Lars Bak (computer programmer)
Encyclopedia
Lars Bak is a Danish computer programmer who currently works for Google
where he has contributed to the Chrome browser
by developing the V8 JavaScript engine. He now lives near Aarhus
in Denmark
with his wife and two children.
Bak studied at Aarhus University in Denmark, receiving an MS degree in computer science
in 1988 after which he became active in designing and implementing object-oriented virtual machine
s.
After participating in the design and implementation of the Beta
Mjølner System, in 1991 he joined the Self group at Sun Microsystems Laboratories
in Cupertino, California
. During his time there, he developed a programming environment for Self and added several enhancements to the virtual machine.
In 1994, he joined Longview Technologies LLC, where he designed and implemented high performance virtual machines for both Smalltalk
and Java
. After Sun Microsystems acquired Longview in 1997, Bak became engineering manager and technical lead in the HotSpot
team at Sun's Java Software Division where he developed a high-performance Java ME virtual machine for mobile devices.
In 2002, after returning to Aarhus, Denmark, Bak founded OOVM, a company which developed software for mobile phones. In 2004, he sold it to a Swiss company, Esmertec
.
In 2004, Bak joined Google to work on the Chrome browser. He did not return to the United States
, preferring to work in Denmark where his daughters were also receiving their education. With a team of 12 engineers, Bak has been coordinating the development of the V8 JavaScript interpreter for Chrome, named after the powerful automobile engine
.
Bak holds 18 U.S. software patents in the field of virtual machines programming. In 2010, after Oracle bought Sun and with Lars Bak now working for Google, Oracle sued Google for infringing on several software patents and amongst them was the "Interpreting functions utilizing a hybrid of virtual and native machine" patent filed by Lars Bak et al.
Bak has also co-developed the Dart
programming language to be presented by at the 2011 goto conference in Aarhus
, Denmark
.
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
where he has contributed to the Chrome browser
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or...
by developing the V8 JavaScript engine. He now lives near Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
with his wife and two children.
Bak studied at Aarhus University in Denmark, receiving an MS degree in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
in 1988 after which he became active in designing and implementing object-oriented virtual machine
Virtual machine
A virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...
s.
After participating in the design and implementation of the Beta
BETA
BETA is a pure object-oriented language originating within the "Scandinavian School" in object-orientation where the first object-oriented language Simula was developed....
Mjølner System, in 1991 he joined the Self group at Sun Microsystems Laboratories
Sun Microsystems Laboratories
Sun Microsystems Laboratories, or Sun Labs was the research and development branch of Sun Microsystems. It was established in 1990 by Ivan Sutherland and Robert Sproull...
in Cupertino, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. During his time there, he developed a programming environment for Self and added several enhancements to the virtual machine.
In 1994, he joined Longview Technologies LLC, where he designed and implemented high performance virtual machines for both Smalltalk
Smalltalk
Smalltalk is an object-oriented, dynamically typed, reflective programming language. Smalltalk was created as the language to underpin the "new world" of computing exemplified by "human–computer symbiosis." It was designed and created in part for educational use, more so for constructionist...
and Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
. After Sun Microsystems acquired Longview in 1997, Bak became engineering manager and technical lead in the HotSpot
HotSpot
HotSpot is a Java virtual machine for desktops and servers, maintained and distributed by Oracle Corporation. It features techniques such as just-in-time compilation and adaptive optimization designed to improve performance.-History:...
team at Sun's Java Software Division where he developed a high-performance Java ME virtual machine for mobile devices.
In 2002, after returning to Aarhus, Denmark, Bak founded OOVM, a company which developed software for mobile phones. In 2004, he sold it to a Swiss company, Esmertec
Myriad Group
Myriad Group is a French/Swiss software company in the mobile phone sector. It was established in 2009 by the merge of the companies Purple Labs and Esmertec. The two companies had mostly common owners, and the deal was executed so that Esmertec, a publicly listed company, acquired Purple Labs in...
.
In 2004, Bak joined Google to work on the Chrome browser. He did not return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, preferring to work in Denmark where his daughters were also receiving their education. With a team of 12 engineers, Bak has been coordinating the development of the V8 JavaScript interpreter for Chrome, named after the powerful automobile engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
.
Bak holds 18 U.S. software patents in the field of virtual machines programming. In 2010, after Oracle bought Sun and with Lars Bak now working for Google, Oracle sued Google for infringing on several software patents and amongst them was the "Interpreting functions utilizing a hybrid of virtual and native machine" patent filed by Lars Bak et al.
Bak has also co-developed the Dart
Dart (programming language)
Dart is a Web programming language developed by Google. It was unveiled at the in Aarhus, 2011 October 10-12. The goal of Dart is "ultimately to replace JavaScript as the lingua franca of web development on the open web platform."- Reason for a new language :Dart is intended to solve JavaScript's...
programming language to be presented by at the 2011 goto conference in Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.