Ada Lovelace Bicentenary Year!

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That’s right folks! If Ada Lovelace owes you money that’s just too bad because she was born 200 years ago on December 10th, 1815! There are lots and lots of THRILLING celebrations and events in the planning, many of which feature (naturally) ME, so stay tuned for dates and announcements and Lovelacey goodness this year.

*Ada Lovelace famously died with several thousands pounds in gambling debts; all no doubt incurred in attempting to fund the Analytical Engine! Decades later the sum of Ada’s debts had been gleefully inflated by rumour; Nathaniel Hawthorne (of the Scarlet Letter) was told they amounted to 40,000 pounds, about 20 times the actual amount.

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8 Comments

  1. Robbert Michel on February 3, 2015 at 11:32 pm

    On a related matter, There is currently an “Ada Mascot Art Competition” for the ADA computer language.
    I thnk Your Lovelace would be a great icon for this.
    Specs are here: http://www.gnoga.com/#mascot

  2. Jonathon Payne on February 2, 2015 at 12:03 am

    To put her actual debts into perspective, when she died she still owed enough to buy a Ferrari FF in today’s money. That’s not exactly small change, even for the gentry of the period.

  3. Zoe Anderson on January 25, 2015 at 9:59 am

    Ready to bask! Ready to bask! SO looking forward to The Thrilling Adventures.

    Also, I’ve been reading Ernest Bramah’s Max Carrados stories (about a blind Sherlock Homes-type detective, they’re fun). One of the oddest stories, The Ingenious Mr Spinola, is slightly relevant to your interests: it’s got a card-playing automaton, mathematicians and Babbage references. Published in book form in 1923, so nice to see Babbage’s inventor-of-genius reputation going strong into the 20th century.

    http://www.wordsworth-editions.com/collection/mystery-&-supernatural/book/title/eyes-of-max-carrados

  4. Gillian B on January 19, 2015 at 2:54 am

    Which is why, on our big trip this year, we’re going to stand in front of her birthplace and sing “Happy Birthday”.

  5. Gristle McNerd on January 18, 2015 at 9:53 pm

    The word “yaaay” always reminds me of the Hippo of Happiness over at Widdershins, which in turn makes me happy, so… yaaaay! :D

  6. Brian on January 18, 2015 at 8:52 pm

    YAAAAY for thrilling celebrations!

  7. Tealin on January 18, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    Ditto your enthusiasm, giant hand!

  8. John on January 18, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    That’s a lot of basking. I had better get moving. Or not moving, as the case may be.

    But, is…that what racing forms look like?

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