# Mike Cowlishaw

> British computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q52254](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52254)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Cowlishaw)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mike-cowlishaw

## Summary
Mike Cowlishaw is a British computer scientist best known for creating the **REXX programming language** in 1979, an interpreted language widely used for scripting and automation. He spent much of his career at IBM, where he also developed **NetRexx**, a Java-based variant of REXX, and contributed significantly to programming language design and computational standards.

## Biography
- **Born**: 2000 (exact date unspecified), Bath, United Kingdom
- **Nationality**: United Kingdom
- **Education**: University of Birmingham, Monkton Combe School
- **Known for**: Creating the REXX programming language and developing NetRexx
- **Employer(s)**: IBM (1974–2010), University of Warwick
- **Field(s)**: Computer science, programming languages, software engineering

## Contributions
Mike Cowlishaw is the creator of **REXX**, an interpreted scripting language designed in 1979 at IBM. REXX became widely adopted for its simplicity and power, particularly in mainframe environments and later in personal computing. In 1996, he developed **NetRexx**, an open-source variant of REXX that compiles to Java bytecode, enabling REXX-like syntax to run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). His work has influenced scripting languages and automation tools, with REXX being used in systems like IBM’s CMS and AmigaOS.

Cowlishaw also contributed to computational standards, including work on decimal arithmetic (IEEE 754r) and Unicode. His research and publications span programming language design, software engineering, and computational efficiency. He has been recognized with multiple awards, including **IBM Fellow**, **Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering**, and **Fellow of the British Computer Society**.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Mike Cowlishaw best known for?
A: Mike Cowlishaw is best known for creating the **REXX programming language** in 1979, an interpreted scripting language widely used in IBM systems and beyond.

### Q: Where did Mike Cowlishaw work?
A: He worked at **IBM from 1974 to 2010** and later affiliated with the **University of Warwick**.

### Q: What is NetRexx?
A: NetRexx is an open-source programming language developed by Cowlishaw in 1996, combining REXX syntax with Java compatibility, allowing it to run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

### Q: What awards has Mike Cowlishaw received?
A: He has been honored as an **IBM Fellow**, **Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering**, and **Fellow of the British Computer Society**, among others.

## Why They Matter
Mike Cowlishaw’s creation of REXX revolutionized scripting and automation, particularly in IBM mainframe environments, where it became a standard tool for system administration and batch processing. His later work on NetRexx bridged the gap between traditional scripting and modern Java-based development, demonstrating the adaptability of interpreted languages in object-oriented ecosystems.

His contributions to computational standards, such as decimal arithmetic in IEEE 754r, have had a lasting impact on numerical precision in software. Without his work, scripting languages might have evolved differently, and the integration of legacy systems with modern platforms could have been more challenging.

## Notable For
- Creating the **REXX programming language (1979)**, widely used in IBM systems.
- Developing **NetRexx (1996)**, a Java-compatible variant of REXX.
- Being named an **IBM Fellow**, one of the highest technical honors at IBM.
- Contributing to **IEEE 754r decimal arithmetic standards**.
- Receiving fellowships from the **Royal Academy of Engineering** and **British Computer Society**.

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Mike Cowlishaw was born in **Bath, United Kingdom**, and attended **Monkton Combe School**. He later studied at the **University of Birmingham**, where he developed his expertise in computer science.

### Career at IBM
Cowlishaw joined **IBM in 1974** and remained with the company until **2010**. During his tenure, he created **REXX (1979)**, an interpreted language designed for ease of use in scripting and automation. REXX became a key tool in IBM’s mainframe environments and was later adopted in other systems, including AmigaOS.

In **1996**, he developed **NetRexx**, an open-source language that combined REXX’s simplicity with Java’s portability, allowing it to run on the JVM. This innovation extended the lifespan of REXX-like syntax in modern computing.

### Contributions to Standards
Beyond programming languages, Cowlishaw contributed to **IEEE 754r**, the standard for decimal floating-point arithmetic, ensuring better precision in financial and scientific computations.

### Awards and Recognition
Cowlishaw’s work earned him multiple accolades, including:
- **IBM Fellow** (IBM’s highest technical honor)
- **Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering**
- **Fellow of the British Computer Society**
- **Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology**

### Later Work and Legacy
After leaving IBM, Cowlishaw affiliated with the **University of Warwick**, continuing research in computer science. His languages, REXX and NetRexx, remain influential in scripting and legacy system integration.

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## References

1. International Standard Name Identifier
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. CiNii Research
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013