Computer Science's Wonder Woman: Ada Lovelace - Computerphile

Ada Lovelace became known as the world's first computer programmer - Professor Brailsford on how being poet Byron's daughter inadvertently sent her down a scientific path.

This video was filmed and edited by Sean Riley.

[tomihawk]

"Sex, Drugs, Peacocks and Poetry" needs to be on a t-shirt.

[AustrianAnarchy]

That bit about Babbage wanting to write an anonymous preface, and thinking nobody would catch on, might make him the original Sheldon Cooper.

[Jacob]

Again, professor Brailsford tells the story in a griping manner. What a wonderful guy.

[Neueregel]

I'm a Greek so I personally wanna thank Lord Byron for fighting for our Greek Independence in 1824. He is like a hero for us. And yes, Byron was also a guerilla fighter and a warrior, besides anything else. A poet warrior actually.

[JPBennett]

I appreciate that you guys didn't over-hype or under-hype Ada's contributions. So many have revered her for being a woman instead of her actual accomplishments.

[Monotoba]

First, I want to thank Computerphile for these videos and Prof. Brailsford and all the other participants for the all the great videos. What I want to say regarding Ada Lovelace is that her greatest feat was to recognize how numbers could be used to represent anything you wanted. It didn't have to all be about numbers, they could represent text, sound, anything really. Without that insight we might all be using high-tech calculators instead of general purpose computers!

[eliasnieminen]

Professor Brailsford should start doing voice acting

[utl]

Professor Brailsford is great! The history lessons are very interesting.

[WingedZebraIsland]

Smart ladies doing cool things are an inspiration to me.
-Female Software Engineering Student

[frankzeppelin]

Shortly after your last video I replaced the picture of "The Late Mr. Babbage" on my work desk with Ada Lovelace. Needless to say she's a bigger hit with the ladies. They all agreed that he looked rather "thin skinned" while she looks fabulous in her ways.

[scottpaul]

Watch "Calculating Ada" by Hannah Fry. Because, Hannah Fry.

[MrJosh]

Professor Brailsford's videos are always my favorite.

[TheTurnipKing]

The value of a computer isn't solely in doing what the original designer intends, but in the uses to which people beyond the designer will put it.

She's probably the first example of the historical end-user.... or possibly the first victim of vaporware.

[napamodesto]

Watched this after finishing Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" and now I am beginning to wonder if an education based on what Ada experienced could be more beneficial to what is available today.

[miroslavhoudek]

Now I'm confused. On one hand (very honoured hand indeed) there is this great storytelling by professor Brailsford, and the on the other there is a "Controversy" section of Ada's wiki page, where several historians are cited, claiming that Ada was nice and all - but not a real scientist and more like a kinda PR gal of the Babbage's undertakings. Is this really so difficult to call - as mentioned several times, there is plenty of correspondence and paper trail - so how could there be a controversy?

[fburton]

Is that the graphic novel _The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage_ open on the table there?

[Jazz]

Was there meant to be another part to this or am I just missing it. I would love to hear the rest of this from Brailsford!

[mikejones-vdfg]

So she was basically predicting neural networks! - analytical machine.  But without computers/software they could only imagine a steam powered one, lol.  But the principal is the same so that was some pretty forward thinking.

[sethapex]

tfw "coming out" used to mean something much different.

[enidsinc]

Your didactic is flawless! Bravo, Professor!