Wednesday, October 13, 2004
This article might or might not appear in this year's TCHS HIP magazine
Programming and me - How I got hooked
Programming was never in my mind when I joined The Chinese High School four years ago, as a computer illiterate Secondary One student. Participating in compulsory computer lessons offered by our school did gave me the jitters, as immunerable questions surged in my mind. Programming? What's is it about? Why do we have to learn it?
With that attitude I attended a few Qbasic lessons. Mrs Lew, our computer teacher at that time, did cautioned us that we are stepping into a world of unknown, and that experience could be more than just fustration. Her words are indeed true - I was never the gifted one who shined prominently throughout the course. However, that does not deter me from liking programming, and it gave me utmost satisfaction whenever I completed a program or came up with a remedy for some programming errors, no matter how insignificant the program is. There are times where I just sit down and dream, visualizing myself as being the greatest programmer on Earth, commanding the computer in front of me and ultimately the world! Occasionally I sought inspiration from the wisdom of Bill Gates, a person who craved out his powerful empire in programming. There was a quote by Christopher Reeves - "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable". As a Secondary One student, I have the audacity to tell myself that I could defy the impossible and emulate or even suprass the achievements of my model.
Pursuing my dreams
My thrist of knowledge empowered me to spend most of my June and December holidays on programming. To quench the thirst, I started embarking on a new different rountine of gaining knowledge by visiting tutorial sites and creating simple DOS programs.
When year 2 arrived, Mr Yong, my computer teacher, began to teach us Visual Basic. While many of my peers would rather spend their time on studies, I adopted a different attitude. I would often scrutinized and check my programming assignments and edited even the slightest flaw in the program. Instead of finding it as a chore, I enjoyed doing it. It was my passion that drove me to attained the highest marks in class.
Learning Visual basic opened yet another new world for me. Instead of only being able to create DOS programs with limited interface, i can now create Win32 Applications. This means that I can now create commercial-standard applications and distribute them on the internet.
In Year 3, I did make a bold decision that had a major impact on my life. To pursue my dreams, I joined EC3.
Our next big step
Having mastered the techniques of Visual Basic 6, with growing confidence, I created WickedSoft, a software team. Equipped with only my desire for programming, I kept myself busy by writing numerous programs throughout year 2, even at the expense of academic studies. The full list could be assessed in the below url:
http://www.geocities.com/wickedfiles2000/files.html
In order to propogate WickedSoft, i submited my applications to download sites such as sofotex.com and fileforums.com. Through these sites, more computer users know about wickedsoft and its products.
By then end of year 3, I decided to do away with wickedsoft and set up Unignal Software another software team. The word "Unignal" is derived from two words - "Unique" and "Original", hence emphasizing on my firm belief in creativity, together with Koh Poh Wei, who has similar belief in creativity. His favourite quote "Creative people think out of the box, but really creative people think without the box." is what we strive to achieve.
With that I created Unignal's motto, visions and mission statements. In addition, I also created a flash interface for our new website:
http://www.unignal.sg.tf
Thanks to EC3, the website is hosted by the ITLRC server. Unignal software Team website receives a steady traffic of more than 10 visitors per day.
Our First Product
After setting up Unignal Software, I promised myself to pause all program development, in order to concentrate on my studies and prepare for the 'O' Levels. However, it was not long when inspiration struck me again. Irresitably, I was back on programming again. Thanks to the inspiration I created the finest program I ever had. Named Noter Light, this Notepad replacement comprises of so much unique features that it would take more than a few pages to completely describe it.
This application won me two 5-star rating awards from well-recognized sites such as filetransit.com and sofotex.com and a 4-star rating from download2you.com. It was also featured on many sites.
One of the features, the Note-Work, was recognised as a convenient tool that facilitates project work and dicussion among students and teachers alike. As a result, Noter Light was placed in I drive in the school's network. To use Noter Light, simply access I:\Noter Light\ and run Noter.exe. Alternatively, you might want to download Noter Light from the Unignal Homepage.
Conclusion
Yes, most of my efforts were unrecognised and continued to be unrecognized by our education system. Throughout the stint in The Chinese High School, no bonus points were awarded to me, for I did not requested for any. In fact, my decision to join EC3 at year 3 may have jeopardised by chance of scoring a good EP3 grade. However, it was my will and passion that instructed me to do what I had done - to build everything with my bare hands from scratch.
To me, this is not the beginning of the end, but rather, the end of the beginning. It has been my intention to lead Unignal to its peak. Hopefully the current achievements would propel Unignal Software forward and bring it to new heights.
An advice to freshman of The Chinese High School - Do look beyond the points and pursue your interest, for marks do not and will never equate to success. Bill Gates had never studied in a university. Similarly, great scientists such as Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison is a clerk and a newspaper man respectively before acquiring fame.
Ralph Emerson once said "Men of passion have lived, men of reason have endured". Be a man of passion and start pursuing your interest right now.
Do not be intimidated by the word impossible. To quote adidas as saying, "Impossible is nothing".
