Interview questions - best way to learn the answers
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I consider myself a good developer, fellow developers and managers as well as clients have told me the same. I code to standards and make sure it is done correctly. So why is it that in an interview when asked a question about code I get stumped and not able to answer it correctly? Am I the only one that does this? Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like? I know I can do the work, very well. So what can I do to learn the definitions of things? I am thinking of making cue cards and going from there. They have helped me in the past. What do you think? What is the best way for you to learn? Also, do you know definitions and meanings of everything you do? Thanks
I have a very good memory, but difficulty in accessing it. I've long noticed that I heavily depend on some sort of physical interaction to retrieve information. For example, at home my wife and kids will often as a question on how to do something with the computer. I'll often know I know the answer, but won't remember it until I start physically doing it and then it will come rushing back. When I program, I need intellisense or at least online help with a good index. I can't say how many times I remember functions, classes and methods by simply finding the proper name in an index. Even the physicality of typing on a computer helps me remember things--I've long learned this doesn't work so well with pen and paper.
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we talk about them as singletons and class factories, not as "patterns" but as a "singleton" and a "class factory". and since both terms predate the "Design Patterns" book, i don't see them as being part of the "patterns" craze. maybe other people do.
So I do not see a problem here, if your singleton means the same functionality as mine, all is good. I don't care if you call it a pattern or something else, as long as we can understand each other. But as pattern buzzword raises and more and more people (well, programmers) understand it, I call it a pattern. When they start talking about singleton pans, I will call them "pans".
Trust is a weakness.
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AWdrius wrote:
but when working in team you need to know how certain patterns are named to make communication faster and more fluent.
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
Chris Losinger wrote:
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
Is polymorphism a pattern though? We talk about patterns all the time at work since they are common ways of solving problems. But I doubt any of us could give a text book definition of polymorphism. I know I can't.
Todd Smith
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AWdrius wrote:
but when working in team you need to know how certain patterns are named to make communication faster and more fluent.
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
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Deyan Georgiev wrote:
And for three years working with them I’ve never heard the word “pattern”, ever.
But at some point people in a team start to name a code that performs a certain functionality. All this "pattern" business went out of hand after recruiters started to demand to know what it is, but in its finest it is not a bad thing.
Deyan Georgiev wrote:
The first team was mostly from mediocre/least said/ or wannabe programmer individuals and every second word coming out their mouths was “pattern” pronounced with self-confidence...The second Java team was from complete professionals who had created a huge complicated and bug free system
Somehow I feel that first team was made of "fresh" programmers, the new age ones, so they probably learned word "pattern" in a uni. The second, experienced, team is made of old wolves, so no wonder they don't use bling words (-. But I still think that you need to keep ones mind open. Hell if walking of hands is the new age programmers requirements I will eventually learn how to do it than become obsolete :).
Trust is a weakness.
AWdrius wrote:
Somehow I feel that first team was made of "fresh" programmers, the new age ones, so they probably learned word "pattern" in a uni. The second, experienced, team is made of old wolves, so no wonder they don't use bling words (-. But I still think that you need to keep ones mind open. Hell if walking of hands is the new age programmers requirements I will eventually learn how to do it than become obsolete .
In fact most of them was older than me/I was 28-29 those days/ claiming a long years of programing experience. Their problem was that they were so narrow minded and so stuck with Java that even a simplest SQL statement/let alone Transact SQL/ or small utility that needs to be created on C\C++\Delphi was mission impossible for them. And because their narrow specialization they had problems to grasp even some new Java technologies. Everything out of the box was PITA for these guys, I had the feeling that I’m working with zombies.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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I consider myself a good developer, fellow developers and managers as well as clients have told me the same. I code to standards and make sure it is done correctly. So why is it that in an interview when asked a question about code I get stumped and not able to answer it correctly? Am I the only one that does this? Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like? I know I can do the work, very well. So what can I do to learn the definitions of things? I am thinking of making cue cards and going from there. They have helped me in the past. What do you think? What is the best way for you to learn? Also, do you know definitions and meanings of everything you do? Thanks
Swelborn wrote:
So why is it that in an interview when asked a question about code I get stumped and not able to answer it correctly?
That's the way it's set up :)
Swelborn wrote:
Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like?
You don't have to answer everything correctly, you're not Google and no-one will be expecting that you can rehash all your studybooks. You will be judged on how you react when confronted with something that's not in your short-term memory. Will you propose to further investigate, or would you become angry?
Swelborn wrote:
I know I can do the work, very well. So what can I do to learn the definitions of things?
Being able to sum up (correct) definitions doesn't impress me - too many developers who can vaguely tell what's on the stack and what isn't, while not being able to implement basic error-handling. Show me that you understand the definition, I want to make sure that you know what you're doing. And it's a bonus if you have a strategy for the moments that you're confronted with a question/situation that you don't know the answer to.
Swelborn wrote:
What is the best way for you to learn?
To teach :)
Swelborn wrote:
Also, do you know definitions and meanings of everything you do?
Yes/no. Once there's a need to explain something, you'll need to define some things. The most concise explanation is often equal to the definition of a subject.
I are Troll :suss:
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Funny enough I used to work in the past with two different Java teams. The first team was mostly from mediocre/least said/ or wannabe programmer individuals and every second word coming out their mouths was “pattern” pronounced with self-confidence. In the moment I released in what I’ve get into I ran from there like a Salma Hayek from Pete O'Hanlon. The second Java team was from complete professionals who had created a huge complicated and bug free system using Java. These guys learned me, the C++ and SQLServer zealot, to like some aspects of Java and to respect Oracle. And for three years working with them I’ve never heard the word “pattern”, ever.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Deyan Georgiev wrote:
I ran from there like a Salma Hayek from Pete O'Hanlon.
