4 ms·

Depending on the job, this might be (somewhat) reasonable. I'd assume that one could still get hired even if one failed that particular question, but showed so

by smokel 2y ago

Depending on the job, this might be (somewhat) reasonable. I'd assume that one could still get hired even if one failed that particular question, but showed some sense of understanding about the problem space. For many problems, someone tackling it might not even understand that there is a problem, and might have no clue where to start searching for answers. I've seen many developers who burn a crazy amount of hours by going down the wrong path, and then try to StackOverflow or Google their way out of the mess they initiated. It takes experience (either gained or learned) to avoid such traps. Then again, it really depends on the job. The interview question suggests this was not for a CRUD job, though :)

OnionBlender 2y ago
It was for a 3D graphics programming job. Another question was about some low level assembly performance instruction trick. Afterwards I did the same thing and tried to figure out which text book I would have had to read to know the answer. I only found one Computer Architecture book that mentioned the instruction and that wasn't the book I read in university.
- johnnyanmac 2y ago
  I do not Envy a graphics programmer interview. There's at least 3 types of graphics programmers in the modern day and the questions couldn't be more night and day. Imagine studying these specific mathematical approaches but instead you're thrown shader trivia. Or super specific DirectX API calls.
- qingcharles 2y ago
  I've interviewed for 3D graphics jobs and interviewed others. I was definitely only interested in whether the person had the skill to find a solution. For my first 3D game dev job I just turned up with a floppy which had my 3D engine on it and got them to stick it in a PC. That was all that it needed to get hired. That and be incredibly naive about salary negotiations :D I also turned down a possible position at Argonaut at Star Fox time. I got that one by arguing repeatedly with Jez San on Usenet lol

by smokel 2y ago

OnionBlender 2y ago

It was for a 3D graphics programming job. Another question was about some low level assembly performance instruction trick. Afterwards I did the same thing and tried to figure out which text book I would have had to read to know the answer. I only found one Computer Architecture book that mentioned the instruction and that wasn't the book I read in university.

johnnyanmac 2y ago
I do not Envy a graphics programmer interview. There's at least 3 types of graphics programmers in the modern day and the questions couldn't be more night and day. Imagine studying these specific mathematical approaches but instead you're thrown shader trivia. Or super specific DirectX API calls.
qingcharles 2y ago
I've interviewed for 3D graphics jobs and interviewed others. I was definitely only interested in whether the person had the skill to find a solution. For my first 3D game dev job I just turned up with a floppy which had my 3D engine on it and got them to stick it in a PC. That was all that it needed to get hired. That and be incredibly naive about salary negotiations :D I also turned down a possible position at Argonaut at Star Fox time. I got that one by arguing repeatedly with Jez San on Usenet lol