Information | Detail |
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Date of birth | December 9, 1906 |
Nationality | American |
Residence | New York City, New York |
Education | Vassar College, Yale University |
Occupation | Computer Scientist, US Navy Rear Admiral |
Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist and United States Navy Rear Admiral. She was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, and developed the first compiler for a computer programming language. She popularized the idea of machine-independent programming languages, which led to the development of COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages.
Hopper was born in New York City in 1906 and attended Vassar College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics in 1928. She then went on to earn her master's degree in mathematics from Yale University in 1930.
Hopper began her career as a professor of mathematics at Vassar College, but left in 1943 to join the United States Navy Reserve. She was assigned to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard University, where she worked on the Mark I computer. She developed the first compiler for a computer programming language, which was a precursor to the development of COBOL.
Hopper was a pioneer in the field of computer programming and was an early advocate for machine-independent programming languages. She was also a key figure in the development of COBOL, which was one of the first high-level programming languages. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 for her contributions to the field of computer science.
Grace Brewster Murray Hopper was born on December 9, 1906 in New York City. She was the eldest of three children. Her father was a professor of structural engineering at Columbia University and her mother was a math teacher.
Hopper attended Vassar College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics in 1928. She then went on to earn her master's degree in mathematics from Yale University in 1930.
Hopper began her career as a professor of mathematics at Vassar College, but left in 1943 to join the United States Navy Reserve. She was assigned to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard University, where she worked on the Mark I computer.
Hopper was a pioneer in the field of computer programming and was an early advocate for machine-independent programming languages. She was also a key figure in the development of COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages.
Hopper developed the first compiler for a computer programming language, which was a precursor to the development of COBOL. She also developed the first linker and the first English-like data processing language.
Hopper was a leader in the development of computer technology and was a key figure in the development of the COBOL programming language. She was also a leader in the development of the Navy's computer systems.
Hopper was a member of the team that developed the first commercial computer, the UNIVAC I. She was also a member of the team that developed the first computer language translator, FLOW-MATIC.
Hopper was a leader in the development of computer technology and was a key figure in the development of the COBOL programming language. She was also a leader in the development of the Navy's computer systems.
Hopper was a well-known figure in the computer science community and was a mentor to many of the leading figures in the field. She was a close friend of computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing, and the two often exchanged ideas and collaborated on projects.
Hopper was also a close friend of computer scientist and mathematician John von Neumann, and the two collaborated on a number of projects.
Hopper was a mentor to computer scientist and mathematician Grace Murray Hopper, who was named after her.
Hopper was known for her wit and wisdom, and her quotes are often quoted in the computer science community. Some of her most famous quotes include:
"It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission."
"A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."
"If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It's much easier to apologize than it is to get permission."
"The most damaging phrase in the language is: 'It's always been done that way.'"
"The most important thing I've accomplished, other than building the compiler, is training young people. They come to me, you know, and say, 'Do you think we can do this?' I say, 'Try it.' And I back 'em up. They need that. I keep track of them as they get older and I stir 'em up at intervals so they don't forget to take chances."
Hopper was a controversial figure in the computer science community, and her work was often criticized by her peers. She was criticized for her advocacy of machine-independent programming languages, which some argued was too ambitious and impractical.
Hopper was also criticized for her advocacy of the COBOL programming language, which some argued was too complex and difficult to learn.
Hopper was a prolific writer and was the author of several books on computer science, including "The Art of Programming" and "The Art of Computer Programming". She was also a frequent speaker at conferences and was a popular figure in the computer science community.
Hopper was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 for her contributions to the field of computer science. She was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1973 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2016.