Back in the day, women had limited privileges; they were not allowed higher education, didn’t have the right to vote, and had limited job choices. The fields of science, medicine, and technology were mostly male-dominated, and entering it is already considered a herculean feat. However, one woman had the opportunity and luck to have a great support system to pursue a highly unusual field for women during the 1830s. Celebrating Women’s History Month, let’s travel back in time and get to know the world’s first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace.
Life of Lovelace
Born in 1815, Lovelace was tutored privately to study science and mathematics during her early days in Piccadilly Terrace, Middlesex, or what we know now as London, England. Although unusual for women at that age, her mother, who also had training in mathematics, encouraged her to follow the same path.
Lovelace advanced her studies when mathematician and logician Augustus De Morgan helped her. She then became an English mathematician and eventually collaborated with Charles Babbage, for whom she developed a program on a digital computer prototype.
Lovelace, the mathematician
In 1833, Lovelace met Babbage, who designed a prototype of a digital computer called the Difference Engine or Difference Machine. Her interest was piqued when Babbage showed her the small working section of the engine. A decade later, Lovelace created the first-ever machine algorithm. She then realized that Babbage’s invention could do more tasks than mere calculations. She started the first programming language by assigning a number to a specific task.
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Lovelace was also called the prophet of the computer age. She translated and annotated an article by Italian mathematician and engineer Luigi Federico Menabrea. It was implied that she added valuable input and notes on the Analytical Engine, essentially writing instructions on operating and teaching computer commands. Rather poetically, she described that the engine can “weave algebraic patterns, just as the Jacquard-loom weaves flowers and leaves.”
Present age
Although some may argue about the extent of Lovelace’s contribution, Ada, considered an early programming language, was named in her honor. Since the Ada Joint Program Office was established in 1980, Ada Language has been updated several times to cater to technological advances. It became the first widely used and available computer language. Although it was originally funded and developed for government defense, it is now commonly used in commercial applications.
There is no limit to what women can do when given enough resources and opportunities. Lovelace, although considered an aristocrat, had to pave her way through. However, with professions like STEM that still offer higher compensation for men than women, the gap still exists and must not be ignored. It is still vital to note that we must continue pursuing better treatment, compensation, and recognition as women.
Photo credit: The feature image is a daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, sourced from Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The vintage photo source has been colorized and changed to fit our style guide.
Sources: Severine Hierso (Computer Society) / Encyclopedia Britannica / Computer History Museum / Adacore