Credits
-Mr Yong
-Koh Poh Wei
-Miss Quah
-Entire EC3
-Various people who have contributed to the setting up of Unignal Software Team Website
-Various people who have made various contributions to Noter Light
Programming was never in my mind when I joined The Chinese High School four years ago, as a computer illiterate Secondary One student. Participating in compulsory computer lessons offered by our school did gave me the jitters, as immunerable questions surged in my mind. Programming? What's is it about? Why do we have to learn it?
With that attitude I attended a few Qbasic lessons. Mrs Lew, our computer teacher at that time, did cautioned us that we are stepping into a world of unknown, and that experience could be more than just fustration. Her words are indeed true - I was never the gifted one who shined prominently throughout the course. However, that does not deter me from liking programming, and it gave me utmost satisfaction whenever I completed a program or came up with a remedy for some programming errors, no matter how insignificant the program is. There are times where I just sit down and dream, visualizing myself as being the greatest programmer on Earth, commanding the computer in front of me and ultimately the world! Occasionally I sought inspiration from the wisdom of Bill Gates, a person who craved out his powerful empire in programming. There was a quote by Christopher Reeves - "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable". As a Secondary One student, I have the audacity to tell myself that I could defy the impossible and emulate or even suprass the achievements of my model.
Pursuing my dreams
My thrist of knowledge empowered me to spend most of my June and December holidays on programming. To quench the thirst, I started embarking on a new different rountine of gaining knowledge by visiting tutorial sites and creating simple DOS programs.
When year 2 arrived, Mr Yong, my computer teacher, began to teach us Visual Basic. While many of my peers would rather spend their time on studies, I adopted a different attitude. I would often scrutinized and check my programming assignments and edited even the slightest flaw in the program. Instead of finding it as a chore, I enjoyed doing it. It was my passion that drove me to attained the highest marks in class.
Learning Visual basic opened yet another new world for me. Instead of only being able to create DOS programs with limited interface, i can now create Win32 Applications. This means that I can now create commercial-standard applications and distribute them on the internet.
In Year 3, I did make a bold decision that had a major impact on my life. To pursue my dreams, I joined EC3.
Our next big step
Having mastered the techniques of Visual Basic 6, with growing confidence, I created WickedSoft, a software team. Equipped with only my desire for programming, I kept myself busy by writing numerous programs throughout year 2, even at the expense of academic studies. The full list could be assessed in the below url:
http://www.geocities.com/wickedfiles2000/files.html
In order to propogate WickedSoft, i submited my applications to download sites such as sofotex.com and fileforums.com. Through these sites, more computer users know about wickedsoft and its products.
By then end of year 3, I decided to do away with wickedsoft and set up Unignal Software another software team. The word "Unignal" is derived from two words - "Unique" and "Original", hence emphasizing on my firm belief in creativity, together with Koh Poh Wei, who has similar belief in creativity. His favourite quote "Creative people think out of the box, but really creative people think without the box." is what we strive to achieve.
With that I created Unignal's motto, visions and mission statements. In addition, I also created a flash interface for our new website:
http://www.unignal.sg.tf
Thanks to EC3, the website is hosted by the ITLRC server. Unignal software Team website receives a steady traffic of more than 10 visitors per day.
Our First Product
After setting up Unignal Software, I promised myself to pause all program development, in order to concentrate on my studies and prepare for the 'O' Levels. However, it was not long when inspiration struck me again. Irresitably, I was back on programming again. Thanks to the inspiration I created the finest program I ever had. Named Noter Light, this Notepad replacement comprises of so much unique features that it would take more than a few pages to completely describe it.
This application won me two 5-star rating awards from well-recognized sites such as filetransit.com and sofotex.com and a 4-star rating from download2you.com. It was also featured on many sites.
One of the features, the Note-Work, was recognised as a convenient tool that facilitates project work and dicussion among students and teachers alike. As a result, Noter Light was placed in I drive in the school's network. To use Noter Light, simply access I:\Noter Light\ and run Noter.exe. Alternatively, you might want to download Noter Light from the Unignal Homepage.
Conclusion
Yes, most of my efforts were unrecognised and continued to be unrecognized by our education system. Throughout the stint in The Chinese High School, no bonus points were awarded to me, for I did not requested for any. In fact, my decision to join EC3 at year 3 may have jeopardised by chance of scoring a good EP3 grade. However, it was my will and passion that instructed me to do what I had done - to build everything with my bare hands from scratch.
To me, this is not the beginning of the end, but rather, the end of the beginning. It has been my intention to lead Unignal to its peak. Hopefully the current achievements would propel Unignal Software forward and bring it to new heights.
An advice to freshman of The Chinese High School - Do look beyond the points and pursue your interest, for marks do not and will never equate to success. Bill Gates had never studied in a university. Similarly, great scientists such as Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison is a clerk and a newspaper man respectively before acquiring fame.
Ralph Emerson once said "Men of passion have lived, men of reason have endured". Be a man of passion and start pursuing your interest right now.
Do not be intimidated by the word impossible. To quote adidas as saying, "Impossible is nothing".
Credits
-Mr Yong
-Koh Poh Wei
-Miss Quah
-Entire EC3
-Various people who have contributed to the setting up of Unignal Software Team Website
-Various people who have made various contributions to Noter Light
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