29/07/2017
English mathematician Ada Lovelace is widely considered the world's first computer programmer for her invention of the computer algorithm. Born in 1815 to the poet Lord Byron and Anne Isabella Byron, Lovelace's mathematical talents led to an ongoing collaboration with mathematician Charles Babbage, who called Lovelace the "Enchantress of Numbers." While translating an article by an Italian engineer on Babbage's Analytical Engine, a proposed early version of a mechanical general-purpose computer, Ada added her own extensive set of notes which contained a tremendous breakthrough -- the first computer program or algorithm.
Lovelace is also credited with making the conceptual leap to develop a vision of the potential of computers to go beyond simply running calculations; in her notes, she raised questions about the possibility of individuals and society using technology as a collaborative tool. For example, in 1843, she speculated on the potential use of computers in music composition, writing: "Supposing, for instance, that the fundamental relations of pitched sounds in the science of harmony and of musical composition were susceptible of such expression and adaptations, the engine might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music of any degree of complexity or extent."
Three new picture book biographies about Ada Lovelace have recently been published as her contributions have become more widely known -- all for ages 5 to 9 -- "Ada’s Ideas” (http://www.amightygirl.com/ada-s-ideas), "Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science" (http://www.amightygirl.com/ada-lovelace-poet-of-science), and "Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine" (http://www.amightygirl.com/ada-lovelace-thinking-machine)
For teen and adult readers, we highly recommend the fantastic historical fiction graphic novel "The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer" at http://amzn.to/1OUChKo
For Ada fans, there is also an Ada Lovelace Doll (http://www.amightygirl.com/ada-lovelace-little-thinker-doll) and Finger Puppet (http://www.amightygirl.com/ada-lovelace-finger-puppet-magnet)
For fun ways to introduce your Mighty Girl to programming, check out Code and Go Robot Mouse for ages 5 to 9 (http://www.amightygirl.com/code-and-go-mouse), Think And Learn Code-A-Pillar for ages 3 to 8 (http://www.amightygirl.com/code-a-pillar), Piper Craft-A-Computer Kit for ages 7 to 12 (http://www.amightygirl.com/piper-craft-a-computer-kit), and Raspberry Pi Ultimate Set for ages 9 and up (http://www.amightygirl.com/raspberry-pi-ultimate-set)