In recent weeks, when women are protesting for their rights, famous female historical figures are mentioned on social media and press. I would like to introduce one of them to you today. Meet Countess Ada Lovelace - First female programmer!
 |
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ada_Lovelace.jpg |
Young Ada was a bright and imaginative girl. As a child, she could not only design simple flying machines, but also practiced playing the violin. Her mathematical education began with studying with her mother, in her teens Ada corresponded with many famous English scholars and expanded her knowledge.
One of the most important people we met was the founder of mathematical machines, Charles Babbage. The inventor invited Ada and her mother to one of the Saturday evenings he organized, during which he showed his new work to an illustrious group. The delighted young mathematician asked Babbage to cooperate - she wanted to go down in history as well! They worked together on computing machines, the most important of which was to be the analytical machine.
 |
| Source: https://www.sophiararebooks.com/pictures/3544a.jpgDodaj podpis |
The first program written by Ada is a diagram that appeared in an article about this particular machine. Mathematical has explained the algorithm for calculating numbers Bernoulli numbers. Although this device was not created in the times of Lovelace, her research was an inspiration and scientific material for the creation of the first computers and computer algorithms. In honor of the programmer, in 1980 the US Department of Defense approved a new programming language called Ada, and her likeness appears on the holograms of Microsoft product authenticity certificates.
Feel free to discuss in the comments and please answer the following questions:
- Are you interested in the history of programming and computers?
Who do you think is the most important inventor in this field?
- Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something
special at that time?
- Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
I also invite you to watch a biopic about her.
- Are you interested in the history of programming and computers?
ReplyDeleteI have never been particularly interested in the history of programming, I like reading all kinds of trivia, but I never thought to look more closely at this topic. I've heard about Charles Babbage and his achievements, but it is the first time that I hear about Ada Lovelace. If it comes to the most important inventor in this field I would pick Babbage it's sad that most of the inventions he designed were completed after his death.
- Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something special at that time?
It definitely was. In those days, unfortunately, the public was quite prejudiced against women acting on behalf of science. A easy confirmation of this is the fragment of the youtube video inserted above where Augustus De Morgan says that woman's body is not strong enought for "great tension of mind".
- Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
No, I've never heard about him and his poetry.
True, Babbage, unfortunately, could not see all his constructed designs in his lifetime. However, he was lucky to be greatly appreciated during his lifetime. Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Charles Dickens, the Duke of Wellington, among others, appeared at his social evenings.
DeleteAs for Ada, she must have met with unpleasant comments about gender more than once. One of her teachers, Augustus De Morgan, impressed with Ada's intellect, commented:: "If she were a man, her talent for grasping the strengths and real difficulties of basic principles would make her an extraordinary researcher of mathematics, perhaps one of the most outstanding".
It's a very interesting topic!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Ada Lovelace - a very unusual character.
I've never been interested in the topic of programming history. However, I know something about the beginnings of this field and the first computers.
In those days it must have been very unusual for a woman to be in this field. A female scientist must have aroused interest.
Unfortunately, I don't know Bryron's poetry, are you a fan? Can you recommend something?
I can't say I'm a fan, but I have a few of my favorite poems and so far my favorite is "She Walks in Beauty". The words of this poem can also be found in the song "Heroine" by English rock band Suede. I put links to the song and poem below:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3fdsfCibAA
www.poetryoutloud.org/poem/she-walks-in-beauty/
I can’t say that I’m not interested in the history of programming and computers but I have to admit that it’s not very important for me. Basically, as a programmer, I have to keep up to date with the newest technologies and I don’t see any benefits from learning history. On the other hand, I agree that I have to know a little bit about how it began and I’m pretty sure that I have this knowledge. In my opinion, the biggest inventor in this field was Tim Berners-Lee with his invention of WWW. Nowadays the internet seems to be the foundation of all other inventions. I think that in the past woman had more difficulties and obstacles to overcome when being a researcher or scientist.
ReplyDeleteI partially support your opinion, and I also believe that it is more important to follow contemporary research and projects than to go back to projects that may seem very simple to us today.
DeleteHowever, it should be remembered that many people were ahead of their time, and their debts were recognized or realized only after their death. Some discoveries and theories are also timeless, such as the Tuning Test, in use since 1950, related to artificial intelligence.
My professional work is kind of related to programming, but I've never been interested in its history. Due to the subject of my engineering thesis, I only know the beginnings of graphical user interfaces (Xerox PARC, Amiga, Macintosh), but they have more to do with computers than with programming. Due to my knowledge, I can only say that it was Xerox that became the pioneer of GUI, so it created the basic elements common to all interfaces and operating systems in computers we know nowadays.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, being a woman in those days was troublesome and I think women didn't have a chance to get university education, so home education was the only option. Although Ada had the support of famous people throughout her life, her path wasn't easy, even her mother barely tolerated her attraction to science and mathematics. She was told that "even countesses shouldn't be dealing with calculations" - as the film shows. Her achievements required fierce self-education, one could say that she was devoted to mathematics, which resisted all rules and affected her health.
