This month the first Innovation Award goes to Mohd Hilmi bin Ngah (NovaSmart), from Malaysia, for his innovative work on the AMS (Article Management System)
Where are you from, and where do you live now?
I'm from beautiful and peaceful country, Malaysia. If you not familiar, Malaysia is sandwiched between Thailand (North) and Singapore (South). My hometown is Terengganu, place of natural beauty and famous with its Batik & Silk and Keropok Lekor (looks like fish hotdog). However, currently I leave in Pulau Pinang, center of heavy industrial, technology and R&D in Malaysia.
How long have you been programming?
Even our family didn't own computer till my age 14 years old, my exposure to computer start from 6-7 years old (Apple II) but limited to playing games on my uncle computer. My first programming "Selamat Sejahtera Dunia" ("Hello World" in Malay Language) is on IBM 286 PC, using GWBasic when I was 12 years old on my cousin (11 years old) computer based on example that we read in BASIC programming book (Malay Language). I still remember how I feel that day.. and that is my turning point to involve in programming world. I involve in server side programming when I accepted to the university, started with WinCGI, PERL and then PHP. I really serious in PERL and PHP programming in 2002, when me and another 3 of my friends work together to develop MMO games called WarOnNet.
What is your expertise?
I'm degree holder in Computer Engineering and x-member of special research group at my university (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia) and my expertise cover almost all electronic and programming discipline. To stated a few, PCB design, microcontroller/processor firmware, robotic, wireless, reverse engineer, security, industrial automation, compiler design, artificial intelligent, and almost all popular programming language (eg: C, C++, JAVA, PERL, PHP, .NET).
What got you to XOOPS?
Its about object oriented. I used to hate OOP during my study since I'm too familiar with structured programming, and I think OOP just adding complexity while the same task could be done faster and easier in structured programming. Everything changed when I was assigned to develop 2 real time simulation that really complicated, Missile Guidance System and Car Auto Cruise, since multiple parameter like aerodynamic, tyre size, road condition, wind speed + direction will affect the parameter, its too complicated to implement in structured programming. That's the starting point I'm fall in love with OOP. When my friend ask me to create CMS for his organization, I try to look which CMS that use OO since we need to change or develop our own module, and thats where I found XOOPS and fall in love with XOOPS.
What do you like the most about XOOPS?
When I start with XOOPS, I like it because it is OO, so it is easier to maintain and I trust it will evolve faster than other CMS. However, after years using and develop modules on XOOPS, I have another strong reason to stick with XOOPS... because it is secure. In order to better protect and give the good security consultation, I also partially involve underground in hacking website and cracking software (white hat). In Malaysia, security awareness still infancy but they like to create their own solution without much focus on security. For example, just recently, I exposed serious security flaw in government website where I could take over as admin and have full access to the system and I give the feedback to them. That's not the first and will not be the last. In my opinion, XOOPS with Protector is the best security I ever seen in open source CMS, and all of this flaw could be easily solved if they develop their solution based on XOOPS.
Why did you decide to work on AMS?
I have multiple website that using AMS, that by the time maintained by Dominic from it-hq. I choose AMS due the the fact the are full with features and fast enough for heavy loading web site. When it was abandoned, I have no choice except to maintained it myself. It also the same case for other module like XM-Memberstats, XPRESS. However, for AMS I choose to officially maintain and support under my consultation company (NovaSmart Technology) and also become based for new comers in my company to learn and develop module for XOOPS.
You just released the version 3.0. What are the future plans for AMS?
There is tons of features that I want to incorporate in AMS to make complete solution for article, news and blog publishing and still maintaining the compatibility, speed and ease to use. In my hand now, there is more than 50 todo list that waiting to be implemented in future AMS, but I can only share what I plan to do until AMS 4.0. AMS 3.10 - AMS 3.40 will focus on important News features that missing in AMS. The intention is to give easy migration for News user to migrate to AMS without losing important features. AMS 3.50 is another major release, where we will focus on cloneability. Same as most of XOOPS module, currently AMS still require the module to be installed in fix location (/modules/AMS). That's will restrict only one AMS installation in one XOOPS. While SEF that implemented in AMS 3.00 could virtually relocate AMS to any URL, it's not enough for some user. Thats what AMS 3.50 will solve. AMS 3.60- AMS 3.90 will focus on putting additional features that not available in both News and AMS such as Collaborative article (multi writer), implementation of AJAX, better Newsletter and RSS import. AMS 4.00 will focus on performance enhancement and SQL query reduction and we will do profiling on AMS and solve any bottleneck. With other word, AMS 3.xx will fully pack with new features and AMS 4.xx will trim back the weight so AMS will maintained fast and agile like what it supposed to.
If you could add one feature to XOOPS, what would it be?
It is full site built-in search engine friendly (SEF). All major CMS already have it and XOOPS still lagging behind on this.
What is your major achievement in programming that you're most proud of?
The one that I proud most is our solution on Virtual Messaging Board ( some people call it highway electronic messaging) for Perbadanan PutraJaya, Malaysia administrative capital. This is RM8,000,000 project (~USD2,500,000) that suffered due to excessive lighting strikes that are very common at PutraJaya area. This problem cause VMS board unreliable and need to repair or replaced almost every month. The solution originally provided by overseas company and that company stop giving support due to excessive warranty claim. Without any documentation, I need to make use all my knowledge to reverse engineer, electronic forensic, develop new hardware, firmware, software to solve the root problem and we succeed to deliver the solution and it stand reliable until now. PHP, Mysql and AJAX also part of the solution, where they can program VMS (message, picture) through web based.
What are your hobbies, when you're not coding?
Playing chess, and play with my family
You favorite dish and drink?
I like fried mee and nasi lemak (traditional rice. Translated as fatty rice). For drink I like ice lemon tea
What about movies and music?
I like science fiction & fantasy movie like Harry Potter and Back To The Future. For music, I like instrumental especially piano and flute.
If you would have a chance for a 30 seconds commercial with a message to the world, what would you say?
Stop discriminating against Islam... Islam is not terrorist religion. Terrorists happen to be in all religions and among all free thinking people because it depends on that person to choose what they want to be.
If you could choose a place and time to live, what would it be and why?
Melaka (Malacca) at 1500AD. That's the our last empire and I want to be there to write a true and precise history how it administrated and how it fell down for next generation. The only Malacca history book written by Malay is written by Tun Sri Lanang (my ancestor) but its full of legend and fantasy.
Who is the person that you would like to meet and why?
Tun Sri Lanang. I want him to discard all legends and fantasy from his book and focus on facts. Too many thing that he missed to write about
