Short answer, his father programs for the iPhone, and Lim Ding Wen most likely learned a lot from him. People who grow up with computers can learn computer concepts very rapidly if they have the right opportunities. Lim Ding Wen's father being a computer programmer is the right set of opportunities for that to happen.
All of the best programmers that I personally know are kind of the way they are because of legacy. You grow up around a guy who programs well, and that logical way of thinking rubs off on the kids. Then all you have to do is set the kid down in front of a computer with a programming book, answer questions, and the child will come back with some of the most creative stuff you've ever seen.
Children are very good at thinking outside the box because they don't have a lifetime behind them of their expectations being dashed. They will program well because they don't know what they're not supposed to be able to do. That's the story of Lim Ding Wen.
The complete story of how Ding Wen learned programming is in Singapore iPhone Blog (link below). Hope this help.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.