Unsung Heroes: The Story of the Six Women Who Revolutionized Programming with ENIAC

ENIAC, or the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, was a revolutionary invention that changed the world of computing forever. But what many people don’t know is that the development of this machine was largely thanks to the groundbreaking work of six women – an unsung group of heroes who revolutionized programming.

The story of these six women, Betty Snyder, Jean Jennings, Marlyn Wescoff, Fran Bilas, Kathleen McNulty and Ruth Lichterman, is one of determination and resilience. These women were hired by the US Army during World War II, and they would go on to become the first computer programmers in history.

The ENIAC was a huge and complex machine, and the challenge of programing it was daunting. The women had to learn how to design and code the machine from scratch, and their work was so successful that they were able to complete the task in less than a year. In addition, they programmed the machine to automatically calculate artillery firing tables, which allowed the US Army to quickly and accurately calculate the trajectory of their artillery shells.

Despite their impressive achievements, these women were largely forgotten after the war ended. They received no recognition for the work they had done, and their contributions to computing were largely ignored. Even after ENIAC was put on display in the Smithsonian Institution in the 1950s, their names were not mentioned.

But the women never forgot about their accomplishments, and in 1997 they were finally honored for their work. The first software engineering degree program in the world was dedicated to them, and the six women were invited to the dedication ceremony.

The six women of ENIAC are an example of the power of the human spirit. Despite facing discrimination in the workplace and not receiving any credit or recognition for their work, they persevered and made a lasting impact. Their story is one of determination, courage, and perseverance and serves as an inspiration to all of us. We should all be thankful for the work of these unsung heroes of computing.

Source: ucodes.me