From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: *** X-Spam-Status: No, score=3.4 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50,INVALID_DATE, MSGID_SHORT,REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!think!ames!elroy!mahendo!jplgodo!wlbr!etn-rad!jru From: jru@etn-rad.UUCP (John Unekis) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.c,sci.space,sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: "C" vrs ADA Message-ID: <259@etn-rad.UUCP> Date: Tue, 25-Aug-87 13:55:10 EDT Article-I.D.: etn-rad.259 Posted: Tue Aug 25 13:55:10 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Aug-87 01:46:34 EDT References: <8454@utzoo.UUCP> <650@cfa.cfa.harvard.EDU> Reply-To: jru@etn-rad.UUCP (0000-John Unekis) Organization: Eaton Inc. IMSD, Westlake Village, CA Xref: mnetor comp.lang.ada:565 comp.lang.c:3908 sci.space:2692 sci.space.shuttle:281 List-Id: In article <650@cfa.cfa.harvard.EDU> wyatt@cfa.harvard.EDU (Bill Wyatt) writes: > >Re: the original posting of misinformation about the Countess Lovelace >(and C, Unix, and everything else, just about): >... In response to the criticism that I have received for calling Ada Lovelace the mistress of Charles Babbage I went out and did a little research. As it turns out , Charles Babbage had concieved an idea for a mechanical differencing engine and was able to convince the British government to fund its development. This engine was to use punched cards and was inspired by the loom of Joseph Jacquard, although Babbages machine was essentially an adding machine. While the difference engine was still unfinished Babbage came up with an idea for a new machine which he dubbed the analytical engine and began to divert his efforts to the new design. He ran out of funding and managed to alienate his friends in Parliament in his attempts to drum up more support. He lost the engineers who were working on the machine because he couldn't pay them, and in leaving they took all his machine tools in place of back pay. At this point he met Ada. She was actually Ada Augusta King, the Countess of Lovelace , daughter of Lord Byron. She was still a teenager at the time, and was a serious student of mathematics. She wanted to be tutored in his methods, and since she was rich and he was broke, it seemed like a good match. They worked together for many years and she was credited with such ideas as the use of binary instead of decimal numbers for calculation. They were seen together socially, although her status as his lover is open to debate. Ada died young(36) of a unknown disease. She attempted to leave her fortune to Babbage, but her family prevented it. After her death Babbage worked odd jobs to support himself, but he was unable to complete either of his calculating engines. He died in 1871, but his notes were rediscovered in 1937, and he has been credited with inventing the digital computer. Consider the following- Ada Lovelace was a woman who spent her time and money on a computer project that : A) Was probably not possible with existing technology (Babbage had no end of trouble getting precisely machined gears). B) Was completely redesigned while it was already slipping its development schedule. C) Ran over budget, and had to apply to the government for additional funding. D) Was denied additional funds and had to lay off its engineers. E) Never delivered a working computer system. How could I have been so blind. I take back everything I said about her. Ada is the perfect name for a computer language that will be the standard for the U.S. military and aerospace contracting industries. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: My employer did not authorize my actions, I have acted on my own initiative.