Hello, welcome, and thank you for visiting my humble cyber space. As you could guess by now,
I am Syed Ibrahim, and a quick glimpse at this site would also reveal that I am an avid
computer programmer, amongst other things. The truth of the matter is, I have been a lifelong
coder, staring at pixels and clanking on keyboards for the past forty years, way before the days of chasing
mice. That's a long time, and that reminds me that time is a fleeting commodity. It is also a reminder that
life is short, having passed me by without so much as an anecdotal explanation.
Nevertheless, in the
absence of life's much-needed manual, I have evolved into quite the thinker, theorising on the origins
of life, its possible purposes, and hypothesising on our ultimate destinations after death. After all,
what else is there. We are practically prisoners, trapped in these bodies, caged in this world,
unquestioningly running this sad and meaningless rat race. Thus, with so much to assimilate and
ponder upon, the writer in me was born.
Now, a little something about my personal and
work life. I have been married for thirty years, to my amazingly patient and forgiving high-school
sweetheart, and we are parents to six (sometimes) great kids; three Venusians and three Martians.
They've mostly flown the coop, but the nest is not quite empty yet. Over the years, I have worked in sales
& marketing, credit collection, logistics management, import & export, and I'd even worked as an
Uber driver for a while. But, of course, above all else, I am a computer programmer, having developed
software on almost all the platforms that have come and gone. My very first computer program was written
in BASIC on my very first computer, the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Home Computer. It was a great machine
for its time, bundled with very intuitive user and programming manuals (two books that essentially
kick-started my love for programming), and it was the only home computer at the time that boasted a
solid state speech synthesizer. A true electronic marvel that still ticks today. Oh, yes; I am somewhat
of a hoarder as well.
I am also the founder and CEO of a company that neither Fortune nor Forbes
have ever heard of, nor written reviews about. While that might not say much, I am happy to know that
somewhere in the world, someone is using some program that I had helped develop in some way. That says
something, surely. So, in a bid to continue this tradition of sharing the little knowledge that I have
accumulated through my lifetime, I give you the Syed Ibrahim Home Page.
For the curious amongst you,
the moniker SYBRAGE that I use as my personal online handle, is simply a concatenation of two letters from
my first and second names (SYED & IBRAHIM),
suffixed with the word AGE. The result is homonymously equivalent to the word
cyberage.
Mystery solved!
If you'd like to know more about my fascinating life and adventures, check out
my LinkedIn page. Enjoy!
About This Site
This website was built as an online canvas for my various expressions, from code to quotes, guides,
and even outright ramblings on a hodgepodge of topics. I had decided to record them for posterity,
sharing them in cyberspace — and to the world. The content is mainly on coding and existence, both
of which might one day prove to be interconnected, with the discovery that life is nothing but some programmed
simulation.
There are some coding guides and tutorials as well, from fundamentals to useful tips & tricks,
covering desktop and mobile programming, and spanning a host of languages, from simple BASIC to the cryptic
Objective-C. Links to various relevant resources, like downloads for programming tools, online utilities,
and YouTube videos, are also provided.
This website also acts as a live demonstration of JavaScript programming in action. While conventional HTML5
websites are usually developed with HTML and supported with some JavaScript code and CSS media queries, this
site has been built entirely with JavaScript, with the minimum required HTML scaffolds. A quick peek at the
page source will reveal this fact (right click on the page, and select 'View Page Source'). While this
might be quite novel, it should not be the approach to developing websites. For one, it is quite tiresome,
but more importantly, it is an SEO taboo. The lack of literal content would prevent the webpages from being
indexed by search bots, ultimately rendering them invisible to search engines. Nonetheless, an interesting
exercise in JavaScript programming. Look out for a guide on this approach, coming soon.
In the footer, you'll find links to my various social media
(#SocMed) pages,
to provide some interesting depth to the site, and to expand the insights into my mind, beyond the content
here. If you find any of them to your fancy, please do like, share, and follow or subscribe. And if you
might wish to encourage and support this endeavour, please do so via the PayPal.Me link that's hidden in the
easter-egg paragraph in the footer. Just click and allow your natural altruism to take over.
Thank you, in advance, for your kind & generous support.
coder
Coder, Programmer, or Software Developer?
A rose by any other name smells as sweet. Indeed, a befitting and accurate adage to dispel
this ridiculous dispute. Coders are programmers, and programmers are software developers.
Despite splintered opinions, the fact remains that these are merely fancy labels that have
evolved through the years, when someone, somewhere down the line, had decided to doctor the
semantics to mean more than what they actually are. Perhaps I am a software engineer, and I
don't even know it.[2br]
That silliness aside, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of the subject at hand, starting with
a basic definition. What exactly is coding?
What is coding?
Simply put, coding is the writing of instructions in a language that computers can understand.
But that may be putting it a little too simply, because computers can't really understand
anything. They are dumb machines, no more intelligent than a hair-dryer.[2br]
Computers are nothing more than a pile of switches that turn on and off. The states of these
switches determine the flow and storage of electrical currents, which in turn simulate data
storage and information processing. Ultimately, computers are just finite state machines,
albeit capable of maintaining trillions of states at any one time, depending on their build.[2br]
The ancient abacus would be a good example for illustrating this state mechanics. The positions
of the various beads represent certain values, and changing those positions would result in a
change of the represented values. The positions of the beads can be likened to the states of
the computer at any one time. Multiply that by the trillions of circuits in a microprocessor, and
the result would be a super abacus.[2br]
So, technically, computer programming is the science of turning switches on and off. Sounds simple
enough, but when dealing with trillions of switches, it's actually impossible. Consequently, modern computer
programming was born, and along with it, the plethora of computer languages available today.
What are computer languages?
Computer programming has clearly come a long way from the early days of turning switches on and off.
Microprocessors now have their own instruction-set architectures, each requiring unique compilers to
translate programs into the machine code that they're able to execute. There are many such compilers,
each with their own set of commands, and these command sets are known as computer languages.[2br]
Nevertheless, computer programmers today don't really write code that directly address computer hardware.
Instead, programs are written for operating systems that control the hardware components. These operating
systems, like Windows and Linux, are essentially programs themselves, and they act as hardware abstraction
layers, handling the lowest level functions of the microprocessor and other connected peripherals. This
vastly simplifies the job of the programmer, who would otherwise have to be familiar with all the various
component architectures and instruction sets in order to program them. Painstaking and highly impractical.
