Since I got on the Net, I have been visiting hardware sites like Tom's Hardware Guide and Anandtech. In fact, as I was a real benchmark nut back then, I too wanted to set up my own hardware site. However, my first attempt saw me trying to wrestle with HTML code and after 10 futile minutes, I gave up completely. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm terrible at programming or anything remotely close to that, like HTML, for example ;). In fact, even if someone pointed a gun to my head, I still won't be able to produce even one line of proper code. I'm that bad.

Anyway, time passed by and both Tom's Hardware Guide and Anandtech grew sooooo big that my original intent to set up a hardware site seemed pointless. Besides, Malaysia isn't so advanced that many people actually cared about how fast their system ran or even what they have in that box they call the "CPU". Trying to find a company who will sponsor me or at least send me stuff to review or test is kind of ridiculous since most companies here will use only the cheapest of the cheapo parts. Very rarely will you find them selling quality parts like Diamond or STB cards. After over a year of observation and mulling, I decided that a hardware site based in Malaysia would be a waste of time.

More time passed and I found myself doing CPU (no, it's not a electronics degree 8)... it's the Canadian Pre-U programme). Then my pal, Adrian Tung, showed me his homepage. I was flabbergasted! I mean, I didn't think anyone would actually find crunching HTML code exciting enough to create a homepage. (Yeah, I was one damn ignorant fella) It turned out that FrontPage 98 could help me create HTML pages without actually touching the code itself (shudder)!!! Hurray for the HTML doink!

So, for the first time, I will be able to create my own homepage - Adrian's Rojak Pot. Although there were quite a few initial problems with the HTML pages I created, everything looks quite peachy now, thanks to the other Adrian and FrontPage 98. I must say, however, that HTML is still a pain in the ass to work with ;-P.

Anyway, that was way back at The Beginning <drum roll and a cymbal clash please!>, circa August 1998. Right now, I'm in Melaka, studying medicine at the Melaka-Manipal Medical College. I have another three years to go before I graduate. It's going to be a very stressful three years but you can count on me to keep posting new articles and reviews!

What's Rojak?

Well, rojak is a distinctly Malaysian fare. It's a dish of fruits, vegetables, crackers, fried soyabean curd and practically anything else the buyer wants, mixed well with a spicy, sweet and sticky paste made of prawn, chilli and belacan. A generous amount of shredded peanuts is then sprinkled on the dish. Yum, yum! Yes, it's delicious and it suits the various different palates because it's anything and everything you want it to be.

Colloquially, rojak also means "mixed up" or something to that effect, since the dish is really a mix of many different ingredients with the sauce (Thanks, Goi!). The pot that is used to mix the assorted ingredients that make up the rojak is, of course, called the rojak pot! Hence, the origin of this site's name. Why? Read on to find out. :)

Why Adrian's Rojak Pot?

Well, first of all, you have to understand a tiny part of the Malaysian culture - we love to eat. Malaysia is one of the few places on Earth where you can find food stalls and even restaurants opened for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No, no... I'm not talking of 7-Elevens... I'm talking about bona fide mamak and hawker stalls, etc... - all catering to every Malaysian's desire to eat at all times of the day and night.

With such a national obsession with food, I believe that this site should at least give a nod in that direction. And what better way to do that than to name it after one of its favourite dishes?

In addition, I want the name to conjure up an image of a site that publishes a potpourri of different articles, as varied and as delectable as the ingredients of rojak. It also points to the diversity of visitors that this site aims to cater to. While this site is Malaysian in origin, it will not restrict itself to Malaysia. The Net is borderless and we welcome diversity.

Finally, Adrian's Rojak Pot is a unique name for a unique site. What better name can you think of? ;)

Team ARP

Adrian's Rojak Pot has necessarily expanded beyond just one person. Here are the people who make up the ARP team.

Chief Editor & CEO  :  Adrian Wong
Webmaster : Kenneth Kowalsky
PR & Binaries Manager : Ken Ng
Contributor : Marauder
Contributor : Chai
Contributor : Jason Wong
Contributor : Carolyn Ng
Contributor : Jeremy Tan

If you have good writing skills and an insatiable interest in anything digital, consider joining the ARP team!

The Goals Of This Site

I have been offered opportunities to join established and much better known sites on many occasions now. I have rejected them all because I believe in the goals I have set for Adrian's Rojak Pot.

First of all is the independence and the freedom to write the truth. Adrian's Rojak Pot owes no allegiance to anyone or any company. As such, you can be assured that articles published in Adrian's Rojak Pot would be as unbiased as possible. The main focus would always be the interest of the consumer.

Next, Adrian's Rojak Pot will focus on subjects that are rarely or never touched by other sites. In other words, we strive for uniqueness. It's not so much to differentiate the site from others but more due to the belief that it's better to provide some information on a little known subject, rather than add more to the mountain of information that a well-researched subject would already have.

Finally, Adrian's Rojak Pot will continuously aim to improve the quality of the articles published. In fact, I would be trying my darnest best to create "definitive" articles that I hope will be considered as authoritative works on their subjects.

In a nutshell, Adrian's Rojak Pot aims to venture boldly where no man has gone before and to do better where others have treaded. 

To accomplish the goals above, I rely on the countless people that I have had the honour to meet. They include those who have visited this site and commented on it or its articles. You help to improve the quality of my articles by helping me spot the mistakes that I have undoubtedly made. In addition, many of you have contributed valuable ideas and suggestions that have helped me develop the site into what it is today. So, please contribute if you can - even the most modest suggestion will help us all clear the darkness of ignorance. The truth shall set you free.

You Wanna Help?

If you would like to help/contribute in some way to this site, please feel free to e-mail me. I'm always looking for any form of help in any way to develop this site. You can contribute your articles, ideas, hardware or software (for review) or even link my site to yours.

You can also help me just by clicking on banners on my site. That way, I can defray a portion of the cost of maintaining this site. This site is strictly non-profit because my costs are currently beyond what I can ever hope to get from sponsors. And it's not obligatory. But it can be a form of voting for me. If you read an article you like, just click on a banner to visit my sponsor. If you don't like what I wrote, don't click on the banners but write to me. I'm always looking for ways to improve this site.

 

But most of all, I would like help in the form of contributions and hardware/software for reviewing. So, if you want to contribute, just e-mail me. Any form of help/contribution is always welcomed! :)

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