Ada Byron
Major
Accomplishment: Ada
described her approach as "poetical science" and herself as an "Analyst (&
Metaphysician)". As a young adult, her mathematical talents led her to an
ongoing working relationship and friendship with fellow British mathematician
Charles Babbage, and in particular Babbage's work on the Analytical Engine.
Between 1842 and 1843, she translated an article by Italian military engineer
Luigi Menabrea on the engine, which she supplemented with an elaborate set of
notes of her own, simply called Notes. These notes contain what many consider to
be the first computer program—that is, an algorithm designed to be carried out
by a machine. Lovelace's notes are important in the early history of computers.
She also developed a vision on the capability of computers to go beyond mere
calculating or number-crunching while others, including Babbage himself, focused
only on those capabilities. Her mind-set of "poetical science" led her to ask
basic questions about the Analytical Engine (as shown in her notes) examining
how individuals and society relate to technology as a collaborative
tool.