High-Level & Low-Level Languages
Binary machine code is technically the only first generation (1GL) language, with the various assemblers
being second generation ones (2GL). Most of the other languages fall into the third generation (3GL)
category. It's quite apparent that the newer (or higher) generation languages are meant to improve
upon their older (or lower) generation predecessors, through friendlier syntax and more efficient
paradigms.[2br]
Nowadays, there are many 3GL computer languages to choose from, ranging from platform-specific versions,
to cross-platform versions, and even some multi-platform ones. Many early languages, from as far back
as the sixties and seventies, have survived the hardware and operating-system evolutions, and are used
today on the latest platforms, from mobile devices to IoT. The most honoured among them would have to be
the C programming language — the grandfather of all programming languages. Not only has it
survived, but it has also influenced many new languages developed since, and it's still among the most
popular languages in use.[2br]
In recent years, although many tools have claimed to be fourth generation languages (4GL), they've simply
been unable to effectively displace their 3GL elders, except in some targeted areas. Among the more popular
4GL candidates is SQL (Structured Query Language), which is a database-specific tool. It is used
quite extensively, on its own and also as integrated plugins for other development tools.[2br]
Many rapid application development (RAD) tools, also known as low-code development platforms (LCDP), have
staked the 4GL claim, although most don't really qualify as programming languages, per se. For one, there's
hardly any actual coding in such development environments, and for another, such tools ultimately generate
some 3GL code. Posers and wannabes.[2br]
The terms high-level and low-level are often used to classify computer languages, not owing to their levels
of complexity, but on the contrary, to indicate their levels of simplicity. The lower level languages, like
machine code and assembly, with their cryptic and terse mnemonic syntax, require much less dependencies and
compilation processes. On the other hand, the higher level languages utilise a myriad external libraries and
other dependencies, and goes through much more extensive compilation processes to translate and interpolate
their extremely friendly and verbose syntax and structures. Moreover, even the integrated dependencies need
to be compiled. The terms actually refer to the figurative distance between code and computer.
Comparative examples and Q.E.D.
Since the best way of learning is through doing, the code and examples on this website are designed for
hands-on experimentation. The fundamental snippets are fully working code, covering a variety of computer
languages, placed side by side for clearer and more concise comparative views. The guides and examples are
also fully working projects that are ready to be compiled and run in their respective environments.[2br]
Let the learning begin.
writer
2020 & The Future
Prophecies, Predictions, and Predestination...
2020 has, so far, not been living up to its namesake. A sobriquet for clear vision, the year has
instead been mired in chaos and uncertainty, as humanity grapples with its very own mortality.
Lives and livelihoods are being destroyed, and nations are falling to their knees, humbled by a
microscopic, yet vicious army, aptly christened Corona, or the Crown.
As the death tolls escalate, with seemingly no reprieve in sight, the rest of us are relegated to
house arrests, locked up in isolation, as we exercise this phenomenal policy of social distancing.
Ironically, we now find ourselves yearning the very experiences that we have held for granted all
this while: interaction with nature and our fellow man.
Nevertheless, all we can do is stay safe while we wait, as our respective leaders bungle to contain
the outbreak and find a remedy. Until then, we will continue to pray and hope, and most sadly, bury
the mounting dead.
Nothing catalyses life like the prospect of death.
The current overwhelming state of this fiasco tends to beg the question: was there anything we could
have done to prevent this pandemic?
While the obvious answer would undoubtedly be a resounding NO, some recent findings might prove otherwise.
Spooky stuff ahead, so brace yourselves.
The precursor to this global catastrophe was a viral epidemic in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which eventually
spiralled out to neighbouring countries, until it reached the four corners. It was initially dubbed the Wuhan
virus, as a namesake of its original epicentre.
Here’s where it gets interesting. In 1981, almost forty years ago, a novel by Dean Koontz, entitled The Eyes Of
Darkness, unwittingly foretold the existence of such a virus. He writes about a Chinese scientist named Li-Chen,
who defected to the United States and revealed military secrets, namely a biological weapon known as Wuhan-400.
While this in itself would prove sufficiently astonishing, the name of the scientist, Li-Chen, is a conjunction
of the surnames of the whistle-blowing duo, Dr Li Wenliang, and journalist Chen Qiushi. Though it’s a work of
fiction, the similarities cannot be ignored.
The prevalence of life requires no prophecy.
Then, twelve years ago, in 2008, in her book End of Days, Sylvia Browne predicted this pandemic, saying, “In around
2020, a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe … resisting all known treatments.”
Simply mind boggling! And there are more of such predictions, including ones by world-renowned astrologer,
Michel de Nostradamus, in his famous work entitled The Prophecies. It all sounds like hocus-pocus, but the
proofs are undeniable.
As we chug along today, lethargically, yet hopeful, we have no way of knowing what tomorrow brings. The future is a
mystery of unknowns. But when such accurate predictions and prophecies exist, is the future totally unknowable?
This sickly “crown” that sits heavy on our heads today might very well prove to be a cosmic wake-up call that’s been
long overdue. It’s time for some serious contemplation and introspection, and revaluation of priorities, as we once again
discover the values of real human interaction. And of life.
Meanwhile, let’s all pray that the internet doesn’t fail us now.
writer
Life: A Short Catechism
Life on rails...
Having lived, day upon day, year upon year, and perhaps even lifetimes upon lifetimes, we have not
gained an iota of urgency in seeking an explanation for it all. Instead, we chug along diligently,
pursuing life’s little pleasures, ignoring this meaningless existence on this presumed physical plane.
Our screaming souls are placated by some well-intentioned few, who’ve inserted gods and religions into this
gaping void, to act as the missing link to our very existence. And placated we have so easily been.
In the absence of purpose, choose happiness.
With unverifiable doctrines, we have blindly accepted our collective fates as nothing more than playthings of
unknowable gods, who destine us by unknowable criteria, perhaps by mere throws of the dice. And instead of fury,
we accept these fates with unwarranted gratitude, as would hostages afflicted with Stockholm’s Syndrome.
Such simple intelligence we must have been imbued with to remain so docile in the face of such transgression.
Vilified would be anyone who imposes the same upon another, but worship is the reward we bestow upon the powers
that be, that have relegated us to these basal realities.
Maybe, if we all woke up from this eternal slumber, we could garner a formidable enough spiritual uprising to
protest our supposed overlords, to free us from this bondage; or at the very least, appease us with some meaning
to it all.
One could only hope. And hope that it’s all been only a cosmic dream.
coder
What are conditions?
A condition, as the name implies, is some prerequisite or stipulation that has to be
satisfied in order to continue code execution, which also determines the path of that
subsequent execution. It forms the very foundation of the structured programming
paradigm, lending form to program flow, iterations, and general functionality.[2br]
The fundamental conditional command in programming are the IF/THEN/ELSE operators,
which, as the names imply, branches program execution depending on evaluated conditions.
There are other conditional commands, namely the TERNARY operator, which is a
concatenated simplification of the original IF/THEN/ELSE commands, and SWITCH/CASE
blocks, which neatly segregate conditional branches into separate scoped blocks of code.
