The First Computer Programmer

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (not related to Deep-throat's Linda Lovelace) was born on 10 December 1815 and died on 27 November 1852. She was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She was the first to recognize that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation, and to have published the first algorithm intended to be carried out by such a machine. As a result, she is often regarded as the first computer programmer.

She was the only legitimate child of poet Lord Byron and mathematician Lady Byron. All of Byron's other children were born out of wedlock to other women.

Charles Babbage is regarded by many as the father of computing although he was never able to complete construction of his Analytical Engine (of Difference Engine as is it sometimes known) due to lack of funds. But Lovelace’s theoretical mathematics and notes proved that the invention was sound. Her notes were labelled alphabetically from A to G. In note G, she describes an algorithm for the Analytical Engine to compute Bernoulli numbers. It is considered to be the first published algorithm ever specifically tailored for implementation on a computer, and Ada Lovelace has often been cited as the first computer programmer for this reason.

In recent years the Science Museum in London has been able to build Babbage’s Analytical Engine and it does indeed work as intended, proving Lovelace’s calculations were correct.