9. Celebrating Ada Lovelace, the First Computer Programmer (October 12th)
English mathematician Ada Lovelace is one of the first computer programmers in history. Some of her achievements explain the difference between Analytical Engine and other older versions of calculating machines. She programmed these machines to solve problems, no matter how complex they can be. Lovelace was so sure of the capabilities of computers. She published the first algorithm that a machine could use to carry other commands. Furthermore, these commands were beyond what they had in the early 1800s. She was even aware that computer devices would go beyond doing calculations. These calculations can solve advanced algorithms.
When her father, poet Lord Byron, left their home, her mother stayed bitter about her husband leaving her. The mother decided to promote and help Ada find an incline to mathematics and logic. That way, she didn’t follow in her father’s footsteps. As an adult, her social and educational exploits helped her meet some of the most prominent scientists of the time. That included Michael Faraday, Andrew Crosse, Sir David Brewster, and Charles Babbage. They had a fond friendship that ended with him inviting her all the time to work and see some of his prototypes. He would call her “the Enchantress of Numbers” for how passionate she was about trying to figure out a way to contribute to the advances of the difference engine. You can celebrate Ada Lovelace on October 12th every year.