Ross Perot (photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)
Ross Perot (photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)
3,613 words
The Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the Soviet Union suffered a catastrophic meltdown in April 1986. The disaster was too big to ignore, and it shattered the prestige upon which the Evil Empire was built. Thereafter the entirety of the Communist bloc in Europe started to collapse. (more…)
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace
1,093 words
It is a near-universal claim that the world’s first computer programmer was Ada Lovelace. She is referred to as the “enchantress of numbers,” a mathematical genius, a visionary, and a fundamental contributor to the field of computing. The second Tuesday of October is “Ada Lovelace Day” — an event to celebrate women’s achievements in STEM. There is even a programming language named after her. (more…)
3,136 words
Seeing a computer on a desk for the first time was a life-changing experience for me. It filled me with something close to awe, and I wanted to master its secrets. My enthusiasm was undivided. I bought a programming manual and learned it forwards and backward, even though it would be a few more years before (more…)