[Maceman]

I think this is a pretty cool story. Not being a techie, it is amazing to me to read about the early (and even pre-technology) days of the computer.

[Bobalu]

Grace Hopper

[bigbob]

It is, and missing from the list but surely mentioned elsewhere is actress Hedy Lamarr, who co-invented a “Secret Communiations System” that laid the foundation for spread spectrum communications which is the backbone today of everything from mobile phones to wi-fi and bluetooth. She wasn’t a programmer or mathematician but had the inspiration and patented the idea decades before it was implemented in practical applications during the early 60s.

[IronJack]

Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper. That’s it. Grace Hopper, yes. Ada Lovelace? That’s a stretch. But even if I concede her, that’s a whopping two women “pioneers” in computer science. Versus how many men?

It’s just another case of people who contributed very little trying to share in the glory. Kinda like all those muslim contributions to this country’s founding. Or all those inventions by blacks that make our lives better.

It was men who led this computer revolution. Overwhelmingly. Quit rewriting history to be PC.

[Bobalu]

Grace Hopper on Letterman

[Truth29]

"I think this is a pretty cool story. Not being a techie, it is amazing to me to read about the early (and even pre-technology) days of the computer."

Indeed, the mechanical computer makes me think of the Antikythera device, which may have been a really early computer (BC Greek).

[truth_seeker]

Ancient Greeks,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

[CrazyIvan]

USS Hopper DDG 70

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hopper_(DDG-70)

[InterceptPoint]

Thanks for posting. Interesting subject and a great writer.

[blowfish]

...lot of insecure men on this thread. LOL.