I actually started programming back when I was in Form 4 (though I wish I had started earlier). The first language I programmed in was Java. Why Java? I mean, yeah, you can ask why didn't I start programming in C or C++ like everyone else? Well it was mostly due to a game, called Runescape. It's an MMORPG that was programmed using Java.
I first played the game in 2007 and I sometimes still play it. When I first started to play, there was a loading screen with the Java logo on it, and that was when I first became aware of the language. Frankly, it didn't matter much to me in the beginning but as I played the game I started to wonder how it was all created. Which is when I started to do research on it.
I had found a tutorial on Howstuffworks.com but even then my heart still wasn't moved to actually learning it. The moment came later on when I was in Form 4.
This is when starts getting interesting. You see, back in Form 4 there was this girl... and I kinda told her 'I love her'. And she said that she only saw me as a friend. I'm not gonna say who the girl is, you're gonna have to ask me personally, and if I happen to be in a chatty mood, I'll tell you. But not now, her memory is sacred to me.
Anyway, moving on. During the end-of-year holidays I needed something to get my mind off of her, and by a spur of the moment decision I downloaded the Java compiler, the JDK. It was version 1.6.10 then I think.
So, after downloading it I started to learn how to program. It wasn't so hard, there are plenty of videos and tutorials on the Internet that's related to it. It was quite easy actually, coming from a kid who had no real mentor to help him. I really enjoyed the way I could tell the computer to do anything I want. Sure my programs back then were really primitive with no way to input data and stuff but I learned. I looked at the codes other people made and little by little I started to get the hang of it. I managed to learn how to draw a heart shape for the girl :-P. Here's a picture of it:
If you haven't guessed, the part spray painted over is her name. Yeah, I was a bit crazy then. Then for the first time ever I designed and created my own code. It was an encrypter using the Caesar's Cipher method (Now I've actually improved upon the original design so that it has a better implementation. If you want to see it, come and ask me, and I will show you. I'm not that secretive about my code.)
Looking back now, at that point, I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the idea that I can now control computers, that I had an ability few other people had (or at least no one in my class then had). And yeah, it didn't occur to me as career choice then but I guess it was what started everything.
But later on, in Form 5 I sort of quit. I don't know why, I guess it was because I kept failing in building a certain program (it was a decimal to binary number converter, I've finally succeeded in trying to build it though). But I think it was mostly because back then there other things I had to be worried about. I mean it was my SPM year and the stress and the pressure of it just kept away from it. I tried to go back to it after SPM but sadly I never actually tried to pick up where I left off.
I wonder how far I would've gone if I had continued then but there's no point in crying over spilled milk, right?
So that's my story. I don't know why I wanted to write this little story, but I guess I just had to let it out somehow. So that I can get over it and just move on. Do you understand? If you don't, well I don't blame you. Everyone has his story and maybe it only makes sense them. Now that I've finished writing it, it all finally makes sense to me. Why I did what I did and where I'm going now.
Sorry, was just ranting. Thanks for reading. And see you later.
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