Ada lovelace
Ada Lovelace was the world's first computer programmer, she began algorithm
development for Babbage’s mechanical “Analytical Engine” back in the mid 19th century,
more than 150 years ago and one whole century before the first computer ENIAC.
Ada Lovelace, born Ada Byron, was the daughter of the famous British poet Lord George
Byron and mathematician Annabella Milbanke. Her mother, Annabella didn’t want her
daughter to follow her father’s poetic career and madness and instead gave her a scientific
education which was very rare for young noblewomen at the time. Back then, it was widely
believed that women couldn’t do scientific work. But Ada excelled in mathematics and
music, even with her fragile health.
When Ada was 17, she met Charles Babbage, a famous mathematician often called the
"father of modern computers." She was fascinated by his invention, the difference engine, an
early type of mechanical calculator. They became close collaborators, and Ada got involved
in his more advanced project, the analytical engine, a design for the first general-purpose
computer.
In 1842, an Italian mathematician named Federico Luigi Menabrea wrote an article about the
Analytical engine. Ada translated it into English and added her own notes, which turned out
to be 3 times longer than the original. These notes included the first algorithm ever written
for a machine, a program to calculate Bernoulli numbers, a complicated sequence in
mathematics.
Ada’s life was short. She died at 36 years old from uterine cancer but her contributions laid
the foundation for modern computing.
The Analytical Engine was a mechanical computer designed by Charles Babbage in the
19th century. It was supposed to be a better machine than the Difference Engine. The
Analytical Engine was designed to perform far more complicated calculations than its
predecessor. It was supposed to be composed of a mill, the calculating unit similar to a CPU,
a store that would work like memory or storage, a reader, and a printer, which are the main
components of a modern computer.
Ada saw great potential in this machine. She declared that, in the future, machines would not
only be able to perform mathematical calculations but also contribute to music or art.
Her fascination with the machine led her to translate an article from French to English about
the functioning of the not yet built Analytical Engine. This translation included several notes
that Ada added to the original article, describing its functioning and making the article three
times longer than the original. In her notes, she included a program for the machine to
calculate Bernoulli numbers, incorporating the first conditional loop, which became the
first-ever computer program in history.
However, the Analytical Engine was too ambitious a design. The British government and
sponsors who had funded the Difference Engine before it became reluctant to continue
financing this new, more complicated and expensive machine. Without sufficient funds, it
was never built.
Ada also attempted to raise money to build the Analytical Engine by using her skills in
probability to gamble. Unfortunately, this plan failed, leaving her in debt. Neither she or
Babbage lived to see the machine completed.
Although it was never built during their time, the design of the Analytical Engine is
considered the foundation of modern computing.
Ada Lovelace’s contributions extend far beyond her time, as the first computer
programmer. Her work has left a profound impact on the computer science field and
continues to inspire generations.
In honor of her pioneering role, the Ada programming language was created in the 1980s by
the U.S. Department of Defense and is still used in certain fields today. Numerous schools,
organizations, and scholarships, particularly in computer science, now bear her name,
symbolizing innovation and progress.
The Analytical Engine project and Ada’s paper influenced figures such as Alan Turing and
John von Neumann in the development of early computers, like the ENIAC.
Her portrait can notably be seen on the authentication holograms of Microsoft products.
Additionally, Nvidia named its latest graphics architecture, used in the RTX 4000 series of
graphics cards, Ada Lovelace , honoring her legacy.
Ada Lovelace is a great symbol of women's contributions to science and technology. Despite
living in a patriarchal society, her achievements have inspired many, and she is frequently
cited to promote gender equality in STEM fields, alongside other inspiring women scientists
such as Margaret Hamilton, Katherine Johnson, Emmy Noether, and Marie Curie.
Commemorations like Ada Lovelace Day, celebrated every year, encourage women and girls
to pursue careers in science and technology.
Ada's work was rediscovered in the mid-20th century, which led to her being recognized as
a pioneer in computer science. A field where women only make up about 25% of the
workforce in 2024.
In the early 19th century, Ada Lovelace challenged societal norms by excelling in
mathematics and working alongside some of the most notable scientists of her era. Her
remarkable intellect, creativity, determination, and forward-thinking mindset was her
strength. Ada’s legacy stands as a powerful example of visionary thought and perseverance,
continuing to inspire generations of girls aspiring to pursue computer science or STEM
fields.