If, When, Switch, and other Conditions
;PureBasic version 5.7[2br]
i = 2[2br]
If i = 1
[2sp]Debug "i has a value of 1"
Else
[2sp]Debug "i has a value greater than 1"
EndIf[2br]
Select i
[2sp]Case 1
[tab]Debug "i has a value of 1"
[2sp]Case 2
[tab]Debug "i has a value of 2"
[2sp]Case 3
[tab]Debug "i has a value of 3"
EndSelect[2br]
int i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]printf("i has a value of 1 \n");
} else {
[2sp]printf("i has a value greater than 1 \n");
}[2br]
printf((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1 \n" : "i has a value greater than 1 \n");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
int i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]printf("i has a value of 1 \n");
} else {
[2sp]printf("i has a value greater than 1 \n");
}[2br]
printf((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1 \n" : "i has a value greater than 1 \n");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]printf("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
int i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]System.out.println("i has a value of 1");
} else {
[2sp]System.out.println("i has a value greater than 1");
}[2br]
System.out.println((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1" : "i has a value greater than 1");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]System.out.println("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]System.out.println("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]System.out.println("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
int i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]Console.WriteLine("i has a value of 1");
} else {
[2sp]Console.WriteLine("i has a value greater than 1");
}[2br]
Console.WriteLine((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1" : "i has a value greater than 1");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]Console.WriteLine("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]Console.WriteLine("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]Console.WriteLine("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
var i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]print("i has a value of 1");
} else {
[2sp]print("i has a value greater than 1");
}[2br]
print((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1" : "i has a value greater than 1");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]print("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]print("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]print("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
[2sp]default:()
}[2br]
var i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]println("i has a value of 1");
} else {
[2sp]println("i has a value greater than 1");
}[2br]
println(if (i == 1) "i has a value of 1" else "i has a value greater than 1");[2br]
when (i) {
[2sp]1 -> println("i has a value of 1")
[2sp]2 -> println("i has a value of 2")
[2sp]3 -> println("i has a value of 3")
}[2br]
var i = 2;[2br]
if (i == 1) {
[2sp]console.log("i has a value of 1");
} else {
[2sp]console.log("i has a value greater than 1");
}[2br]
console.log((i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1" : "i has a value greater than 1");[2br]
switch (i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]console.log("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]console.log("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]console.log("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
$i = 2;[2br]
if ($i == 1) {
[2sp]echo("i has a value of 1 [ ]");
} else {
[2sp]echo("i has a value greater than 1 [ ]");
}[2br]
echo(($i == 1) ? "i has a value of 1 [ ]" : "i has a value greater than 1 [ ]");[2br]
switch ($i) {
[2sp]case 1:
[tab]echo("i has a value of 1");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 2:
[tab]echo("i has a value of 2");
[tab]break;
[2sp]case 3:
[tab]echo("i has a value of 3");
[tab]break;
}[2br]
coder
What are files?
A file constitutes data stored externally, beyond the program space. It forms the
integral part of computer information storage, increasing portability and versatility,
and decoupling computer programs from limited inputs and outputs.[2br]
Contemporary computer storage predominantly takes the form of magnetic and flash media, and
can handle volumes in the thousands of gigabytes. Nevertheless, despite all this advanced
technologies, the fundamental storage elements of binary bits & bytes remain unchanged.
[2br]
Cloud storage is no different, with data ultimately stored in such magnetic and flash
media, albeit streamed through communications backbones like conventional phone lines and
broadband channels of the Internet.
Files & Data Storage
;PureBasic version 5.7[2br]
; writing data to file
OpenFile(0, "myData.txt")
WriteStringN(0, "This is my program data...")
CloseFile(0)[2br]
Debug "Data written to file."
; reading data from file
ReadFile(0, "myData.txt")
Debug ReadString(0)
CloseFile(0)[2br]
#include stdio.h[2br]
int main() {[2br]
[2sp]char fileData;
[2sp]FILE *fileHandle = fopen("D:\\myData.txt", "w");[2br]
[2sp]if (fileHandle != NULL) {[2br]
[tab]// writing data to file
[tab]fprintf(fileHandle, "This is my program data...");
[tab]fclose(fileHandle);
[tab]printf("Data written to file.\n");[2br]
[tab]// reading data from file
[tab]if ((fileHandle = fopen("D:\\myData.txt", "r")) != NULL) {
[2sp][tab]while ((fileData = fgetc(fileHandle)) != EOF)
[2sp][tab]printf("%c", fileData);
[2sp][tab]fclose(fileHandle);
[tab]}[2br]
[2sp]}[2br]
[2sp]return 0;[2br]
}[2br]
#import Foundation/Foundation.h[2br]
int main() {[2br]
[2sp]char fileData;
[2sp]FILE *fileHandle = fopen("D:\\myData.txt", "w");[2br]
[2sp]if (fileHandle != NULL) {[2br]
[tab]// writing data to file
[tab]fprintf(fileHandle, "This is my program data...");
[tab]fclose(fileHandle);
[tab]printf("Data written to file.\n");[2br]
[tab]// reading data from file
[tab]if ((fileHandle = fopen("D:\\myData.txt", "r")) != NULL) {
[2sp][tab]while ((fileData = fgetc(fileHandle)) != EOF)
[2sp][tab]printf("%c", fileData);
[2sp][tab]fclose(fileHandle);
[tab]}[2br]
[2sp]}[2br]
[2sp]return 0;[2br]
}[2br]
coder
What are functions?
A function is a block of independent, reusable code that can be called and executed multiple times
without having to repeat the contained instructions. It is part of modular-based programming where
functionalities are separated and used interchangeably.[2br]
Functions are known by many names, depending on the programming language, with the more common ones
being METHODS and PROCEDURES. The precursor to this paradigm was known as the SUBROUTINE, executed
through the well-known BASIC command, GOSUB, which means GO to SUBROUTINE.[2br]
These modular blocks execute in separate memory areas, known as the heap, which are freed when
the instructions have completed, and the results are returned. Excessive recursive calls to functions
which have not properly completed or terminated can cause the popular STACK OVERFLOW memory error.