I hate to denigrate a serious thread, but that really creased me up. :)
Wait until Pete sees this and start kicking my sorry ass. In his legislation book even mentioning Salma from someone is considered as a serious felony. :-D
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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AWdrius wrote:
but when working in team you need to know how certain patterns are named to make communication faster and more fluent.
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
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Wait until Pete sees this and start kicking my sorry ass. In his legislation book even mentioning Salma from someone is considered as a serious felony. :-D
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
AHEM - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! If it wasn't for the fact that I can only use my Jedi powers for good, you'd now be the victim of a force wedgie.
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
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Funny enough I used to work in the past with two different Java teams. The first team was mostly from mediocre/least said/ or wannabe programmer individuals and every second word coming out their mouths was “pattern” pronounced with self-confidence. In the moment I released in what I’ve get into I ran from there like a Salma Hayek from Pete O'Hanlon. The second Java team was from complete professionals who had created a huge complicated and bug free system using Java. These guys learned me, the C++ and SQLServer zealot, to like some aspects of Java and to respect Oracle. And for three years working with them I’ve never heard the word “pattern”, ever.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
Deyan Georgiev wrote:
I ran from there like a Salma Hayek from Pete O'Hanlon
The implication being that there are Salma Hayek's who won't run from me. Excellent.
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
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Swelborn wrote:
Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like?
Standard reply: Don't ask me questions whose answers I can look up on wikipedia. Marc
Marc Clifton wrote:
Don't ask me questions whose answers I can look up on wikipedia.
Oh great. So now we'll get wrong answers. :rolleyes:
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
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Deyan Georgiev wrote:
I ran from there like a Salma Hayek from Pete O'Hanlon
The implication being that there are Salma Hayek's who won't run from me. Excellent.
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
It is a grammatical error, but you’re right, we need to clone her.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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It is a grammatical error, but you’re right, we need to clone her.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
Hell yes. Now that's mad science with a purpose.
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
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Marc Clifton wrote:
Don't ask me questions whose answers I can look up on wikipedia.
Oh great. So now we'll get wrong answers. :rolleyes:
I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
Oh great. So now we'll get wrong answers.
Oh man, I am sooo going to have to do that the next time I succumb to doing a phone interview. In fact, I should do a phone interview just for laughs: What's polymorphism? Uhhh, is that what you call getting warts after a toad pees on you? Ok, moving along, what's inheritance? Uhhh, does that have something to do with contracting STDs? Marc
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I have a very good memory, but difficulty in accessing it. I've long noticed that I heavily depend on some sort of physical interaction to retrieve information. For example, at home my wife and kids will often as a question on how to do something with the computer. I'll often know I know the answer, but won't remember it until I start physically doing it and then it will come rushing back. When I program, I need intellisense or at least online help with a good index. I can't say how many times I remember functions, classes and methods by simply finding the proper name in an index. Even the physicality of typing on a computer helps me remember things--I've long learned this doesn't work so well with pen and paper.
Joe Woodbury wrote:
When I program, I need intellisense or at least online help with a good index. I can't say how many times I remember functions, classes and methods by simply finding the proper name in an index. Even the physicality of typing on a computer helps me remember things--I've long learned this doesn't work so well with pen and paper. Quote Selected Text
Same here, but there're a few things I need to Google every single time I need to use them, like the names of the file IO classes I need to create vs the abstract bases, helper classes, bogon fields, and red herrings that un-intelisense and my memory conjure up.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
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Chris Losinger wrote:
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
Is polymorphism a pattern though? We talk about patterns all the time at work since they are common ways of solving problems. But I doubt any of us could give a text book definition of polymorphism. I know I can't.
Todd Smith
Todd Smith wrote:
Is polymorphism a pattern though?
No, polymorphism is one of the fundamental forces, but it's not a pattern.
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AWdrius wrote:
but when working in team you need to know how certain patterns are named to make communication faster and more fluent.
in my 17 years of programming, i have never had a discussion with a co-worker about a "pattern".
Up until we started using MVVM I could also ditto this, now the discussion is how to implement it!
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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I consider myself a good developer, fellow developers and managers as well as clients have told me the same. I code to standards and make sure it is done correctly. So why is it that in an interview when asked a question about code I get stumped and not able to answer it correctly? Am I the only one that does this? Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like? I know I can do the work, very well. So what can I do to learn the definitions of things? I am thinking of making cue cards and going from there. They have helped me in the past. What do you think? What is the best way for you to learn? Also, do you know definitions and meanings of everything you do? Thanks
-
I consider myself a good developer, fellow developers and managers as well as clients have told me the same. I code to standards and make sure it is done correctly. So why is it that in an interview when asked a question about code I get stumped and not able to answer it correctly? Am I the only one that does this? Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like? I know I can do the work, very well. So what can I do to learn the definitions of things? I am thinking of making cue cards and going from there. They have helped me in the past. What do you think? What is the best way for you to learn? Also, do you know definitions and meanings of everything you do? Thanks
Swelborn wrote:
Can you BE a great developer without being able to tell you the definition of polymorphism or the like?
My favorite definition of polymorphism is that it is a geeky way of saying that different nouns can have the same verb applied to them.
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