To be honest, I've never heard of G. G. Byron.
Ada definitely owed her professional success to her determination. Despite the consuming obligations of being a countess, she decided to follow the path she had set for herself.
DeleteAs for G.G. Byron, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with his work or at least his biography, which is also very interesting. ✨
To be honest, I am not into history of programming and computers. This article is interesting itself, but it is just not my field. Therefore, my knowledge about inventors of programming and computers is quite poor.
ReplyDeleteConsidering scientists, I think these days sex does not matter at all. Talking about Ada and 19th century, I do not know a lot of female scientists. Thinking of this topic, I see a picture of 5th Solvay Conference on physics (not exactly 19th century - actually it was 1927th). There are more than 25 physicians and only one woman among them (M. Curie).
I do not know G. G. Baron's poetry, so I have no favourite poems.
The life of Maria Skłodowska-Curie can tell a lot about the approach to women scientists. The French Academy of Sciences rejected Maria's candidacy on the grounds that the views discriminating against women were really very strong at that time. But ... Maria became the first female professor in history at the French Sorbonne!
DeleteI can say that new technology is my thing, but honestly I'm not interested in history of it (at least that what happened before 1997 - that's the date I had my first computer). I like to compare new generation with current one and check what leap of one generation of hardware can get.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that in nova days gender matters, especially that we all have access to same education :) Nevertheless I admire people who tried and succeeded doing things for first time (probably because i don't have desire to do such thing).
I don't know G.G. Baron and I don't read poetry so... :)
I share your opinion and I also admire people who go out of the way and do something no one else has dared to do. I am also glad that people are now less and less guided by stupid beliefs! ;)
Delete1. Unfortunately, I am not a person who has studies history in such depth and I have not heard of Ada Lovelace. I think I should go deeper into the history of programming, which is very interesting. Unfortunately, I do not have so much knowledge about programming and computers as to give the most important inventor in my opinion.
ReplyDelete2. I think that for those times Ada's achievements were huge, especially when women were not so respected citizens in society. This is shown by the unpleasant comment of her teacher Augustus De Morgan, mentioned by Zuzanna.
3. I don’t read poetry at all, and I don’t know G.G. Baron at all so I don’t have favourite poems.
If you are interested in the topic of women-inventors, you will surely be surprised that one of the most famous board games in the world was created by Elizabeth Magie in 1904. I'm talking about Monopoly, of course! Originally the game was called "The Landlord's Game". 30 years later it was plagiarized by Charles Darrow, and Magie got $ 500 for her participation!
Delete1. I cannot say I'm interested in the history of programming or computers I like some interesting facts about computers but I'm not big fan of this industry. I only knew Bill Gates and Steve Jobs but I don't know if they are inventors or only creators of company which use ideas of true inventors
ReplyDelete2. I think it was. Specially for this type of job which was outnumbered by men but now it's changing.
3. I don't know G. G. Byron. Poetry is not my hobby.
When it comes to Jobs and poetry, I have a curiosity. Jobs said more than once that if he had not founded Apple, he probably moved to Paris, where he even planned to become a poet. However, life wrote a different script for him. Fortunately!
DeleteAre you interested in the history of programming and computers?
ReplyDeleteI am not interested in this subject, especially in history of it. It is fun to read some interesting fun facts about it, but that is all for me.
Who do you think is the most important inventor in this field?
I don't know anyone in it so it is really hard to say anything. :/
Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something special at that time?
I think it was special, because it could show other women that they can do much more, even in a field that was mostly occupied by men.
Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
I don't know his poetry, and I don't even know who he was.
I really regret that in the comments I meet the comments that Byron is an unknown figure to you, so I would like to say a few more words about him!
DeleteHe created an ideological and artistic trend called byronism after him. The features of this trend suit our heroine (the poet's daughter) - a rebellion against the accepted cultural and social patterns, individualism, internal tear.
ReplyDelete-Are you interested in the history of programming and computers?
We all studied information technology in PJATK or another educational institution and began with the history of the creation of the first computers. So even if someone hasn't studied that history, he or she at least read or hear about this woman. There is a joke among programmers that programming is so difficult because it was invented by a woman xD
-Who do you think is the most important inventor in this field?
I think that any of us have at least once heard such names as Alan Turing, Charles Babbage and John von Neumann.
-Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something special at that time?
Oh yes, it was realy special at that time... In those days, women had serious problems with their rights, especially in the field of science, it was then that all this feminism was needed, not in our time.
-Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
I am not a fan of poetry, I mean I like poetry, but I have never been particularly interested in them.
Haha, I've never heard that joke, but I have to admit it made me laugh. And have you heard of Dr. Grace Murray Hopper? This Lady laid the foundations for the first user-friendly business programming language. She was also the first to use the word "bug" to denote a bug in a computer system.
