Matthew S. Gast
Matthew S. Gast 曾协助各种组织了解无线网络技术,建设具有扩充性的、基于标准的安全无线局域网络。过去这几年,他自愿在 Interop Labs 担任工程师与讲师,他在那里与许多顶尖的工程师共事,学到了各种先进的网络安全协议并在研讨会中传达给其他与会者。Matthew 参加过的研讨会不计其数,范围横跨各大陆,他在研讨会上所连接过的无线网络比他在撰写本书第二版时所连接过的还多。他在加入目前所任职的无线局域网络系统公司之前,曾在数家网络安全公司工作过几年。
Matthew S.Gast is a renaissance technologist.In addition to his demonstrated expertise on a variety of network technologies,he is relentlessly inquisitive about the interconnected and interdependent world around him.After graduating from college,his interests in routing,security,and cryptography pulled him towards Silicon Valley to participate in scaling the mountainous network engineering challenge called the Internet.In addition to his technology interests,Matthew is a voracious reader on science and economics and a lifelong supporter of the scientific method.
Matthew is also a Registered Patent Agent before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.Patent agents assist in the drafting and prosecution of patent applications,which has been called the most demanding task in the United States legal system by the Supreme Court.Matthew has co-written two patent applications,one of which was for his own invention.
《802.11无线网络权威指南》第二版的封面动物是蹄鼻蝠(horseshoe bat,学名为 Rhinolophus hipposideros)。这种数量稀少、濒临绝种的蝙蝠在欧洲蹄鼻蝠中体型最小,重量通常只有 4~10 克,展翼长度可达 19~25 公分。由于鼻子附近的皮肤呈叶状马蹄形因而得名。此鼻叶(nose-leaf)有助于修正与引导其鼻孔发射出的超声波(一种称为“回声定位”的感觉方式),借此辨识周围的环境、侦测障碍物、彼此沟通以及寻找食物。蝙蝠的回声定位系统相当精确,可以侦测蚊子(gnat)大小的昆虫以及细如发丝的物体。
小蹄鼻蝠(lesser horseshoe bat)的栖息地散见各处,分布于不列颠群岛至阿拉伯半岛与中亚以及摩洛哥至苏丹地区。小蹄鼻蝠原本是穴居型蝙蝠,不过夏日繁殖季节也有可能群聚于旧农舍的屋檐。有时候,它们会筑巢于灌木与空心木林。繁殖集群(maternity colonies)通常会聚集 30 ~ 70 只蝙蝠,不过有人曾经发现由 200 只母蝙蝠聚集而成的繁殖集群。小蹄鼻蝠有时会聚在一起冬眠,时间由十月至翌年四月底或五月初。它们冬天的巢穴通常位于地底下,如洞穴或隧道。小蹄鼻蝠利用脚趾悬挂并以两翼包覆身体。虽然通常倒吊于开放且无遮蔽的地点,不过它们很少成群地挤在一块。