While most kids their age are busy with cartoons and computer games, these bright, young tech prodigies are busy writing complex codes and developing computer and smartphone applications.
Singapore’s very own Lim Ding Wen, 11, is one of the world’s youngest Apple IIGS programmers and iPhone developers. The Lian Hua Primary 5 pupil is fluent in six programming languages, and started using the computer at the age of 2. He has since completed about 20 programming projects.
His first iPhone application, Doodle Kids, has been downloaded over 700,000 times on Apple’s App Store. It was submitted to the Android Market too, and has garnered over 180,000 downloads.
The drawing program, which was created when he was just nine, enables users to draw shapes in random colors and then clear their work with a shake of the phone. Not bad for someone who has yet to take his PSLE.
The young programmer is now working on his latest iPad application called Invader War 2. The original Invader War version was implemented by Ding Wen on an 1986 computer Apple IIGS, but later ported to the iPhone.
Mr Lim Thye Chean, 41, quit his well-paying job as a chief technology officer at an Internet Protocol TV company in April this year to set up Virtual GS, an e-portfolio that publishes his and his son’s works.
In an interview with Yahoo! Singapore, the proud father does not think his son is a child prodigy.
“He is just a normal kid like everybody else. I think Ding Wen developed an interest in programming because his dad is a programmer. Right now, I’m happy because we can discuss programming-related stuff together, and write software to ‘compete’ with each other. It’s a father-and-son thing,” he claimed.
Ding Wen plans to become a software engineer when he grows up.
Personal Opinion: I find it very promising that there is such a talented kid in Siangapore and that clearly shows that the future lies with the next generation.
No comments:
Post a Comment