IT/Software career thread: Invert binary trees for dollars.

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wormie

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Obtenor_sl said:
THIS is the point I'm trying to make.

Asking people to solve a problem "reverse an array" can have many valid answers. You can go and create your own method, or you can say "This language has all these utility methods, one of this is reverse array and this is how it's implemented" shows to ME that not only can you explain how reversing an array works but also that you are knowledgeable and familiar with a language/api/framework. Also that while you might not be afraid of implementing your own you're more than comfortable using a particular implementation in a language that probably runs in a much better time (O complexities and all) and where proper testing has been done.
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Isnt the whole point of the interview questions to find out how the applicant deals with solving problems? No one cares to see what a reversed linked list is, everyone cares to see if the applicant can write code that reverses a linked list.
 
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Obtenor_sl

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So we're all agreeing here that the point is valid? haha it seems we're all having discussions about all of us agreeing.

Yes, getting your hands dirty right away and code might be an ok solution, but actually learning about the requirements and how to solve things efficiently is a much better answer imho.
 
Cad

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wormie_sl said:
Isnt the whole point of the interview questions to find out how the applicant deals with solving problems? No one cares to see what a reversed linked list is, everyone cares to see if the applicant can write code that reverses a linked list.
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They should ask that question specifically then. Otherwise they get the most efficient/best answer. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
 
Vinen

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Obtenor_sl said:
So we're all agreeing here that the point is valid? haha it seems we're all having discussions about all of us agreeing.

Yes, getting your hands dirty right away and code might be an ok solution, but actually learning about the requirements and how to solve things efficiently is a much better answer imho.
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It was more the sarcastic nature of the intial post. If an interviee came up with an arrogant attitude like that I'd be "I don't think this person is a good fit to work with" not "This person is smart"
That said, Wormie is correct. I don't care if you state you can google for a pre-written library which can perform this.

What I care is that you can implement the method.
 
wormie

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Cad: They do ask the right questions. No one asks to reverse an array, they ask for code that reverses the array.

To get back to my original question, so no one uses shit like red-black trees or tries or succinct trees, etc?
 
ShakyJake

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Ugh, I'd probably fail at these type of interviews. Up to this point, my interviews have just been chit chats to get to know you. "Oh, you seem cool. You're hired!".
 
Noodleface

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wormie_sl said:
Cad: They do ask the right questions. No one asks to reverse an array, they ask for code that reverses the array.

To get back to my original question, so no one uses shit like red-black trees or tries or succinct trees, etc?
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I think places like Google might, but not in my work
 
moontayle

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ShakyJake_sl said:
Ugh, I'd probably fail at these type of interviews. Up to this point, my interviews have just been chit chats to get to know you. "Oh, you seem cool. You're hired!".
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The technical aspect of my interview was two questions (what is 'this' for? and, how many times can a class extend something?) and a story about how Eclipse deleted my R.java file which lead to how I use git on my personal projects, and hey what do you use... never heard of SourceSafe, nope.
 
Lendarios

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ShakyJake_sl said:
Ugh, I'd probably fail at these type of interviews. Up to this point, my interviews have just been chit chats to get to know you. "Oh, you seem cool. You're hired!".
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Never underestimate the value of a cultural fit. If you read my post history you will know why. Today we argued about why namespaces are a good idea, vs having no namespaces.... His reason because ORM tools don't use namespaces.. I kid you not.
 
ShakyJake

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lendarios_sl said:
Today we argued about why namespaces are a good idea, vs having no namespaces.... His reason because ORM tools don't use namespaces.. I kid you not.
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He'd love our project then. Namespacing is accomplished by using inner classes. Our class files exceed 5000 files in some instances. I shit you not.
 
Vinen

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Noodlemod_sl said:
This is all I needed to read

"Thesyllabusfor the interviews is very clear and simple"
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I'd forgotten about that. I think I fell asleep when the recruiter was explaining the process. I think they had a script they were required to read from.

You also don't even interview to work on a specific piece of functionality. You interview to work at the company and then once you are given an offer they decide where you go.

It's dumb as shit.
 
Tuco

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lendarios_sl said:
So for Tuco, get rid of that m_ crap. just name your parameter different than your internal values.
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Like I said I don't have a lot invested in it and only brought it up to hear counter-arguments to what I think, but how would you rewrite:
You say change the param, would you write:
At that point you're just suffixing instead of prefixing. Maybe you obfuscate that with:
But you're really just renaming it to make it different because you don't want to use m_ or this.

Vinen_sl said:
Instant method to not get hired. If someone dropped this on me I would end the interview within minutes.
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This is pretty asinine. If you ask someone to solve a problem, and they solve it in a better way than you knew how, but side-stepped the hoops you hoped they'd have to jump through, they rocked your world and reacting by rejecting them is only done out of your own inadequacy.

It's like the scene in Cap America where they ask the GI trainees to get a flag on a pole and Rogers dismantles the pole. He rightfully gets the girl in the end. And the drugs.
 
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Tuco I think we are talking a bout two different languages. Are you using accessors instead of properties? Then your constructor could be a calling of the setter method.

And then have your setter with a generic value parameter.

That code is very readable, you can template it, and autogenerate it, and never worry about the use of "this".
 
Tuco

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properties? What is this sorcery? I think the clean coding book uses an undefined language that doesn't have properties.

I actually prefer coding books that are language specific both so there's no confusion on whether properties exist and also so you can learn coding styles that are particularly useful in a given language.

edit: I agree, naming it value is a good solution.
 
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