ADA Lovelace, computer pioneer and female historical figure

Ada Lovelace is a pioneer in technology with the creation of its analytical machine, ancestor of modern computer

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Ada Lovelace is above all a pioneer, a woman who marked the history of computer science. She is also considered to be The "first geek in the world". 

Born in London on December 10, 1815, Ada Lovelace is the daughter of the poet Lord Byron and the intellectual Annabella Milbanke. And its history is also that of women precursors of their time. 

In Victorian times, men dominated the field of sciences, at least in public debates. But the first woman to play a role in Ada's life is her mother, Annabella. Indeed, it was the latter who raised his daughter alone and who, quite early, offered her a teaching of in -depth and rigorous mathematics. A scientific training supposed to keep Ada away from her father's literary concerns ... and what a good idea!

While we are in 1832, Ada is 17 years old and she does not know it yet but She is about to make a meeting that will considerably speed up the genius of her short life. Mary Sommerville, a recognized researcher and scientist from her time, becomes the new tutor of the teenager. Apart from continuing to stimulate the intellect of Ada, Mary Sommerville is at the origin of her meeting with the renowned mathematician Charles Babbage AKA* The father of modern computers. 

*Aka = as known as = also known as

Ada is passionate about the mathematician And this is where all the future of computer science is at stake. There follows ten years of exchanges thus allowing Ada to develop its skills in mathematics and to follow the evolution of the first calculator, that of Babbage.

But Babbage is ambitious, and does not stop at a simple calculator, no. He gets down soon after the creation of the analytical machine, principle which by sequential reading of perforated cards would give instructions and data to its machine. Here it is, the first modern computer.  

Meanwhile, Ada becomes a mother, she has three children, Byron, Annabella and Ralph Gordon and the mental load linked to this new job makes her forget the computer. It was in 1839 that she recovered, helped by the mathematician Auguste de Morgan, which forms it in algebra, logic and analysis.

Trois ans après, une description de la analytical machine de Babbage paraît en français, Ada se verra offrir la chance de traduire ce mémoire en anglais. Mais pas que; Babbage lui propose de compléter, corriger et annoter le dit document. This is one of those notes that makes Ada Lovelace renown. This contains a very detailed algorithm for the calculation of a series of rational numbers, an algorithm considered as the first computer program in the world.

She already imagines this machine as being able to compose music. But she dies at 36 years old uterus cancer, ruined and undoubtedly without the slightest idea of ​​the future progress of IT of today.

His work is the basis of those ofAlan Turing, 100 years later, without ever being quoted there. His name appears the first time to name the programming language of the American Defense Department, in the 1980s.

A copy of this historic manuscript, translated and annotated by ADA was sold at auction for € 107,000 (£ 95,000), the final point of the portrait of a resolutely modern woman. 

Ada said: " La analytical machine n’a nullement la prétention de créer quelque chose par elle-même. Elle peut exécuter tout ce que nous saurons lui donner à exécuter. Elle peut suivre une analyse; mais elle n’a pas la faculté d’imaginer des relations analytiques ou des vérités. Son rôle est de nous aider à effectuer ce que nous savons déjà dominer. » 

Even with the arrival of the Big Data, its words are still valid today ...