March 6, 1983: Grace Hopper—She taught computers to talk

In a fast-moving tech world, it's worth taking time to remember Grace Hopper. A navy admiral and math whiz, she taught computers to talk.

[donvickers]

One of the few people in the computing industry who truly deserves to be called a hero. I was proud to have met her and listen to several of her great talks. She always ended her talks by telling how wonderful the enlisted people with whom she worked proved why the United States is in great hands.

[Dasycottus]

She was absolutely right.

What a fitting person to name supercomputers after. Badass

[gddecker]

Several photos of her hang on the wall in my office on campus in the NIU Department of Computer Science. I also bought a reverse running wall clock when I read she had one hanging in her own office. She's a personal hero of mine.

[dcdansk]

This woman is a U.S. legend and bona fide rock star. Ph.D in math from Yale in 1934! I would have given just about anything to take classes from her. What an incredible genius and personality. I measure all my programs in nanoseconds because of her. I second don Vickers comment, one of the few. Amazing woman who literally changed the world and it's almost certain we might not have things like Google/Microsoft/Apple and the site you're on now without the work she did, exactly when she did it. Will have to visit her on my next trip to Arlington.

[teto]

My wife tends to name things around the house. Her first car was a Honda and she named him Fenry. She named her newest computer "Grace"

[suzesails]

I met her 40 years ago 1982 She was as young then as she was young now always looking up to the future for a better way. The value (validity( of the data was more important than the speed of the data What an inspiration for me

[mjp]

I've been a computer programmer (the term I grew up with) for 45 years now. I owe everything I have to this woman.

[georgfriedrichhandel]

Even before they became a regular part in our vocabulary, Ms. Hopper succeeded in explaining what a nanosecond is in very simple language. And when this segment was first broadcast, the pc industry was virtually in its infancy so unless you worked for Apple or IBM, I doubt anyone could have imagined what that industry would be like just 10 years later.

[TV-emvb]

Honor (loyalty) + Intellect = Legendary!

[gachadodge]

This has helped me a lot thank you haha I’m her for the history fair and my name is grace I LOVE THE COLOR BLUE and we have the same eye color and the same hair color (when she was as old as me)

[lauriewallmark]

Kids can learn more about this amazing woman in my picture book biography, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE.

[Thornbeard]

Cobal was the second computer language I ever learned after basic it was Cobal. She was a amazing intellect and a amazing personality, I am glad she is remembered so well in history.

[MrWaalkman]

I saw her in either '74 or '75 at the Air Force Academy. I was a high school student at Air Academy High School taking Computer Science, and the AFA generously allowed us to use "Bobby Burroughs" at the Academy. Admiral Hopper paid the Cadets a visit, and I happened to stumble upon it.

I had absolutely no idea who this grandmotherly lady was other than a) She was Navy, and b) She was obviously a senior officer.

The Zoomies were crowded around her and she was loving every minute of it. After the Zoomies moved on, we said "Hi" to each other, and that was that until after the advent of the Internet I saw a picture of her and I couldn't help but think that I had seen her somewhere before. :)

It was common enough for Army officers to show up from time to time, occasionally a Marine. But Navy sightings were even more rare, and here was a Captain of my grandmothers' age. :)

[lowrypierce]

Actor Taylor Kitsch played Navy Lt. Alex "Hopper" in the sci-fi movie Battleship. He was the hero who saved the world from the invading Aliens. It’s interesting that he had the same last name in the movie as real life Navy Hero Grace "Hopper". Just a coincidence, or a fun way of recognizing Grace Hopper?

[SeaMonkey]

Brilliant lady. Got to meet her at Great Lakes BE/E School.

[lilyhowell]

Doing a history fair project about het because she is AMAZING

[jones]

In retrospect, she was laser accurate about the Model T reference. 40 years later, she was right.

[sierranevadatrail]

I remember a small park dedicated to her in pentagon city in the vicinity of the apartment she lived in.

[michaelrobison]

1:20. #thousandthoungsperiod. #thankyouAuntiaperiod. #984

[Thisandthat]

She was definitely right about the Model T. So many people in old material mock previous computers without realising that they will become the same joke in a few years.

And that hasn't changed.