Functions & Reusable Code
;PureBasic version 5.7[2br]
Procedure add(a.i, b.i)
[2sp]result = a + b
[2sp]ProcedureReturn result
EndProcedure[2br]
Debug add(1, 2) [3sp];outputs 3
Debug add(3, 3) [3sp];outputs 6
Debug add(13, 12) [sp];outputs 25[2br]
#include stdio.h[2br]
int add(int a, int b) {
[2sp]int result = a + b;
[2sp]return result;
}[2br]
int main() {
[2sp]printf("%d \n", add(1, 2)); [2sp]//outputs 3
[2sp]printf("%d \n", add(3, 3)); [2sp]//outputs 6
[2sp]printf("%d \n", add(13, 12)); //outputs 25
[2sp]return 0;
}[2br]
#import []Foundation/Foundation.h[][2br]
int add(int a, int b) {
[2sp]int result = a + b;
[2sp]return result;
}[2br]
int main () {
[2sp]printf("%i\n", add(1, 2)); [2sp]//outputs 3
[2sp]printf("%i\n", add(3, 3)); [2sp]//outputs 6
[2sp]printf("%i\n", add(13, 12)); //outputs 25
[2sp]return 0;
}[2br]
public class functionExample {[2br]
[2sp]public static void main(String []args) {
[tab]System.out.println(add(1, 2)); [2sp]//outputs 3
[tab]System.out.println(add(3, 3)); [2sp]//outputs 6
[tab]System.out.println(add(13, 12)); //outputs 25
[2sp]}[2br]
[2sp]static int add(int a, int b) {
[tab]int result = a + b;
[tab]return result;
[2sp]}[2br]
}[2br]
using System;[2br]
class functionExample {[2br]
[2sp]static void Main() {
[tab]Console.WriteLine(add(1, 2)); [2sp]//outputs 3
[tab]Console.WriteLine(add(3, 3)); [2sp]//outputs 6
[tab]Console.WriteLine(add(13, 12)); //outputs 25
[2sp]}[2br]
[2sp]static int add(int a, int b) {
[tab]int result = a + b;
[tab]return result;
[2sp]}[2br]
}[2br]
import Foundation[2br]
func add(_ a: Int, _ b: Int) -> Int {
[2sp]var result = a + b
[2sp]return result
}[2br]
print(add(1, 2)) [2sp]//outputs 3
print(add(3, 3)) [2sp]//outputs 6
print(add(13, 12)) //outputs 25[2br]
fun main() {
[2sp]println(add(1, 2)) [2sp]//outputs 3
[2sp]println(add(3, 3)) [2sp]//outputs 6
[2sp]println(add(13, 12)) //outputs 25
}[2br]
fun add(a: Int, b: Int): Int {
[2sp]var result = a + b
[2sp]return result
}[2br]
function add(a, b) {
[2sp]var result = a + b;
[2sp]return result;
}[2br]
console.log(add(1, 2)); [2sp]//outputs 3
console.log(add(3, 3)); [2sp]//outputs 6
console.log(add(13, 12)); //outputs 25
A loop, as the name implies, is a programming method where a sequence of instructions
is continually repeated until specified conditions are met. It conveniently facilitates
the reuse of in-line instructions without the need for creating independent procedures,
and is the foundation of iteration control in programming.[2br]
There are a number of iteration control methods, the most common being the FOR loop,
followed by the DO, WHILE, and REPEAT loops, and the less recommended GOTO method.
Program Loops & Repeated Execution
;PureBasic version 5.7[2br]
For i = 0 To 10
[2sp]Debug Str(i)
Next i[2br]
i = 0
Repeat
[2sp]Debug Str(i)
[2sp]i + 1
Until i > 10[2br]
i = 0
While i <= 10
[2sp]Debug Str(i)
[2sp]i + 1
Wend[2br]
;each loop outputs the numbers 0 to 10
for (int i = 0; i <= 10; i++) {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
}[2br]
int i = 0;
do {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
[2sp]i++;
} while (i <= 10);[2br]
i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
[2sp]i++;
}[2br]
// each function call outputs the numbers 0 to 10[2br]
int i = 0;[2br]
for (i = 0; i <= 10; i++) {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
}[2br]
i = 0;
do {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
[2sp]i++;
} while (i <= 10);[2br]
i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]printf("%d\n", i);
[2sp]i++;
}[2br]
// each function call outputs the numbers 0 to 10[2br]
for (int i = 0; i <= 10; i++) {
[2sp]System.out.println(i);
}[2br]
int i = 0;
do {
[2sp]System.out.println(i);
[2sp]i++;
} while (i <= 10);[2br]
i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]System.out.println(i);
[2sp]i++;
}[2br]
// each function call outputs the numbers 0 to 10[2br]
for (int i = 0; i < 11; i++) {
[2sp]Console.WriteLine(i);
}[2br]
int j = 0;
do {
[2sp]Console.WriteLine(j);
[2sp]j++;
} while (j <= 10);[2br]
j = 0;
while (j <= 10) {
[2sp]Console.WriteLine(j);
[2sp]j++;
}[2br]
// each function call outputs the numbers 0 to 10[2br]
for i in 0...10 {
[2sp]print(i)
}[2br]
var i = 0
repeat {
[2sp]print(i)
[2sp]i += 1
} while (i <= 10)[2br]
i = 0
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]print(i)
[2sp]i += 1
}[2br]
// each function call outputs the numbers 0 to 10[2br]
for (i in 0..10) {
[2sp]println(i);
}[2br]
var i = 0;
do {
[2sp]println(i);
[2sp]i++;
} while (i <= 10);[2br]
i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]println(i);
[2sp]i++;
}[2br]
for (var i = 0; i <= 10; i++) {
[2sp]console.log(i);
}[2br]
var i = 0;
do {
[2sp]console.log(i);
[2sp]i++;
} while (i <= 10);[2br]
i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
[2sp]console.log(i);
[2sp]i++;
}[2br]
for ($i = 0; $i <= 10; $i++) {
[2sp]echo($i).PHP_EOL;
}[2br]
$i = 0;
do {
[2sp]echo($i).PHP_EOL;
[2sp]$i++;
} while ($i <= 10);[2br]
$i = 0;
while ($i <= 10) {
[2sp]echo($i).PHP_EOL;
[2sp]$i++;
}[2br]
coder
What are variables?
Variables are symbolic labels given to memory locations as syntactically-friendly references.
Data stored in these memory locations are subsequently accessed using these labels, which can
be retrieved and changed as required — hence the name, variable. Any valid
alpha-numeric string can usually be used as variable label names.
What are constants?
Simply put, constants are variables, except that their defined values are unchangeable.
Hence the name, constant.[2br]
Constants evaluate much faster than variables and take up considerably less memory as
their predefined values are compiled directly into the program binaries. Variables, on the
other hand, must have memory space and program cycles provisioned at runtime, before they
can be utilised.
What are strings?
Strings are also variables, but they store alpha-numeric characters instead of numeric values.
The difference is considerable as the binary representation of characters are more complex and
utilise greater resources to store, retrieve, and translate. As the name implies, characters
are stored in a sequence, like a chain or string, and are streamed in and out of memory
to be used.
What are arrays?
Arrays are collections of variables, clustered together in groups, and accessed by their index
values. An array is in itself a variable, but instead of storing a single value, the variable
references a contiguous block of memory that stores the array of values, and each value
is in turn referenced by their index in that block.[2br]
There are many forms of arrays in modern programming, the most common and versatile amongst them
being lists and maps. These are similar to arrays, except that the individual values in them can
be accessed by syntactically-friendly labels instead of cryptic indexes. While they also boast
advanced handling and sorting functionalities, conventional arrays usually perform better in
terms of speed and memory efficiency.
