Rule - hire programmers you know. Period.
I'm the world's worst interview, and a really good programmer. Beats the hell out of me how you find that out until I work for you.
Too much resentment bubbles up when some goofball asks me a shmucko question about programming. I am really easy to work with, not at all nasty on the job--but syntax interviews, or even reasoning interviews, just piss me off.
But anyone who doesn't hire me on that basis is missing a sure thing, and talent ain't that common.
I liked the vi question (it's:q, by the way). Even simpler - what's the UNIX equivalent of dir? That kind of simple question is actually the best.
To the other ones, like "whether friendship is inherited," I'd say "sheeeit, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"
Good programmer characteristic number one: he finds someone who already knows AND ASKS. Every other talent is totally secondary.
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Rule - hire programmers you know. Period. I'm the world's worst interview, and a really good programmer. Beats the hell out of me how you find that out until I work for you. Too much resentment bubbles up when some goofball asks me a shmucko question about programming. I am really easy to work with, not at all nasty on the job--but syntax interviews, or even reasoning interviews, just piss me off. But anyone who doesn't hire me on that basis is missing a sure thing, and talent ain't that common. I liked the vi question (it's :q, by the way). Even simpler - what's the UNIX equivalent of dir? That kind of simple question is actually the best.
To the other ones, like "whether friendship is inherited," I'd say "sheeeit, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"
Good programmer characteristic number one: he finds someone who already knows AND ASKS. Every other talent is totally secondary.