This Wednesday, March 24, is the second annual International Ada Lovelace Day for "blogging (videologging, podcasting, comic drawing etc.!) to draw attention to the achievements of women in technology and science."Sign up or read more here: Finding Ada.
Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) "is often regarded as the world's first computer programmer," for her work on Charles Babbage's "analytical engine."
She was also the daughter of Lord Byron.
I'm extra motivated because, much as I'm loving the Ray Harryhausen FX retrospective, I'm really tired of seeing women clinging to men.
How did anyone get any science done, when their arms were never free?
There was a film made about Ada Lovelace, starring I think Tilda Swinton. I only made it through the first ten minutes - it seemed to involve a lot of diaphonous drapery.
ReplyDeleteWell, by jove, youre right: "Conceiving Ada," from 1997, with Tilda S. as Ada.
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one to give it a pretty terrible review:
http://www.timetravelreviews.com/movies/conceiving_ada.html
Great! I blogged last year's Ada day and learned something new.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's SWINTON !
Looking forward to it! (Although I do find myself irretrievably pre-occupied with the "also". Daughter of THE L. Byron? Skull cup, badger in the house Byron?)
ReplyDeleteI confess to a trip and a fall over "She was also the daughter of Lord Byron," too.
ReplyDeleteAt least it wasn't a "trip and fall' or I would have to sue... I would just HAVE to!
And it would be all your fault, Wordlemeister Fresca, for leaving that "she-was-also-the-daughter-of" sitting out in the middle of the floor.
Clinging to men and always at the beauty shop, it appears! Every hair in place all the time.
ReplyDeleteSo, I work in a techish field (video games) on a period-influenced title, so I am often in the amusing/sad position of doing art that is very much of the time (clinging, &c)(although I must say it is a weee bit tongue in cheek!) but then also being one of the few women on the team dealing with databases and console commands. That dichotomy is totally all over my career, I think.
ReplyDeleteYep, THE Byron of Badger fame.
ReplyDeleteShe never saw him after her first few weeks of life, I gather.
Not really the daddly type...
FMSNO: Right! Even when the women run from attacking spaceships, their hair doesn't move, even though they sometimes actually stop and take off their high heels.
KARLA: Interesting work: you could blog about yourself for Ada Day!
I'd love to hear more. That's some dichotomy you've got going there.
I'm fine with a little clinging as an excuse to snuggle up, of course--Spock and Kirk clung to each other sometimes, under duress--but geez... just not ALWAYS and ONLY.