The true beginnings of the modern-day computer must be traced back to its most basic form —
the humble abacus. This simple invention had inspired the need for more complex counting and
calculating tools, opening new avenues of innovation. Amazingly, however, the first improvement
to the abacus came more than two thousand years after its invention.[2br]
In the mid seventeenth century, Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical calculator. This was
only marginally improved by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz many years after, until Charles Babbage
designed his Analytical Engine almost a hundred years later.[2br]
The Pascaline
Sadly, Babbage’s invention was never realised, and it would take yet another half a century before
Herman Hollerith invented the Tabulator, which was technically the first functioning electromechanical
computer. Within thirty years, after multiple incorporations and mergers, Hollerith’s company had
evolved into International Business Machines, or IBM.[2br]
The very early computers used mechanical relays, which were eventually superseded by vacuum tubes,
then transistors, until 1958, when the first integrated circuits, known as microchips, were invented.
Ten years later, Intel was born, and within decades, these microchips evolved into the powerful
microprocessors that we have today.[2br]
coder
High-Level and Low-Level Programming
Unlike the naming inference, high-level programming languages are in fact easier to use than their
low-level counterparts. The term actually implies the syntactic distance between the human-readable
code to the machine-executable code. The simpler and succinct syntax of high-level languages require
more processes and dependencies to interpret or compile them into machine-recognisable instructions
for execution. High-level code depends on abstractions and programming interfaces to interact with
hardware and operating system processes, whereas low-level programming must literally handle such
interactions from scratch. A good example of a high-level language would be BASIC, with the lowest
level language being Assembly.
Object-Oriented Programming
Conventional programming paradigms are usually structured with either imperative or procedural code.
The instructions are executed, in turn calling other instructions and procedures that contain more
lines for execution. In the object-oriented model, entire blocks of code are contained in abstracted
classes that cannot be accessed or manipulated by the calling code, besides requesting them to execute.
Some limited aspects of these classes might be exposed for public access, like user-configurable variables
or functions, but the rest simply run as independent processes, performing their required tasks and returning
their results, if any. These self-contained classes are known as objects, and hence the name.
Popular Programming Languages
PureBasic is a modern iteration of the popular BASIC programming language from the early days of
personal computers. Developed in France at the turn of the millennium, PureBasic is designed for
software development on Windows, MacOS, and Linux operating systems. It is very easy to use, generating
compact and fast executables that require no external dependencies.[2br] BASIC is an acronym for
Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.[2br]
Download a free copy of PureBasic for Windows, MacOS, or Linux from the official
PureBasic Website.
C is among the oldest and most popular programming languages still in use today,
employed almost universally in the development of software for desktop, mainframe, mobile,
and even modern-day IoT and wearable platforms. It was developed in the early seventies,
and has influenced many programming languages since. C++ was first developed as an
extension to C, adding the class-model feature, that would eventually evolve into the
current object-oriented programming models.[2br]Download a free copy of Microsoft Visual
Studio Community Edition with C/C++ language support (for Windows or MacOS), from the official
Microsoft Website.
Objective-C is a programming language predominantly used for software development on the
Apple MacOS and iOS operating systems. It is a derivative of the C programming language,
with syntax and structure heavily influenced by Smalltalk, which was an early object-oriented
programming language developed in the seventies.[2br]
Download a free copy of Xcode with Objective-C language support (for MacOS only), from the official
Mac App Store.
Java is a popular programming language designed as a multi-platform development tool that
could deploy single codebases to different operating systems. It requires platform-specific
compilers, termed JVMs (Java Virtual Machines), that would essentially compile the common
codebases at first-run, a process known as JIT (just in time) compilation.[2br]
Download a free copy of Android Studio with Java language support (for Windows or MacOS), from the official
Android Website.
C# (pronounced see sharp), is a fairly new programming language developed by Microsoft around 2000,
as part of its .NET initiative. It utilises the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI), and was designed as
a general purpose, multi-platform, multi-paradigm development language. Although it features many enhancements
and functionalities through the CLI, the core command set of C# is based on the C programming language, making
it syntactically familiar and friendly to C++ and Java developers.[2br]
Download a free copy of Microsoft Visual Studio Community Edition with C# language support (for Windows or MacOS),
from the official Microsoft Website.
Swift is a relatively new programming language, designed by Apple for software development
on their MacOS and iOS platforms. It was first released in 2014 as a successor to the ageing
and cryptic Objective-C language. It is comparatively a more flexible and syntax-friendly
language, with better optimisations and performance.[2br]
Download a free copy of Xcode with Swift language support (for MacOS only), from the official
Mac App Store.
Kotlin was first released in 2011, but gained prominence only in 2017, after Google
announced first-class support for it as the preferred programming language for their
Android mobile platform. It has since succeeded Java as the primary development
language for Android. Kotlin is syntactically and structurally quite similar to Swift,
and is more flexible and easy to use as compared to Java.[2br] Download a free copy of
Android Studio with Kotlin language support (for Windows or MacOS), from the official
Android Website.
JavaScript is a scripting language developed specifically for use in web browsers.
It is lightweight and the codebase is never compiled. The web engine interprets and
executes the code line by line at runtime, and it depends on the DOM (Document Object Model)
for its user interface. This is typically generated through another browser-specific
programming language, HTML (Hypertext Mark-Up Language).
[2br]Originally named LiveScript, it was changed to JavaScript to presumably
ride the coattails of the successful Java programming language at the time.
PHP is a scripting language developed specifically for use on web servers. First released in 1995,
the language was developed by a hobbyist for personal use, but has since been professionally maintained
and developed by The PHP Group. It is widely used on server-side deployments for various back-end services,
from SaaS to MBaaS models, and is quite ubiquitous on most web and cloud hosting services.[2br]
PHP was initially an acronym for Personal Home Page, but was later given the more
professional-sounding name, PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, making it a recursive acronym.
[2br] Download a free copy of XAMPP Web Server with PHP language support (for Windows, MacOS, or Linux), from the
official Apache Friends Website.
coder
Contemporary Operating Systems
From the advent of computers, diversity has proven to be both the boon and bane of innovation.
Brilliant minds devise new methods and designs to advance computing performance and speeds,
and with it, new and unique operating systems to run them.[2br]
As with everything else, these technologies have dynamically and rapidly evolved, outmoding
many, leaving only a handful of proprietary and open-source ones still in use. Amongst them
are Microsoft's Windows, Apple's MacOS, the open source Linux — and for mobile devices,
Google's Android and Apple's iOS.[2br]
There are many others, older ones still in marginal use, and newer ones gaining traction and
user base, but they only dwarf in comparison.
Contemporary Platforms
While desktop computing once held the lion's share of mainstream platforms, it is waning fast.
Portability has become paramount, and with it, mobile devices have overtaken desk-bound
computing in an unprecedented way. Laptops and notebooks are still tethering to life due
to their computing power over their mobile counterparts, but this gap is quickly closing.[2br]
Mobile phones and tablets are being packed with more power and capacity than ever before,
and very soon, they might prove to be the staple computing device of choice, relegating
the humble desktop, and its operating systems, to obsolescence.[2br]
Amongst the newer mobile platforms are IoT and wearables. The more popular of these are wrist wear,
like the Apple Watch, and FitBits. There are also many other obscure implementations that we don't
readily realise, which are ubiquitously being used in cars, appliances, and smart homes.
