Milly Koss facts for kids
Adele Mildred Koss, known to many as Milly Koss, was an amazing American computer pioneer. She was born on July 11, 1928, and passed away on September 11, 2012. Milly was so important in the early days of computers that the Association for Women in Computing gave her a special Ada Lovelace Award in 2000. This award is named after Ada Lovelace, who is considered the world's first computer programmer!
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Milly's Early Life and Education
Milly Koss went to the Philadelphia High School for Girls. After high school, she studied Mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1950. When she looked for her first job, Milly faced an unfair challenge. An insurance company turned her down because she was engaged, saying that married women might have children and leave their jobs. But this didn't stop Milly from pursuing her passion!
Pioneering Work in Computing
Milly Koss started her incredible career at the Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation (EMCC). There, she worked with another famous computer pioneer, Grace Hopper. Milly helped program one of the very first commercial computers, the UNIVAC I.
Creating the 'Editing Generator'
One of Milly's first big projects was creating something called the 'Editing Generator'. Imagine trying to print a document from a computer back then! It wasn't easy. Milly's program was super smart. It could automatically arrange text, add margins, create headings, and even put page numbers on the fly. This was a huge step! Milly was actually the first programmer to try out what we now call computer-based word processing. Think about how much we use word processors today – Milly helped start it all!
Early Sorting and Compilers
During her time at EMCC, Milly also wrote some of the very first programs that could sort information. Sorting is super important for organizing data, like putting names in alphabetical order or numbers from smallest to largest. She also worked with Grace Hopper to write the first compiler. A compiler is a special program that translates human-readable code into language that a computer can understand. This made it much easier for people to write computer programs!
Working from Home: A New Idea
Milly later worked for several other companies, including Burroughs and Remington Rand. While working, she became pregnant. Back then, it was often expected that women would leave their jobs when they had children. But Milly had a different idea! She talked to Grace Hopper about working from home when needed. Grace Hopper supported her, and Milly was able to continue her important work. This was one of the earliest examples of what we now call "telecommuting" or "remote work." Milly even arranged similar flexible work plans at other jobs later in her career.
Later Career at Harvard
After working for various companies, Milly moved to Harvard University. She stayed there for 27 years until she retired in 1994. At Harvard, she held important roles, including Associate Director of the Office for Information Technology and the University's Information Security Officer. This shows how much she grew in her career and how trusted she was with important computer systems.
Awards and Legacy
In 1997, Milly Koss received a special Pioneer Award at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing. She was one of only seven women to be honored that year for their groundbreaking work in technology.
Milly Koss passed away on September 11, 2012. She was married for 60 years to her husband, Norman A. Koss, who passed away before her. Milly is remembered by her three children and three grandchildren. Her contributions helped shape the world of computing as we know it today!
