Because of my previously active participation in doing networking around seminars and events, my e-mail fell into the mailing list of iTrain. I must say that iTrain provides a good number of IT training, not that I am promoting their courses but I see that their prices are considered reasonable and I do wish to enroll for one of their classes one day. On the 23rd of April, I got an email offering The Art of Software Development Workshop.

It’s only RM50 so it didn’t take me long to sign up on their online web form. 4 days later, my seat was confirmed. I recently updated my about page so you’ll probably know that I have no formal education about programming or software development. Still, web programming is still part of software development, right?

After a month of waiting, last Saturday I went to Stamford College PJ located just nearby my former office where I used to work. BTW, I paid the RM50 fees from my own pocket just to attend this workshop. I’m thinking of making a claim from my company but I forgot to ask for the receipt. Oh well, I think the knowledge of The Art of Software Development is far more valuable than RM50. So, who was the instructor for the workshop, head over here and read all the details about the program. Basically it’s a 6 days training program but this RM50 is just some sort of preview to get the feel and some general idea of The Art of Software Development.

Dr. Chai, the instructor is kind enough to share with me and the rest of the attendees his knowledge and experiences. There were only 10 people who turn up. It was kind of scary if the other people know what my background is yet I’ve seen stranger career change that other people has done. Most of what Dr. Chai was telling during the workshop was alien to me but then, I was not alone. I guess only 2 person know or at least heard of Unified Modeling Language (UML).

I would have never known that software development is a very serious thing if I haven’t attend this workshop. Mission critical software such as the heart pacemaker or software that is used on Air Traffic Controller, one tiny code error could make a different between life and death. Dr Chai also talked about documentation control, how to design those geeky documents and why it is important to have hundreds of pages requirement when making proposals to clients. Awesome stuff!

We then learned about some tools used for designing those programming codes rather than blindly leaving it to the programmers. One of the software is called StarUML. I recently installed it on my computer but I have no clue how to use it. I guess Microsoft Visio is a lot easier to use but Visio lacks the functionality that UML has. Anyway, here’s an ugly diagram taken from a sample from the StarUML example:

If you are wondering why the diagram is so ugly, there is no need for the diagram to be beautiful. For programmers or developers, it’s just a waste of time. Unless if the diagram needs to impress the clients, then it is worth to have a nice one. Another software that was introduced to us was WinCVS. It’s basically a version control software that tracks changes done for all the files for your software project. I haven’t really test that software yet but it sure is something that is quite important even for a web developer like myself.

We were supposed to design a bluetooth system using the tools that were given to us but after a couple hours discovering something out from my world, my head experienced a condition called ‘information overload’. After the workshop finished, there is one thing that I’ve learned, if you really want to excel in becoming a developer, have the word architect at the back of whatever position you are holding for example, my role would be a Web Development Architect. Being an architect is the highest peak achievement one would ever achieve. Hhmm…sounds really ambitious of me..haha..

By the way, I met a Securities Commissions IT Manager during the workshop. She’s looking for a .NET programmer for a few positions available in her department I guess. If any of my readers happen to know someone or you yourself might be interested, send me a shout and I’ll refer you to her. After jumping into this IT career, I realized that there are so many job opportunities in the IT industry yet so few people can really fulfill the vacant position. Now I wish I had a Degree in IT.. :-(

If you need more information about The Art of Software Development Training Program: Click Here.

For more information about the RM50.NET workshop: Click Here.

Interested links I found:

• Develop like an architect, not like a cowboy by ZeMMs. (I wish I had read your post ZeMMs before I went to the workshop..hehe)
• Developers are from Mars, Programmers are from Venus by Hacknot.

I can’t remember where I stumbled upon ubuntu but I wasn’t really aware about their existence. Because of the bottleneck of broadband internet connection, I was put off from the idea of downloading Ubuntu which is based on Linux OS. So, on the 5th of May 2007, I requested a Ubuntu 7.04 (Fiesty Fawn) CD. At first I couldn’t believe that they are ship out those CD for free. However, I proceed to filled the form anyway.

Yesterday afternoon or 18 days later, I found this package inside my mailbox:

Inside the package is this:

It’s a CD package along with a few stickers of ubuntu. I am always excited to get something new so I tried my new OS immediately:

I don’t want to install ubuntu yet on my PC, so I’m using the Live CD feature to try it out. So far, I’ve spent a couple of hours exploring this fantastic operating system. It detects all my computer hardware including my Wireless USB stick. I tried surfing the internet using my 4 days year old Maxis Wireless Broadband connection and it worked better than Windows. I’m still editing my review about my Maxis Wireless Broadband I just got last Sunday beside doing a couple of more testing. I’ll post my outcome shortly.