Popular Computer Platforms
Microsoft Windows is a desktop operating system with a graphical user interface (GUI),
which was first released in 1985, designed for a range of computing architectures.
The current version is known as Windows 10, although many legacy versions are still
in use today.[2br]
Initially developed as a utility that functions on top of its command-line based predecessor,
DOS (Disk Operating System), it has evolved into a standalone OS running almost 35% of
desktop computers today. It is proprietary software sold commercially, but usually bundled
with new personal computers.
Apple's Macintosh operating system, now simply known as MacOS, is the proprietary operating
system that comes installed in every Apple desktop and laptop computer. It is the successor
to the Classic Mac OS, that was in use in earlier Macintosh computers until 2001.[2br]
The current MacOS, recently renamed from OS X, is built on another operating system
that was acquired by Apple in 1996, the NeXTStep.
Linux is a popular open-source operating system, targeted at a wide range of architectures.
Originally developed by Linus Torvalds, it has since been advanced and maintained by various
open-source community groups, as well as commercial organisations.[2br]
The OS is a favourite among hobbyists and many commercial service providers due to its free and
open license. That alone has kept it alive to date, positioning it as a suitable candidate for
many offshoot projects.[2br]
The Linux kernel is also used in the popular Android mobile operating system.
Apple's iOS, originally called the iPhoneOS, and designed specifically for its range
of mobile devices, is based on its desktop operating system, the MacOS. The familiar
syntax and structure of the software development kit (SDK) greatly promoted app-development
for the iPhone following its initial release in 2007, which cemented its ultimate success.[2br]
The iOS is currently in its thirteenth iteration, splintering into the iPadOS in 2019.
This followed the release of the iPad Pro, as the high-performance hardware of the newer
tablets required a major tweak to its operating system.[2br]
Android is a mobile operating system based on the Linux kernel and other open source software,
designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The OS is
developed by a consortium of developers known as the Open Handset Alliance, which is sponsored
by Google. It was first released in 2007, appearing commercially on Android devices in late 2008.
[2br]
It is free and open source, and about 70% of smartphones run Android, with only Apple having only
25% of the market. The Android OS has the largest installed base of any operating system, and has
also been adapted for use in a variety of other devices, from game consoles, to personal electronics,
and even wearables.
Web browsers are merely software applications that load and display content from the Internet. These
dedicated web tools contact remote servers in the cloud to request and download their content, and
subsequently execute the associated scripts, like sand-boxed virtual machines. The content could be
static web pages that simply display information, or they could be full-blown interactive applications
that perform complex processing and functionality. Nevertheless, although they are technically not
operating systems, the content and apps that run on web browsers have to be specifically developed
for them as a separate platform.[2br]
Among the leading web browsers are Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Apple's Safari, Google's Chrome,
and Mozilla's Firefox. The two former browsers usually come bundled with their respective operating
systems, while the latter two are downloaded as preferred third-party options.[2br]
In 2011, Google released its Chrome OS, which is based on Linux, and which utilises the Chrome web
browser as the primary user interface. Despite the shared name, this was a full-blown operating system.
Like web browsers, web servers, popularly dubbed the cloud, are merely desktop computers running
a variety of possible operating systems, from Windows to Linux. Their functionalities don't deviate much
from any regular local or onsite servers, other than their geographical locations, which are usually
offsite, connected through some form of communications backbone, like the Internet.[2br]
They run purpose-built server software on top of the operating system, and the more popular among these
is the Apache Server. This web server software communicates through HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol)
and is capable of handling multiple connection requests at a time.[2br]
The applications that run on such servers must also be purpose-built to utilise and implement these
web-specific features, which include authentication, database connectivity, and user-based sessions.
thinker
New Age & New Thought
New Age has become quite a broad term, referring to many forms of unconventional spiritual and
religious practices and beliefs, that had its roots in the West during the psychedelic hippy
eras of the 1970s. An offshoot, known as New Thought, focuses more on the mental aspects rather
than pure spirituality.[2br]
The movement has evolved into quite a hodgepodge, one indiscernible from another, which has
diluted many of its teachings and principles. It has been confused with Zen, atheism, eastern
philosophies, and even unaccredited cults.[2br]
To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.
Today, unfortunately, it is perceived as unfounded hocus-pocus, stuck between the sciences that
it so often cites, and religions that it tries to explain away. Nevertheless, the movement has
become quite formidable, albeit lacking unity in principle and practice.[2br]
These pages attempt to preserve the early doctrines of the New Age movement, when the principles
weren't so mired in meta-physical sciences, and the practices were simple exercises of
thoughts and beliefs.
thinker
Dr Ernest Holmes
Dr Ernest Shurtleff Holmes
Ernest Shurtleff Holmes (January 21, 1887 – April 7, 1960) was an American new age philosopher,
and the founder of The Institute of Religious Science and Philosophy, which was later renamed
to The Church of Religious Science. The religious status provided sanctuary from the prosecution
of proliferating cults at the time. He is renowned for his core work, The Science of Mind, first
published in 1926.[2br]
Dr Holmes exposed parallels between the metaphysical sciences and religion, and proposed that
belief was a product of habitual thoughts, which in turn determined paths and destinies. He had
influenced many in these new thought movements, and remains a prominent authority today.[2br]
Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.
Neville Goddard
Neville Lancelot Goddard
Neville Lancelot Goddard (February 19, 1905 – October 1, 1972) hailed from the island of
Barbados, and was a teacher of metaphysics who believed that imagination, or visualisations,
are the key to life. His many papers and talks focused on real-life stories where wishes and
prayers were realised. He often led his audience into the silence, as he called it,
to practice live meditations, guiding their thoughts, to help them open their minds.[2br]
He had always claimed to be a student of an Ethiopian mystic named Abdullah, whom he affectionately
called Ab, and always included this mysterious character into his writings and talks. His hypothesis
confirms that of Ernest Holmes and many new age thinkers before and since.[2br]
Man moves in a world that is nothing more than his consciousness objectified.
Thomas Troward
Thomas Troward
Thomas Troward (1847–1916) was a judge in British-administered India with an avocation for comparative
religions. After retiring from the bench at age 50, he advanced this preoccupation into a full-time
endeavour, seeking answers to life and religion. He often philosophised on cause and effect, focusing
on its ramifications in the mental sphere.[2br]
He was reputed for his works, dubbed The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science, and The Dore Lectures on
Mental Science, which today remains staple textbooks among the metaphysical and new thought circles. He
held the position of president of the International New Thought Alliance, until his death in 1916.[2br]
Another reputed teacher of metaphysics was Geneviève Behrend, noted for being his only personal student.[2br]
Desire will in due time externalise itself as concrete fact.
