How Ada Lovelace Used Embroidery To Create The First Computer Program

credit: British Council

The world's first computer programmer was born just shy of 200 years ago.

Ada Lovelace was born to poet Lord Byron and his wife, Anne Isabella Noel Byron, and grew up in a wealthy family in London.

She learned languages, music, and needlecraft, as well as math, from home tutors, reports the New York Times.

Lovelace went on to meet Charles Babbage, who designed the Analytical Engine, the first computer that can calculate Bernoulli numbers.

Lovelace translated an article about the Analytical Engine into English that she then translated into her computer program.

"Lovelace began by describing how to code instructions onto cards with punched holes, like those used for weaving loom, a device patented in 1804 that used punch cards to automate weaving patterns in the fabric," the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology explains.

"Having learned herself, Lovelace recognized that the numbers manipulated by the Analytical Engine could be seen as other types of symbols, such as other types of symbols, such as pitch and duration, and she had manipulated logical symbols in her correspondence with [London University mathematician Augustus] De Morgan," the library notes.

She also drew on lessons in math, music, and needlecraft for her computer program.

Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Philanthropic Follies

The Wall Street Journal profiles the new book \"The Good Rich and What They Cost Us.\" According to the reviewer, the book, which covers over two centuries of American philanthropy, posits that...more

Financial Aid Information Session Hosted by Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Foundation: Kalamazoo Community Foundation

The Wall Street Journal profiles the new book \"The Good Rich and What They Cost Us.\" According to the reviewer, the book, which covers over two centuries of American philanthropy, posits that...more

As Asian-American Population Grows So Does Philanthropy in the Communities
Foundation: American India Foundation, Korean American Community Foundation

The Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights a New York Times article focusing on the growth of Asian American philanthropy. Asian-Americans who have built fortunes in finance and technology are...more

Mary Kay Foundation Awards Grants

Waypoint Madge Phillips Center Shelter has recently received a $20,000 grant from The Mary Kay Foundation in observation of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. According to Anne...more

Paulding Education Foundation Awards $7,500

Paulding Education Foundation has recently awarded $7,500 to Paulding schools as a result of the foundation\'s School Grant Program. Recipients include South Paulding High School, Austin Middle...more

Make-A-Wish Foundation Crapo Park Walk Fundraiser

The Make-A-Wish Foundation will be holding its big fall fundraiser, a walk around Crapo Park in Burlington to help grant wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses, raising on average $8,600...more