The story of Microsoft’s founding is a well-known computing history episode from 1975 when Paul Allen and Bill Gates demonstrated their BASIC interpreter for the Altair microcomputer using an emulator on Harvard’s system. There is debate surrounding Ada Lovelace’s legacy as potentially the world’s first programmer, as her published program in 1843 was never run. Lovelace’s program was advanced, featuring loops and variable state tracking similar to modern software practices. The article delves into the mathematical history behind the calculation of series like Pythagorean triangles and programmable machines like Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine and Analytical Engine. Ada Lovelace’s forward-thinking insights into programming potential is highlighted in her notes on the Analytical Engine.
https://twobithistory.org/2018/08/18/ada-lovelace-note-g.html