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>And yet, I can guarantee you Google has hired at least two dim bulbs. No you can't. I really hate this kind of attitude people have. A person is not a stati

by danssig 15y ago

>And yet, I can guarantee you Google has hired at least two dim bulbs. No you can't. I really hate this kind of attitude people have. A person is not a static thing that is always X. Maybe they didn't like your company. Maybe they were suffering from burn-out, or had some kind of personal crisis. It could very well be the case that they're absolute rock stars at Google even though they were worthless at your company.

tsotha 15y ago
It's not hard to distinguish a person with problems from a person who just doesn't have a knack for programming. These two will never be "absolute rock stars". And they weren't "worthless" at my company. Just... a bit below average.
- danssig 15y ago
  So you feel confident in saying that nothing on earth could make these guys improve? I don't believe it. I believe some people just need that "aha" moment. Others don't get it simply because they don't want to understand it.
  - tsotha 15y ago
    "Nothing on earth could make these guys improve"? No, I wouldn't say that. But I am confident in saying they will always be below average. I've been doing this for a few decades now, and the idea everyone has the potential to be a great programmer just isn't borne out by that experience.
    - danssig 15y ago
      >But I am confident in saying they will always be below average. Of course there are and what I'm saying is that this isn't a static group. People will move in and out of it. I'm sure there is a very small percentage who stay at the bottom just as their is a very small percentage who stay at the top. But the bulk programmers are moving between these different groups through-out their careers. >and the idea everyone has the potential to be a great programmer just isn't borne out by that experience. What experience? You don't have any idea what's happened to the "no hopers" you've known in your career. I agree that some people seem like they're not going to get it, but who knows? Maybe they'll meet someone who flips a switch for them.
      - tsotha 15y ago
        Heh. Relevant thing happened today: One of them called yesterday asking if we had a position open.

by danssig 15y ago

tsotha 15y ago

It's not hard to distinguish a person with problems from a person who just doesn't have a knack for programming. These two will never be "absolute rock stars". And they weren't "worthless" at my company. Just... a bit below average.

danssig 15y ago
So you feel confident in saying that nothing on earth could make these guys improve? I don't believe it. I believe some people just need that "aha" moment. Others don't get it simply because they don't want to understand it.
- tsotha 15y ago
  "Nothing on earth could make these guys improve"? No, I wouldn't say that. But I am confident in saying they will always be below average. I've been doing this for a few decades now, and the idea everyone has the potential to be a great programmer just isn't borne out by that experience.
  - danssig 15y ago
    >But I am confident in saying they will always be below average. Of course there are and what I'm saying is that this isn't a static group. People will move in and out of it. I'm sure there is a very small percentage who stay at the bottom just as their is a very small percentage who stay at the top. But the bulk programmers are moving between these different groups through-out their careers. >and the idea everyone has the potential to be a great programmer just isn't borne out by that experience. What experience? You don't have any idea what's happened to the "no hopers" you've known in your career. I agree that some people seem like they're not going to get it, but who knows? Maybe they'll meet someone who flips a switch for them.
    - tsotha 15y ago
      Heh. Relevant thing happened today: One of them called yesterday asking if we had a position open.