The famous logician Augustus De Morgan with whom Ada took classes, had a decisive influence on Ada Lovelace's later main work, the 'Notes'. However, he left the family shortly after Ada's birth, so she grew up with her mathematically-minded mother.Īda's mother ensured that she was given an education with the best tutors. Her father, Lord Byron, was one of the greatest poets of the time. How did she manage to persevere and be successful despite the many restrictions on women at the time?įirst of all, Ada Lovelace was born into a wealthy family. The Suffragettes women's movement didn't originate in Great Britain until the beginning of the 20th century, well over 50 years after Ada Lovelace's death in 1852. 'Scientific' reasons were cites as to why women were not qualified to study. Apart from such restrictions, women had to contend with considerable prejudices. Women in Great Britain, for example, were denied access to universities and scientific libraries. Women were brought up with a view to becoming wives and mothers. The exceptions were famers, where usually everyone in the family pitched in with the work needed. The ideals of the time saw marital duties – the duties of a wife and mother - as the sole purpose of a woman's life. They were not considered as independent or as mature. Nineteenth century society was patriarchal: women were relegated to the roles of mere observers. What were the prevailing gender roles during Ada Lovelace's time? How did she manage to persevere and be successful despite the many restrictions on women at the time? Apart from her scientific career, Ada also raised three children. This is true of course for all women scientists of the time, and makes their work even more impressive in hindsight. I am also fascinated by the courage Ada Lovelace showed in order to realize her dream of a scientific career when facing great societal resistance. For her achievements, she is rightly called a pioneer of modern computer science. Today she is world famous, not least because in the 1970s, the computer language ADA was named after her. It wasn't until the 20th century, with the beginning of the computer age, that the significance of her notes was recognized. In her lifetime, her scientific contributions hardly attracted any attention. Fr om a modern perspective, her work is visionary. Her scientific work, which is outstanding – regardless of the person behind it.Ībout a century before Konrad Zuse designed the first programmable computing machine, in the 1840s, Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer programme in the world. Ms Siffert, what fascinates you about Ada Lovelace? Are there any aspects of her life and work that you strike you as particularly remarkable? In her now famous note 'G', Lovelace also adds a step-by-step description for computation of Bernoulli numbers with Babbage's machine - basically an algorithm - which, in effect, make her the world's first computer programmer. Her vision of a machine that could also process musical notes, letters and images, anticipates modern computers by a hundred years. Since the functions of the Analytical Engine are not defined, they can also be applied to other things than numbers. The Analytical Engine, Ada writes 'holds a position wholly its own'. They show that Ada recognizes the machine's potential beyond a device for numerical calculations. Her annotations, simply called 'notes', turn out to be three times as long as the actual transcript. She also provides her own comments on the text. In 1848, Ada translates a French article about his second project, the 'Analytical Engine', into English. Ada and Babbage strike up a correspondence over mathematical ideas that lasts for many years. Babbage is working on a prototype of a calculating machine called 'The Difference Engine', and Ada is intrigued by his ideas. But the love for machines is the foundation of Ada Lovelace's later friendship with mathematician Charles Babbage, whom she meets at a reception when she is 17. Out of fear that Ada might inherit the stormy and unpredictable temper of her poet father, the mathematically talented Annabella, once called 'the princess of parallelograms' by Byron, makes sure that her daughter receives a scientific education.ġ2-year-old Ada, who is especially interested in mechanics, wants to invent a flying machine - unfortunately, with no success. Shortly after her birth, her parents' marriage is already over. Augusta Ada Byron is born 10th December 1815, as the daughter of Anne Isabella Noel-Byron (known as Annabella) and famous English poet Lord Byron.

How to make a computer program