CS Super Heroes!

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was considered a catalyst for technological innovation. She disproved the conception that only those who study technology can make technological advancements. This lead to encouraging more people to enter the CS field! The contribution she is most known for is the method known as "Frequency Hopping". This method was used to encrypt messages, making it harder for the Axis Powers to decode their radio messages during WWII. This information was later used as a base for WiFi, Bluetooth, and more.

Alan Turing

Alan Turing broke something known as the "Enigma Code", which was an electromagnetic device used by the German military to encrypt their border. The keys would constantly change, so Turing invented machines known as "bombes" to cycle through hundreds and thousands of Enigma settings to crack the frequency. This resulted in a big impact on the Allies winning WWII. Alan Turing's major contribution is creating the first-ever computer, which he named the "Turing Machine". The Turing machine was imagined to run on instructions written on tape, in turn writing on the tape. This is the simplified function of a modern computer.

Guido Van Rossum

Guido Van Rossum created the programming langauge "Python". His goals when creating this language were:

1. It should be an easy and intuitive language, just as powerful as major competitors.
2. It should be open source, so anyone can contribute to its development.
3. Its code should be understandable as plain English.
4. It should be suitable for everyday tasks, allowing for short development times.

Since he made Python open source, Guido Van Rossum has accepted the title of Benevolent Dictator For Life (BDFL) from the Python user community. This means he helps resolve disputes coming from the language’s ongoing development.