education
*   **Born**: October 11, 1951, in Hanover.
*   **Nationality**: United Kingdom.
*   **Father**: Leslie Ronald Kay.
*   **Residence**: Reading.
*   **Sex**: Male.
*   **Languages**: English.
*   **Education**:
    *   Attended Salesian College.
    *   Attended Trinity College.
    *   Awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1976.
    *   His doctoral advisor was Maurice Wilkes.

### Career and Contributions
*   **Occupation**: Computer scientist, engineer, writer.
*   **Field of Work**: XML, XSLT, XQuery, XPath, XML Schema, information technology.
*   **Notable Work**: Saxon.
*   **Affiliations**: Member of the XML Guild.
*   **Key Technologies**:
    *   **XML**: Markup language by the W3C for encoding of data (inception: 1998).
    *   **XPath**: Query language for selecting nodes from an XML document (inception: 1999).
    *   **XSLT**: Language for transforming XML documents (inception: 1999).
    *   **XQuery**: Functional programming and query language for XML (inception: 2007).

### Recognition
*   **Award**: Fellow of the British Computer Society.

### Online Presence
*   **Website**: https://www.saxonica.com/
*   **Twitter**: @michaelhkay (started 2009-04-14)

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## References

1. Czech National Authority Database
2. International Standard Name Identifier
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. Google Knowledge Graph
5. IdRef
6. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File