Saturday, December 31, 2011

7 years since 'Hello World!'

That it's exactly 7 years since I made my first programming project brings me feelings of joy and fulfillment. Indeed it's been years of fixing bugs, testing and deployment. Some of my junior colleagues back at the university have asked me at one time or the other how they could grow, improve on their programming skills and all I usually do was encourage them to press on, to keep learning and coding. All they need to improve is time.

I started programming in QBASIC and made my first project in December, 2004. It was a payroll application. I have learnt and used the following technologies and programming languages. QBASIC, VBASIC 6.0, VB.NET, Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2003, 2005, MSSQLSERVER 2000, 2005, PHP/MySQL, Oracle 10g, Javascript and some its frameworks like jQuery, AJAX, XML, Java (J2SE and J2ME), Python, NetBeans IDE, Eclipse IDE, Adobe Suites (especially Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Photoshop and Flash), DBMS, Google Maps, Google App Engine, Software Engineering Techniques and Project Management.


A screen shot of part of the source codes of my first project


It would sound like exaggeration to say that I have worked on over 30 projects, because I have lost count too. I decided then to make a comprehensive list of the major projects I have worked on since 2004.
Some of the works are still in use, some have evolved and have new programmers on them, while some are out of use.

2011
  • EventDiaries.com (Work in progress)
  • Ecoinvest (Work in progress)
  • West Africa Market Information System (WAMIS)
  • SpreadIT (Mobile SpreadIT Messanging) Final year project at the University of Ibadan deployed at  mspreadit.appspot.com
  • Final Year Book (RCF Final Year Brethren, University of Ibadan)
  • Card Manager (ID Card Generator Engine)
  • Travellers' Information System (TIS)
2010
  • TrainingIT (Logistics App for a Short Training Programmes)
  • Road Marshal (Driving Licence, Vehicle Registration App)
  • Schmitt Automations
  • The Mobile Examiner (Let's you take examinations and tests right on your mobile phone, a Samsung Developers' Challenge First Runner-Up Prize Winner for Education Category)
2009
  • Patient Archive System (PAS) currently in use at Crestview Radiology Clinic, VI
  • Wish For Africa Content Management System (CMS) running wishforafrica.org
  • Students Record Management System (SRMS)
  • Paycard Loyalty Solution
  • File Upload System
  • Interactive Tutor
2008
  • Flomat Bookshop Catalogue System
  • Baby Palace (Baby Shopping App)
  • Family First Bookshop Catalogue System
  • WANEP Early Warning System (An environmental monitoring and evaluation system)
  • Recharge Card Vending App
  • Educo (Educational Management App for test taking, exam prep etc.)
  • Content Management System for OlusolaAkinseye.com
2007
  • Porfolio Management System (Final year project for my National Diploma at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos)
  • Event Manager (Calendar App for managing events, exhibited at NACOSS Software Exhibition)
  • TwentyNaira.com
  • ECOWAPP Website
  • ECOWAPP ICC (Information Coordination Center)
  • Setlin.com
2006
  • Hotel Reservation App for Parkview Hotels
  • Matrix Solution (An app that solves any matrix problem written in QBASIC and exhibited at NACOSS Software Exhibition Yabatech in February)
2004
  • Payroll System (Project at the completion of my IDPM training in Lagos, written in QBASIC

Well, I think I have come a long way. Besides programming and working on projects, I love teaching others what I know too and look forward to doing more of that. Over the years of programming, I have been nominated for programmer of the year awards at the University and have won twice. I also won the "Guru of the year" faculty award. My project "The Mobile Examiner" also won a prize on Samsung Developers' Challenge shortly after I developed it in 2010.

The projects I enjoyed developing most are the Mobile Examiner, Patient Archive System (PAS), WANEP Early Warning System and Matrix Solution. I have worked with quite a number of interesting people, Oghenekohwo Tega, Oluremi Onitilo, Diji Adeyemo, Biola Ibrahim, Itua Ijagbone, Dr. Onifade (Unibadan), Mr. Fatoki (Yabatech), Efosa Omogui (Alpha Consortium), Mr. Ayo Odeyemi (Delsoft), Mr. Eric Amagada (Delsoft), Mr. C.K. Bona, Mr. Ademola Ademokan, Mr. Welfare Nwocha (Alpha Consortium), Mr. Awele Okonkwo (Alpha Consortium), Mr. Femi Fajemirokun (ECOWAPP), Mrs. Ayo Fajemirokun (Easyduzit), Mr. Adeleke Orekoya, Mr. Adebanjo (BAFUTO), Dr. Awe, Dr. and Mrs. Fatade. They have all influenced me in special ways.

There are quite a number of people that have been my mentors, role models, and inspiration. My friends at Grid (the producers of the Unilag Website)-Ayo Lawrence, Mike Otasanya, Samson Adegunle, Charles Oribi and Mbong Nkana. Programmer C. K. Bona, Ademola Ademokan, Mr. Femi Fajemirokun, Mr. Awele Okonkwo and Mr. Samuel Fadipe (that's the man who made me believe I could be a programmer too back in 2004). I am ever thankful to God for helping me come across these wonderful people.

I have been a source of inspiration and influenced some special people too. Thank God for helping me to be a blessing to others. 

Amazingly, I cannot see the end of the road yet, definitely not. I still have a lot to learn, so much to perfect and be better at, more teams to work with, more projects to do. A whole lot more to achieve!

1 comment:

  1. **jaw dropping** it's me, toyin.
    mehn, you have come a mighty long way! D sky is ur starting point. Keep flying!

    ReplyDelete

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