Alan Watts
Alan Wilson Watts
Alan Wilson Watts (January 6, 1915 – November 16, 1973) was a British teacher of new thought, famous for
bridging the gap between eastern philosophies and western sensibilities. He taught the principles of
Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism, amongst others, mainly in the United States, consolidating them into
the Zen philosophy. He was raised Anglican, and even practised as an Anglican priest for a while,
after receiving a master's degree in theology.[2br]
He authored many works, and presented many talks to live and radio audiences, mostly on religion and
philosophy, and had a wide following. Amongst his conclusions is that religion is akin to psychotherapy,
and that divine indoctrination is a merely mental state.[2br]
Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.
thinker
Pearls of Wisdom a selection of quotes
A rose by any other name smells as sweet.
William Shakespeare
One cannot fully appreciate the warmth and light of the
Sun until the bitter cold of darkness has plagued us.
Syed Ibrahim
All the gold on earth cannot buy virtue.
Plato
I think, therefore I am.
Descartes
The only constant in life is change.
Heraclitus
Desire will in due time externalise itself as concrete fact.
Thomas Troward
Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
William Shakespeare
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.
Isaac Asimov
Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.
Alan Watts
The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.
Mahatma Gandhi
Time is a game played beautifully by children.
Heraclitus
The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
Lao Tzu
The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.
Da Vinci
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.
Robertson Davies
Know thyself.
Plato
Seek happiness. The rest will follow.
M S Jaffar
I cannot believe that the God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
Galileo
Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.
Lao Tzu
Only that day dawns to which we are awake.
Henry David Thoreau
He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing.
Epicurus
This place is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real.
Rumi
All is mystery; but he is a slave who will not struggle to penetrate the dark veil.
Benjamin Disraeli
Religion is often on the lips, but seldom in the life.
Khalil Gibran
There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.
Dante Alighieri
I only know that I know nothing.
Socrates
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.
Confucius
Man is free when he wants to be.
Voltaire
In wealth I am poor. In poverty I am rich.
Esperanza
Call no man happy until he is dead.
Solon
Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.
Ernest Holmes
Do not do to others that which angers you when they do it to you.
Isocrates
The greatest untold story is the evolution of God.
Gurdjieff
What you think, you become.
Buddha
No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity.
Seneca
writer
The Prowess of Luck
Lady Luck...
Much ado about geniuses and visionaries, ideas and innovations, business plans and executives,
when they all depend on the unsung x-factor for their successes.
Why Gates and Jobs, when Allen and Wozniak deserved as much of the accolades. What differentiates
Theranos from Trump. Is WeWork comparable to Fyre.
In truth, there are no perfect business plans, no cutting-edge ideas, nor any such thing as
visionaries. But the accompanying magic that lights them on fire is unspoken of, purely owing
to its cosmic characteristics. Nevertheless, its play on life is undeniable, albeit incomprehensible.
Fate is fulfilled despite all our efforts to avoid it.
Perhaps a little less hullabaloo about the people behind great and trending ideas, and a little
more on what made them great in the first place, might shed some deserved light on this phenomenon.
Let’s not forget the likes of George de Mestral, Robert Kearns, and John Walker; names not often mentioned,
but geniuses whose inventions changed the world.
writer
Quotable Quotes a lighter side
When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second.
When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour.
That's relativity.
Albert Einstein
Beauty is the purgation of superfluities.
Michelangelo
I can resist everything except temptation.
Oscar Wilde
People say nothing is impossible, but I do it every day.
A A Milne
Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well.
Mark Twain
Beware the fine line between perfection and perfectionism.
Syed Ibrahim
With your brains and your feet, you are the one who decides where you go.
Dr Seuss
Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour.
Truman Capote
Learning does not make one learned.
Alexandre Dumas
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.
Frank Zappa
Three may keep a secret, but only if two of them are dead.
Benjamin Franklin
He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.
Da Vinci
Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.
Socrates
Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.
Galileo
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
Dale Carnegie
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln
If you want people to listen, try whispering to someone else.
Ann Landers
Just be yourself, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind.
Bernard Baruch
A day without laughter is a day wasted.
Charlie Chaplin
True strength is realising that we have power only over ourselves.
Marcus Aurelius
When a man realises that his father was right, he will have a son who thinks he's wrong.
Charles Wadsworth
To err is human, to forgive divine.
Alexander Pope
The gents are usually on the left, because the ladies are always right.
Syed Ibrahim
Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.
Voltaire
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who remain silent in the face of evil.
Dante
Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired with age.
Albert Einstein
If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.
Isaac Newton
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity.
Albert Einstein
The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
Mark Twain
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
Dr Seuss
The pixel is worth a thousand words.
Syed Ibrahim
thinker
Exercising the Grey Cells
Ernest Holmes, the author of The Science of Mind, famously said that thoughts are things.
These elements that we so freely and neglectfully churn out every moment of every day,
are apparently not as insignificant as we think they are. But then, that's just another
thought.[2br]
In all seriousness, what exactly are thoughts, and how do they come about? A simple
and effortless function, we don't even know their true origins. Some thoughts appear
out of nowhere, and most unexpectedly, yet we simply accept them as products of our own
biological brains or subconscious minds.[2br]
Like the fantastical dreams that we live through every night as we slumber, the shapes
and forms of our active thoughts remain a fascinating mystery. Through the ages, these
phenomenon has received many distinct monikers, from insight and vision, to inspiration
and even divination.[2br]
I think, therefore I am.
Any attempt to discover the source of these magical signals might prove to be as futile
as finding the meaning of life itself. After all, the source of our origins is perhaps
the biggest unknown there will ever be, and that's probably where our thoughts come from
as well. So, let's put a pin in that quest, and focus instead on the thoughts themselves.
The Nature of Thoughts
One thing we can be sure of, and probably agree on, is that thoughts are multilingual.
No English-speaking person would think in Chinese, and no native Japanese speaker would
dream in French. Unless they are multilingual in those respects, of course. Being bilingual,
my thoughts and dreams are bilingual as well, although they have a general inclination
towards my primary language.[2br]
Another distinct trait of thoughts is their lingo. They tend to take the shape and form
of our personal, unique slangs and colloquialism, even down to the accents. This further
points to the probability that our thoughts are simply our own creations. But that would
have to mean that thoughts are formed from inherent knowledge, which clearly cannot be the
case. Visions and inspirations, and even psychic activity are hardly intrinsic information,
and must have originated from some external source.[2br]
Innatism is a philosophical theory that could perfectly bridge this gap, but it too requires
an acceptance in some external source, one that supposedly populates our primordial intellects.
Whatever the source, each of us definitely possess the ability to produce some really compelling
and bizarre thoughts, be they genius ideas or prophetic visions.
