4 ms·

I think its more of aptitude test in a domain common to all programmers.

gaius 8y ago
Yeah right. Tell me the last time you built your own red-black tree in real actual code at work. Or did a sort by any other means than tacking “order by” on the end of a query. They are a test of how recently you crammed for your CS finals, that’s all.
- nordsieck 8y ago
  There are languages - C and Go, and to a lesser extent, C++ - in which re-implementation of data structures and algorithms is not uncommon. To your larger point, data structures and algorithms are popular in interviews for the same reason Project Euler is popular - it is very easy to ask a well defined, but interesting question about core CS or math.
- bradlys 8y ago
  Or how much effort you're willing to put into prepping for interviewing and getting a new job. It definitely filters against the casual looker. Which, to some extent, makes sense. You're basically filtering out people who won't put in the effort to get the job. Whether or not those who put in the extra effort are actually going to be better employees is a different decision.
- hyperpallium 8y ago
  Would be legit if the job required tasks like implementing red-black trees or sorts. As is, it's more like advertising for python, then surprise java.
  - gaius 8y ago
    Indeed. If the job was implementing algorithms on bare metal then bring it on! That job sounds like a lot of fun! But those kinds of questions make zero sense and have zero value if the job is actually implementing CRUD apps in a high level language. You might as well quiz candidates on their assembly language skills too, for a Python job... So there is obviously an ulterior motive.
- harshgupta 8y ago
  Tell me a better standardized question set for programmers that measures intelligence efficiently.
  - gaius 8y ago
    Do you think that that’s what that does? Interesting.
kashyapc 8y ago
Give us a frelling break. Please don't willingly invite derison.
- dang 8y ago
  It's not ok to comment like this here, regardless of how wrong someone else is or you feel they are. Please post civilly and substantively, or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - kashyapc 8y ago
    Sorry, it was indeed an off-the-cuff remark in poor taste.
mindentropy 8y ago
The problem with this thinking is this "aptitude" is something which comes naturally. I was drilled with this "aptitude" nonsense when I was a student where the teachers would say that if a person "gets" a problem and finds a solution then he is a natural for the subject. In my practical experience I find that to get the "aptitude" requires a lot of effort put in it. It definitely would vary depending on the person and his experiences but practicing it is very important to go forward.

Yeah right. Tell me the last time you built your own red-black tree in real actual code at work. Or did a sort by any other means than tacking “order by” on the end of a query. They are a test of how recently you crammed for your CS finals, that’s all.

nordsieck 8y ago
There are languages - C and Go, and to a lesser extent, C++ - in which re-implementation of data structures and algorithms is not uncommon. To your larger point, data structures and algorithms are popular in interviews for the same reason Project Euler is popular - it is very easy to ask a well defined, but interesting question about core CS or math.
bradlys 8y ago
Or how much effort you're willing to put into prepping for interviewing and getting a new job. It definitely filters against the casual looker. Which, to some extent, makes sense. You're basically filtering out people who won't put in the effort to get the job. Whether or not those who put in the extra effort are actually going to be better employees is a different decision.
hyperpallium 8y ago
Would be legit if the job required tasks like implementing red-black trees or sorts. As is, it's more like advertising for python, then surprise java.
- gaius 8y ago
  Indeed. If the job was implementing algorithms on bare metal then bring it on! That job sounds like a lot of fun! But those kinds of questions make zero sense and have zero value if the job is actually implementing CRUD apps in a high level language. You might as well quiz candidates on their assembly language skills too, for a Python job... So there is obviously an ulterior motive.
harshgupta 8y ago
Tell me a better standardized question set for programmers that measures intelligence efficiently.
- gaius 8y ago
  Do you think that that’s what that does? Interesting.

kashyapc 8y ago

Give us a frelling break. Please don't willingly invite derison.

dang 8y ago
It's not ok to comment like this here, regardless of how wrong someone else is or you feel they are. Please post civilly and substantively, or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- kashyapc 8y ago
  Sorry, it was indeed an off-the-cuff remark in poor taste.

mindentropy 8y ago

The problem with this thinking is this "aptitude" is something which comes naturally. I was drilled with this "aptitude" nonsense when I was a student where the teachers would say that if a person "gets" a problem and finds a solution then he is a natural for the subject. In my practical experience I find that to get the "aptitude" requires a lot of effort put in it. It definitely would vary depending on the person and his experiences but practicing it is very important to go forward.