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Why do people grind on leetcode instead of reading papers, watching lectures, reading books, implementing hard-CS things from scratch, and … you know … enjoying

Why do people grind on leetcode instead of reading papers, watching lectures, reading books, implementing hard-CS things from scratch, and … you know … enjoying the endless joys of a fascinating field? It’ll land you a nice salary, to boot.

BossingAround 5y ago
You'll find me strange, but I find more enjoyment in a leetcode than in implementing a "hard-CS thing". Probably because it's easier and you're a better engineer than I am. Note that I would never require leetcode during a job interview. However, a single LC question is a small-sized puzzle I can solve in a day (or a weekend). If I want to write a ray tracer, well... Good bye life for a week or two. In other words, I have difficulties finding 50+ hours of large chunks of time to be unavailable to my family in my supposed off time. Leetcode I can do on a couch while my SO watches Games of Thrones.
- omginternets 5y ago
  >Probably because it's easier and you're a better engineer than I am. Not necessarily! Maybe you just like puzzles? I don't. >In other words, I have difficulties finding 50+ hours of large chunks of time to be unavailable to my family in my supposed off time. If that's all that's stopping you from working on a ray-tracer, I think it's "just" a time-management problem. I work in increments ranging from 30 minutes to 2h. The trick is to schedule them, or at the very least, to have some kind of issue tracking system for yourself so that you can find an appropriately-sized chunk of work for those serendipitous 20 mins.
- sunnyps 5y ago
  > If I want to write a ray tracer, well... Good bye life for a week or two. Lookup this book: Ray tracing in one weekend by Peter Shirley. You're in for a treat :-)
tester34 5y ago
I share this sentiment, I do find Leetcode and stuff incredibly boring Meanwhile writing your own libraries, parsers, compilers, oh boi. Additionally it gave me waaay more than LC stuff, especially when it comes to learning system modeling / proper OOP
jjav 5y ago
Those are the things I do, plus going to conferences (virtual ones now). It's fun, educational and keeps me informed and at the top of my game. None of that will help you pass an interview though!
- omginternets 5y ago
  >None of that will help you pass an interview though! I submit that you may be interviewing in the wrong places. Obviously, it doesn't suffice to just point the decision-makers to your repos. You need to pick companies who would benefit from the expertise you acquired, and effectively pitch yourself to them.
Fattestmoron 5y ago
No, it won't. Leetcode is currently the enforced path to the 6 figure salary.
- omginternets 5y ago
  Not everywhere. It might be a lower 6-figure salary than Google, say, but it's still 6 figures. Like, >200k.

BossingAround 5y ago

You'll find me strange, but I find more enjoyment in a leetcode than in implementing a "hard-CS thing". Probably because it's easier and you're a better engineer than I am. Note that I would never require leetcode during a job interview. However, a single LC question is a small-sized puzzle I can solve in a day (or a weekend). If I want to write a ray tracer, well... Good bye life for a week or two. In other words, I have difficulties finding 50+ hours of large chunks of time to be unavailable to my family in my supposed off time. Leetcode I can do on a couch while my SO watches Games of Thrones.

omginternets 5y ago
>Probably because it's easier and you're a better engineer than I am. Not necessarily! Maybe you just like puzzles? I don't. >In other words, I have difficulties finding 50+ hours of large chunks of time to be unavailable to my family in my supposed off time. If that's all that's stopping you from working on a ray-tracer, I think it's "just" a time-management problem. I work in increments ranging from 30 minutes to 2h. The trick is to schedule them, or at the very least, to have some kind of issue tracking system for yourself so that you can find an appropriately-sized chunk of work for those serendipitous 20 mins.
sunnyps 5y ago
> If I want to write a ray tracer, well... Good bye life for a week or two. Lookup this book: Ray tracing in one weekend by Peter Shirley. You're in for a treat :-)

tester34 5y ago

I share this sentiment, I do find Leetcode and stuff incredibly boring Meanwhile writing your own libraries, parsers, compilers, oh boi. Additionally it gave me waaay more than LC stuff, especially when it comes to learning system modeling / proper OOP

jjav 5y ago

Those are the things I do, plus going to conferences (virtual ones now). It's fun, educational and keeps me informed and at the top of my game. None of that will help you pass an interview though!

omginternets 5y ago
>None of that will help you pass an interview though! I submit that you may be interviewing in the wrong places. Obviously, it doesn't suffice to just point the decision-makers to your repos. You need to pick companies who would benefit from the expertise you acquired, and effectively pitch yourself to them.

Fattestmoron 5y ago

No, it won't. Leetcode is currently the enforced path to the 6 figure salary.

omginternets 5y ago
Not everywhere. It might be a lower 6-figure salary than Google, say, but it's still 6 figures. Like, >200k.