DeleteI can’t say that I’m into history person, but I love technologies and always try to be up to date with news from the technology world. I have never thought about who was the person that make an impact on the technology development the most, but the first thought that crossed my mind was about Alan Turing - first time I have heard about him in the Informatics lesson. I remember that I was impressed by how someone in that time can imagine a machine, that now called a 'Turing machine' that would read a tape of symbols, one at a time, then either rewrite or erase the symbol, before then shifting the tape to the left or right. In fact, originally Turing describes a person slavishly performing these operations. He called this person the 'computer'. Basically, he developed the idea of modern computer and artificial intelligence, that’s why he is often called the father of modern computing.
ReplyDeleteI think that the woman scientist at that time it was something that hard to understand and accept, but It’s definitely not that time now :)
I have never heard about G.G.Byron, and honestly say I don’t like poetry at all.
Turing's biography is very interesting, it's great that you mention him because he too had to struggle with social beliefs due to his sexual orientation. Unfortunately, pressure from the authorities pushed him to commit suicide.
DeleteI would like to encourage you to read poetry. It seems to me that poems can allow us to see from the side what life is like. Even if they were written long before we were born. Maybe you just haven't found your favorite poet yet?
- Are you interested in the history of programming and computers?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest no, not really. It's never been that intresting for me, so I'm not quite familiar with Ada Lovelace or history of programming in general.
- Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something special at that time?
Unfortunately yes, and I'm more than glad to hear that someone like Ada tried her best as scientist.
- Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
No, I'm not a fan of poetry at first place.
If you liked my short biography of Ada Lovelace then I think you'll be equally interested in Hedy Lamarr. During the Wolrd War II, she worked on a secret communication system using frequency shift technology. This is the basis for such breakthroughs as Wi-Fi and GPS. If you know her name, you've probably seen her on screen! Hedy as a beautiful woman and talented actress starred in more than 30 films!
DeleteMy approach may be wrong, but I am trying to focus on the future rather than the past of programming. Although it is true that without the knowledge of history, we cannot create the future. I've heard a bit about Babbage and I think I'd consider him one of the most important people in this field.
ReplyDeleteI think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was not as much valued as women deserved it in the past. Thankfully nowadays we can fully appreciate the work of yours.
Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the poetry of G. G. Byron.
Btw very interesting biopic! Thanks for sharing that 😊
I am very glad that you liked the topic! I am also not interested in the history of promotion on a daily basis, but I really enjoy discovering the stories of great, though not so widely known, famous people. I mostly watch YT videos or listen podcasts. Since I was never really good at history, I just started in this field!
DeleteWow, I'm shocked! Why we were not taught in schools about the emancipation of women like this?!
ReplyDeleteI liked the article very much, as you noticed in such difficult times as the one in Poland.
1st
As a UI/UX designer, I have contact with developers. I had to have partial knowledge of programming. I did not choose programming as my profession at all. To be fair I don't have much interest in the history of coding, programming, but I have to be up to date with technical.
2nd
Answering your second question. I have no idea and I won't even pretend that I know but Ada will be in my memory forever :)
3rd
Women in different years and countries had a hard time, it seems to me that like everyone. For example mentioned Ada was very lucky and worked very hard for it.
4th
Don't know the poetry of G. G. Byron, unfortunately, so I don't have favourite one poem.
If you liked the story of Ada, then maybe you will also be curious about other interesting biographies of great women explorers. An interesting example is Mrs. Maria Telkes and Eleanor Raymond, who in 1947 created the first house completely heated by solar energy!
DeleteAre you interested in the history of programming and computers?
ReplyDeleteWho do you think is the most important inventor in this field?
I've never been interested in the history of programming itself, but I've heard a little about Ada Lovelace.
I once read an article about the first computers, especially about their parameters, and it was a very strange experience because of
how powerful our smartphones are in relation to these computers.
Do you think that the work of a woman as a researcher and scientist was something special at that time?
I think so because women in those days were treated worse than men and it was harder for them to enter the world of science.
Do you know the poetry of G. G. Byron? If so, what is your favorite poem?
Unfortunately, I don't know any of Byron's poems.
It's hard to imagine that 100 or 50 years ago, the world of technology looked completely different. I remember that as a child, I often watched the Jetsons cartoon, which was set in the future. I couldn't believe some inventions, and now, after a dozen or so years, I can find their equivalents in my home!
DeleteI'm not interested in the history of programming, but this article is very interesting. It's amazing how much has changed in such a short time. Once, I saw an advertisement for a CD showing the number of A4 sheets that would fit on one disc. It was a bill gates both of a huge tower of paper. Now this ad is ridiculously outdated as well.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that it was a woman is very impressive. In the past, women had poorer access to education and were not taken seriously by many "colleagues". I think that apart from the project itself, the fact that it had to break through the limitations placed on women deserves respect.
Unfortunately, I don't know byron's work, but maybe I'll change it then.