A Contemplative Journey
On these pages, I share my innermost thoughts and ideas, not only as personal expression, but
more so for effective reflection. Some of these are my own questions and theories, and some
are quotes and citations from noted thinkers and philosophers, clips from their talks, and
even insightful observations from the man on the street.[2br]
May this journey prove psychedelic, educational, but most of all, awakening.[2br]
writer
Putting Pen to Paper
Words form the very foundation of human communications. There is the written form, which
is merely the visual, symbolic representation, and the spoken form, which is its audible
articulation. The duo has advanced humanity by leaps and bounds, and has become inextricable
from human life. Without those humble scribbles and sounds, knowledge and expression would
be stifled, and intellectual growth stunted.[2br]
Indeed they are a precious gift, highly exalted, but sadly, abused as well. But then, like
everything else in life, the good cannot be fully appreciated without having experienced the bad.[2br]
One cannot fully appreciate the warmth and light of the
Sun until the bitter cold of darkness has plagued us.
Here, I freely exercise my intellectual license, through candid expressions of mind and soul.
While these may merely be amateur attempts, they are no less considered and heartfelt. As my
synaptic impulses fire away, I proverbially put pen to paper, and record their ethereal
emissions for posterity.[2br]
In addition to my own words, I have included quotes and citations, movie clips, and fun memes
to lend colour and depth to this literary quest of words. A befitting multimedia approach to
truly tickle and tackle the senses, proving that pen is certainly mightier than the sword.[2br]
Syed
Ibrahim
Jaffar
Syed Ibrahim
Syed Ibrahim Jaffar
Qompute
Sybra
Sybracom
Singapore
Syed Singapore
Ibrahim Singapore
Syed Ibrahim Singapore
Qompute Singapore
Sybra Singapore
Sybracom Singapore
ui
ux
ui/ux
hid
user interface
human interface design
ui designer
ui architect
ux designer
ux architect
ui/ux designer
ui/ux architect
software
program
programming
programmer
code
coding
coder
software program
software programmer
software development
software developer
software engineering
software engineer
fullstack programmer
fullstack development
fullstack developer
fullstack engineering
fullstack engineer
full stack programmer
full stack development
full stack developer
full stack engineering
full stack engineer
thinking
thinker
writing
writer
new age
newage
new ager
newager
wisdom
enlightenment
Featured Articles
A Short Catechism
life on rails
The Prowess of Luck
prerogative or predestination?
2020 & The Future
prophecies & predictions
Quotable Quotes
nuggets of wisdom
Stage of Life
compelling dialogues
Visual Expressions
a gallery of thoughts
Popular Guides
Programming Languages
from the C's to Kotlin
Coding Fundamentals
the ABC's of programming
Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks
programming voodoo
RetroTech
in the beginning...
Contemporary Tech
desktop, mobile, IoT
Emerging Technologies
wearables & augmented reality
Thoughts of The Day
New Age
the enlightenment
The New Agers
the game changers
Media Library
in their own words
Pearls of Wisdom
insightful quotes
Books & Papers
selected excerpts
quotes
essays
articles
movie clips
medium
github
code snippets
code examples
tutorial
tutorials
shortcut
shortcuts
step-by-step
step-by-step examples
step-by-step tutorials
program snippet
program examples
program tips
program tricks
program shortcuts
program tips & tricks
program tutorial
program tutorials
program voodoo
programming snippet
programming examples
programming tips
programming tricks
programming shortcuts
programming tips & tricks
programming tutorial
programming tutorials
programming voodoo
code snippet
code examples
code tips
code tricks
code shortcuts
code tips & tricks
code tutorial
code tutorials
code voodoo
coding snippet
coding examples
coding tips
coding tricks
coding shortcuts
coding tips & tricks
coding tutorial
coding tutorials
coding voodoo
programming language
programming languages
coding language
coding languages
basic
purebasic
c
c++
c/c++
c#
java
javascript
objectivec
objective-c
swift
kotlin
html
php
mysql
variable
variables
loop
loops
condition
conditions
function
functions
file
files
storage
hardware
computer
computers
desktop
desktops
laptop
laptops
notebook
notebooks
mobile
mobile phones
pda
pdas
tablet
tablets
iPad
iPhone
Android
robots
robotics
computer history
computer technology
computer platform
computer education
computer histories
computer technologies
computer platforms
paypal
paypal.me
buy me a beer
support my work
ai
ml
vr
ar
iot
wearable
wearables
artificial intelligence
machine learning
virtual reality
augmented reality
automation
future of computing
future of computers
contemporary technology
contemporary technologies
retro computers
retro computing
Hello, welcome, and thank you for visiting my humble cyber space. As you could guess by now,
I am Syed Ibrahim, and a quick glimpse at this site would also reveal that I am an avid
computer programmer, amongst other things. The truth of the matter is, I have been a lifelong
coder, staring at pixels and clanking on keyboards for the past forty years, way before the days of chasing
mice. That's a long time, and that reminds me that time is a fleeting commodity. It is also a reminder that
life is short, having passed me by without so much as an anecdotal explanation.
This website was built as an online canvas for my various expressions, from code to quotes, guides,
and even outright ramblings on a hodgepodge of topics. I had decided to record them for posterity,
sharing them in cyberspace — and to the world. The content is mainly on coding and existence, both
of which might one day prove to be interconnected, with the discovery that life is nothing but some programmed
simulation.
A rose by any other name smells as sweet. Indeed, a befitting and accurate adage to dispel
this ridiculous dispute. Coders are programmers, and programmers are software developers.
Despite splintered opinions, the fact remains that these are merely fancy labels that have
evolved through the years, when someone, somewhere down the line, had decided to doctor the
semantics to mean more than what they actually are. Perhaps I am a software engineer, and I
don't even know it.[2br]
That silliness aside, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of the subject at hand, starting with
a basic definition. What exactly is coding?
Ernest Holmes, the author of The Science of Mind, famously said that thoughts are things.
These elements that we so freely and neglectfully churn out every moment of every day,
are apparently not as insignificant as we think they are. But then, that's just another
thought.[2br]
In all seriousness, what exactly are thoughts, and how do they come about? A simple
and effortless function, we don't even know their true origins. Some thoughts appear
out of nowhere, and most unexpectedly, yet we simply accept them as products of our own
biological brains or subconscious minds.[2br]
Like the fantastical dreams that we live through every night as we slumber, the shapes
and forms of our active thoughts remain a fascinating mystery. Through the ages, these
phenomenon has received many distinct monikers, from insight and vision, to inspiration
and even divination.[2br]
Words form the very foundation of human communications. There is the written form, which
is merely the visual, symbolic representation, and the spoken form, which is its audible
articulation. The duo has advanced humanity by leaps and bounds, and has become inextricable
from human life. Without those humble scribbles and sounds, knowledge and expression would
be stifled, and intellectual growth stunted.[2br]
Indeed they are a precious gift, highly exalted, but sadly, abused as well. But then, like
everything else in life, the good cannot be fully appreciated without having experienced the bad.[2br]
#SocMed
#SocMed