I code nothing but things that don't exist yet. But I like my jumping off point to be something that does exist. Look at all the code that's required just to set up a windowing system. If you're requiring that to be reproduced from memory, I don't know what's going to be left over to solve new problems.

I'm with you up until the point of public disclosure. I think it makes sense to have a grace period of at least one year to file a patent so people can determine if there's a market for a product before dealing with the taxing process of patent filings. It makes a lot more sense to encourage innovators to focus on building a product rather than dealing with paperwork.

Hopefully, any given programmer's ego corresponds to what happens when they compile and execute the code they've written.

You don't know that. There is always going to be an element of that, yes, and maybe it makes sense for people starting out to work for less to hone the craft, but I like to think that there is also a scenario whereby the firm wants the best talent and is willing to pay to get it.

What if the candidate spends his free coding time coding something other than finding edge cases for reversing a string?

If that's what you're looking for, you should outsource to India, which seems to have a cultural affinity for precision.

In my world, corner cases show up during testing. If good project lifecycle management means unit testing prior to module integration, so be it.

From scratch? My preferred style is to crib off some sample code, which tends to be ubiquitously available and I really don't see what's so wrong with wanting a stable platform that compiles and executes. If that means I'll never work for you, well, too bad for you.

If people from India lie on their resume, it's because hiring managers are retarded and believe any bullshit if it's on someone's resume. I can say that I have a PhD in Rocket Science from MIT or whatever the fuck that sounds credible. No, the way to judge your candidates is demo reel.

Thus leaving Monkey Island in the blissful tranquility of ignorance.

Start by working on your definition of true and false. And don't give the Poles a work visa. They probably don't bring anything novel to Bletchley Park anyway.

> Those who can: do.
On the other hand if you spend all your life doing instead of letting people know about it, you won't go very far either.

If you aren't hiring self-important misanthropes, you aren't even trying.

> he was remarkable in so many other ways. For example, he was an outspoken atheist, a gifted athlete, and a bit of an eccentric polymath. Yeah, a remarkable goober of no redeeming worth.

If you're not doing calisthenics and singing company songs, you're not doing it right.