Ada Lovelace was born Ada Byron in 1815. Though she never met him, Ada was the daughter of the poet Lord Byron.
In 1833 (when she was only 17), Ada met Charles Babbage, the inventor of the Difference Engine. They became lifelong friends, and later, scientific collaborators.
In 1835, Ada married William King, who subsequently inherited a noble title, whereupon Ada became "Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace."
Babbage enlisted the Countess's help in translating the memoir of an Italian mathematician, and in the process Ada produced copious notes of Babbage's Difference Engine. It is for these documents, simply titled "Notes," that she remains famous today (although probably less so than she deserves). Although she is credited as the "founder of scientific computing," I would also argue that Ada was the first technical writer. ;-)
Ada Lovelace died of cancer in 1852.
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нawк 70 months ago | reply
You may want to add that a truly horrible programming language (ADA) was named after her by the US DOD. Ada would be rolling in her grave.
Patrick Johanneson 63 months ago | reply
She's a minor* character in William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's steampunk novel The Difference Engine, which is where I first heard of her.
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* Not to say peripheral.
garlandcannon 61 months ago | reply
Please add to Story Book Themes.
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legomies1 60 months ago | reply
nice hair.
Dr. Roday 54 months ago | reply
i just read an ela practice thing about her. lol i worship you!
Natzenk 36 months ago | reply
my name is Ada too ^^
Dunechaser 21 months ago | reply
Happy Ada Lovelace day!
GregHausM.D. 18 months ago | reply
I just read about her! She's on some "History of Feminism" blog that I'm editing. She was purty AND smart!