Ada Lovelace

Thursday, March 9, 2023
by Scott Campbell
Ada_Lovelace
ADA LOVELACE Learn about the first computer scientist before the computer's creation.

Who is Ada Lovelace?

Augusta Ada King, Countest of Lovelace (born in Byron; 1815-1852) is often described as the first computer programmer.

Before computer was even invented, Ada worked with were the ever-evolving plans of Charles Babbage, a 19th century English mathematician, who designed but never built a machine he called Analytical Engine, starting in the 1840s.

The Analytical Engine featured many of the same characteristics that we would recognize as essential to modern general-purpose computer, but it’s probable that the machining techniques of the mid 19th century were inadequate to realize his vision (although a modern effort is underway).

Ada, a strong mathematician herself, was well acquainted with Babbage and the Analytical Engine. She wrote (or possibly co-wrote or edited) an article describing its operations, and outlined an algorithm for the computation of Bernouli numbers. Through modern eyes, this algorithm could be considered a computer program.