Interview with a Windows Development MVP, Microsoft Student Partner, and Wiki Ninja: Saad Mahmood

Wow! I have to start with a humble apology that it's taken us/me this long to get this interview going! Not only should we have interviewed Saad sooner, but it was tough to get to the interview, with all the vacations and madness, and so it's taken us too long!

So a quick apology to Saad, who is an amazing contributor and should have been interviewed earlier.

How amazing of a contributor? Well, see for yourself...

Saad Mahmood's avatar 

Saad Mahmood

Saad is an MVP for Windows Development: 

https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-us/PublicProfile/5001276?fullName=Saad%20Mahmood

Here is Saad speaking at Microsoft Open Dev Con:

   

Community Stats:

  • 32 Wiki Articles
  • 151 Wiki Edits
  • 113 Wiki Comments
  • 12 Gallery Items
  • 6K+ Downloads on those items!
  • 251 Forum Replies

Microsoft’s MVP Summit 2015:

Example Articles:

Boy, do we have a great interview for you! Let's get to it!

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At MSP (Microsoft Student Partner) Summit 2014:

     

Who are you, where are you, and what do you do? What are your specialty technologies?

I am Saad Mahmood, I am from Pakistan and I´m living in Lahore, work here in a big Pakistani company, called Systems Limited, more specifically in Mobile Team. 

I am Microsoft’s Student Partner and MVP for Windows Development , currently in final semester of BS Computer Science. I’m 22 but having experience of Windows Development (Windows Phone , Windows Store , WPF & etc) of 3 years. Moreover not only Windows, but I also work with Xamarin, Python (dJango, Flask, Bottle) , Java and is a big fan of Visual Studio Tools for Python and Node.

MVP Profile: https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-us/PublicProfile/5001276?fullName=Saad%20Mahmood 

I started my journey with Microsoft 3 years ago as intern at Microsoft’s Innovation Center when I was in my second semester. Strong eco-system of Microsoft developers and innovation center in Pakistan groomed me a lot and today I am paying back to community by speaking at different conference and mentoring different startups.

Imagine Cup 2014:

What are your big projects right now?

Currently In my company I am working on Mobile Applications integrated with Dynamics AX. I am learning AX and trying to develop really amazing mobile applications integrated with Dynamics AX. I have blog on which I write regularly, I also record video tutorials so that young developers could get help from them. I am almost done with my book on Windows 10 Development and planning to publish that soon next year.

Flight Museum - Seattle | Love Flying simulators:

   

How was your experience being an MSP and now a MVP and MCC?

Being Microsoft Student Partner helped me a lot to groom, delivering technical sessions helped me become better community speaker. For those contributors which are students or Microsoft Student Partners, I would encourage them to contribute on TechNet Wiki and keep the habit of paying back to community. Once they are having some professional experience they must nominate themselves for Microsoft’s MVP Award. 

With regional Imagine cup team at Imagine Cup 2014:

What do you do with TechNet Wiki, and how does that fit into the rest of your job?

I find TechNet wiki interesting because anyone can share article with any person. It really helps me improve my blogging skills, allow me to get good tips and helps me find if there is a better solution possible.

Every time need to find some technical information related to some topic, I find TechNet wiki really helpful. There are many issues I see my team/peers going through. I love to find solutions and when I find one, TechNet is my favorite place where I could extend that information to developer network. If someone has better solution, he can edit my article and improve it.

At the EBC building 33:

  

On what Wiki articles do you spend most of your time?

I spend most of time on Windows Platform Development articles, I tried to create a glossary for Blend for Visual Studio articles to help developers and designers who work with Blend for Visual Studio.

With National Flag:

  

What are your favorite Wiki articles you’ve contributed?

Here are some of my favorite Wiki articles that I’ve contributed.

MSP Summit 2014:

  

Who has impressed you in the Wiki community, and why?

The person who is interviewing me, I am just amazed by the effort Ed Price put to keep TechNet Wiki grow. Highest number of articles, quick response to everyone in community and most important collaborating with authors. He is a motivation for me to contribute more on TechNet Wiki

MVP Summit 2015:

  

Do you have any tips for new Wiki authors?

TechNet Wiki is an awesome place to contribute, if you are new here I would encourage you to talk to Wiki gurus and get discuss with them. Keep an eye on TechNet Guru of the Month and also learn from the feedback provided on someone else’s article, it might help you learn something new.

Speaking about Microsoft’s support for opensource:

  

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I love how Saad is involved in Imagine Cup the Open Source work Microsoft does, and so much more!

Please join me in thanking Saad for his community contributions!

   

Jump on in! The Wiki is Warm!

   - Ninja Ed