Here’s a screenshot of my ubuntu desktop:

I just love the desktop GUI and there is so much features and softwares bundled together that I become ecstatic about this OS. I’ll try and write something about my discovery in my next posts. Here comes the hard part, I’m still trying to figure out whether I should install dual boot-up (ubuntu and Win XP) or just use Virtual PC 2007 to install ubuntu under Windows environment. I’m a Windows user since the DOS era which later on followed by Windows version 3.1, Windows 95/98/NT/XP so it’s kind of hard to get used to something that we are not accustomed to. Oh well, I need to back-up all my files first before deciding anything.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to drive through the half a billion Ringgit Malaysia “SMART Tunnel” while returning home after driving my father to Bandar Tasik Selatan. For those of you who haven’t used this tunnel yet, better do so before they charge RM4 for this 4km tunnel next month.

I didn’t bring along my digital camera so I couldn’t take any pictures while driving inside the tunnel. Anyway, I’ll just conclude what I’ve experience. The Smart Tunnel

• The sign before the toll gate ask to flash your Touch n Go card but it’s kind of useless as people just drive by there (while still free of course)
• The road inside the tunnel is bumpy
• Selected radio station are available inside the tunnel
• My Maxis phone line is available too
• If you are claustrophobic, better stay away from this tunnel.
• The air inside the tunnel is hot and full of carbon monoxide. Better repair your car’s air conditioner if you haven’t do so or you’ll get suffocated the entire journey.
• It bothered me that I had no idea where I was at while inside the tunnel plus you need to drive really carefully.
• Better make sure your car doesn’t break down or overheat while inside the tunnel. There isn’t enough space for an emergency lane and you’ll get cursed for causing traffic jam inside the tunnel.

Bottomline, I would only use the SMART Tunnel if only I’m in a rush or in case of an emergency. I don’t really like driving inside a tunnel. By the way, speaking about tunnel, I watched a movie called Terowongan Casablanca last month and it was the most ridiculous ghost story I’ve ever seen (I’m not a fan of ghost movies so I don’t watch much of it). I don’t think ghost would be interested on the SMART Tunnel though..haha..

Related interesting links:

• SMART Tunnel Video: Paul Tan
• SMART Tunnel Visitied: Wingie’s Cradle

Yesterday, I received this newsletter e-mail from my web host:

I was kind of skeptical at first because how do you measure the fastest web hosting server and what does that suppose to mean? Reading my newsletter carefully and made further reading about Free PHP Hosting Services Comparison Benchmark, I now know that the comparison benchmark result was made using a PHP script and it is measure based on the PHP execution (Whatever that means). I don’t really know much about PHP language yet but I do know that they are resource intensive on the web servers with high traffic loads and will really strain your web server (if your website/blog post got dugged) causing it to experience downtime and other not so good stuff.

I never really much care about these performance stuff to be honest. The reason I became a paying customer for Bytehost was because of the package that they sell includes a free domain name with huge amount of web spaces and it was the cheapest I can find. Furthermore, I had some PayPal money that I need to spend that time because cashing it out was not a good option for me.

Digging information about my web host a little further, my web host has an address located in Newcastle, England. This reminds me when I was little, my father sent me to Richard Avenue Primary School in Sunderland, England and I think we once went to Newscastle for some sightseeing since it is not that far north from Sunderland, I guess. At that time, my father was pursuing his degree at Sunderland Polytechnic (now it’s University of Sunderland). By the way, just look add the feature my web host gives; I can host adult content. Well, I don’t really want to go into that path. I heard that the money is good in that industry but it wouldn’t be a decent way of earning an income.

So, is my web host the fastest free web hosting server? I don’t know, so far it did a good job for all my websites and this blog. My only challenge right now is I’m currently utilizing less than 5% of what I’ve paid for, so I’m still under utilizing my web hosting plan capabilities. Well, got to work hard on that to see if what they claim is true.

Related links:

• My Web Hosting Account Got Doubled
• How I Bought My Domain Name
• Why You Should Not Migrate Your Blogger Blog Posts To WordPress