mhoye15h ago
A picture of Margaret Hamilton, programmer for the Apollo space program, standing next to not one single microsoft error message or bluetooth problem.
Show threadMrAlanCooper

@mhoye

In 2017 Margaret Hamilton was inducted into the Computer History Museum's Hall of Fellows. On that occasion I was privileged to accompany her on a private, docent-guided tour of the Museum's public display.

She looked about the same as she does in these pictures from the 1960s, albeit a little grayer; a bright, diminutive grandma.

But she was very humble and human. At one point we rounded a corner into the Apollo section. Prominently in the front of the exhibit was a reproduction of your left-hand photo. Upon seeing it, Margaret stopped and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Is that me?"

8:53pmWeb
Show threadMrAlanCooper12h ago

@mhoye

As Margaret explained it to me, NASA wanted the lunar lander's actual landing to be 100% automated with no manual override. She disagreed, and insisted on implementing an override. NASA didn't like the idea but Margaret just went ahead and wrote it.

Of course, on Apollo 11's final approach, the lander was headed for a field of giant boulders. Neil Armstrong used Margaret's code to override the computer and manually divert to the actual, safer, landing point.

Show threadbarsoomcore9h ago

@mralancooper @mhoye what a legend.

As I have written before:

Margaret E Hamilton
Her name is Margaret E Hamilton
She wrote 400,000 lines of code
Without one bug, without one bug

Show threadAdam Shostack  9h ago
@mralancooper @mhoye There’s a great history of the debate in a book “Digital Apollo.” I would love to have heard her story!
Show threadMrAlanCooper9h ago
@adamshostack @mhoye Thanks for the pointer. I just ordered the book.
Show threadDeborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦9h ago
@mralancooper @inthehands @mhoye what a great story!
Show threadFish Id Wardrobe ⁂6h ago
@mralancooper @mhoye and now i love her even more.
Show threadJames Baker 🍁10h ago
@mralancooper @mhoye The kid and I are big fans…
Show threaditgrrl 9h ago

@mralancooper @mhoye she’s a genuine legend, what an amazing opportunity! 💕

this may be of interest… 👇

https://infosec.exchange/@itgrrl/115189867897132911

itgrrl :donor: (@[email protected])

Attached: 4 images @[email protected] @[email protected] well since you mention it… I also made these stickers 🙃 the switch & the stickers (& a life-size standee of Margaret Hamilton & a DSKY) were for a display on the Apollo Guidance Computer that I put together for a recent vintage computer fair here in Canberra 💁‍♀️

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