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Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 1, 2015 11:32:16 GMT -5
Margaret Hamilton, Lead Software Engineer, Project Apollo (Reputed to have been the first "Software Engineer" anywhere)...  Who was Margaret Hamilton? "Margaret Hamilton (born 1938) is a computer scientist and mathematician. She was Director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, which developed on-board flight software for the Apollo space program.
In 1986, she became the founder and CEO of Hamilton Technologies, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company was developed around the Universal Systems Language based on her paradigm of Development Before The Fact for systems and software design.
At NASA Hamilton was responsible for helping pioneer the Apollo on-board guidance software required to navigate to/from and land on the moon, and its multiple variations used on numerous missions (including the subsequent Skylab). She worked to gain hands-on experience during a time when computer science and software engineering courses or disciplines were non-existent.
In the process, she produced innovations in the fields of system design and software development, enterprise and process modelling, preventative systems design, development paradigm, formal systems (and software) modelling languages, system-oriented objects for systems modelling and development, automated life-cycle environments, methods for maximizing software reliability and reuse, domain analysis, correctness by built-in language properties, open-architecture techniques for robust systems, full life-cycle automation, quality assurance, seamless integration (including systems to software), distributed processing systems, error detection and recovery techniques, man/machine interface systems, operating systems, end-to-end testing techniques, and life-cycle management techniques.
These in turn led her to develop concepts of asynchronous software, priority scheduling, and man-in-the-loop decision capability, which became the foundation for modern, ultra-reliable software design."
-Wikipedia  Margaret Hamilton, Scientist (Public Domain Image) link to Source ArticleImpressive! Chris Wendt |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 2, 2015 6:58:29 GMT -5
Some further info, relevant to the concept of programming, including what is today known as "coding": "It had long been tradition that operating calculating machines was “women’s work”; it was thought to be just keypunching, like typing. Women programmed and operated the punchcard machines to produce calculations for the Manhattan Project. Despite the tendency of the project physicists to minimize their contribution, this was demanding work, much more than just moving cards from slot to slot — they were usually given requirements from the tech people, but often designed the approach and set up the calculations themselves.
The bias that 'women do the mere programming' extended into the early days of the computer, and it meant that many of the earliest and most pioneering programmers were women, learning hands-on to do things that had never been done before."
-3fingeredfox, medium.com, ibid Regards, Chris |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 3, 2015 8:19:26 GMT -5
Slightly further back in history (than the Apollo Space Program), and right here on LI, in the mid sixties, I remember visiting my mom's office in Garden City, at Doubleday, Inc. a large office complex on Franklin Avenue, which had its own LIRR stop, Country Life Press. Inside were these large gray machines with subdued labels riveted to their frames, "International Business Machines". These were card punching, and card reading & sorting machines, which were the front end of Doubleday's book publishing business main frame computing system. The system ran inventory control, manufacturing scheduling, order processing, shipping, billing and accounting, for book production and sales, as well as all the activities of several major nationwide book clubs. It wasn't rocket science, as the Apollo Program was, but it was fast, accurate, and very impressive to see, hear, and learn about. As was typical of businesses of that era, the top few jobs at Doubleday were held by men, and most of the rank-and-file were women, including the gals who ran the computing machinery.
Doubleday. Inc. was later acquired by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, a German multinational mass media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 50 countries and employs in excess of 104,000. The Garden City Doubleday plant has since been closed, with most activities having been moved to Manhattan or Virginia, or absorbed by the corporation (eliminated as "synergies" after the acquisition). The Country Life Press LIRR station still functions today on the Hempstead Branch, serving the small, mega wealthy and beautiful residential enclave east of Franklin Avenue. Main frame computers, keypunch, card reading & sorting machinery have all gone the way of the Dodo bird. International Business Machines long ago re-branded themselves as IBM ("Big Blue"), and is thriving, presently, at the dawn of the age of cloud computing. In 2012, Fortune ranked IBM the No. 2 largest U.S. firm in terms of number of employees (435,000 worldwide), the No. 4 largest in terms of market capitalization, the No. 9 most profitable, and the No. 19 largest firm in terms of revenue. Globally, the company was ranked the No. 31 largest in terms of revenue by Forbes for 2011. Other rankings for 2011/2012 include No. 1 company for leaders (Fortune), No. 1 green company worldwide (Newsweek), No. 2 best global brand (Interbrand), No. 2 most respected company (Barron's), No. 5 most admired company (Fortune), and No. 18 most innovative company (Fast Company).
-Wikipedia Waxing... Chris Wendt |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 4, 2015 8:46:05 GMT -5
Here are two additional images and information about Margaret Hamilton, including the reference to her coining the term "software engineering"...   With due regard, Chris Wendt |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 5, 2015 13:29:32 GMT -5
I would like to wrap up this discussion with a few comments: - As the technology of computing emerged from its nascent stage, "...computer science and software engineering courses or disciplines were non-existent".
In order to get in on this stuff, you, as a student, and your college advisors, as well as your high school guidance counselors had to be trailblazers; your parents needed a high tolerance for risk, as well as faith in your counselors and advisors to steer you right. - Computer Science and software engineering had humble beginnings, in what had been considered bookkeeping tasks (and "women's work") by the then male academic and scientific establishments.
- Even as you watch the hit sitcom, Big Bang Theory, today, you get a sense that engineering, as a discipline, is looked down upon by PhD scientists. While there may be some minor validity to holding such a perspective by a few scientists in a few fields, I think there are many lucrative career opportunities in computer science, software engineering, and systems analysis, today. But more importantly, the long-promised age of ubiquitous computing is already dawning upon us, and I feel that career opportunities in any technical profession or line of work are almost limitless. Conversely, becoming isolated from maturing or emerging technologies could prove risky to the fulfillment of one's maximum career potential, from the perspectives of both personal satisfaction (contribution) and remuneration (earnings and career growth).
Questions? Chris Wendt |
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