2) and 4) and 5) are strawmen. It is -in fact- possible to understand the fundamentals and look things up.
As to your assertion that there is one "true algorithm," the merits of that stand for itself, but regardless being able to explain WHY is what an interviewer should look for.
"Go Google and implement some algorithm" does not provide a useful metric other than "can use a computer."
All of this also ignores a more pressing issue: that looking something up often means getting bad results. Can the applicant draw on knowledge of complexity to distill their Google search? Without that types of test your answer is "hopefully."
That's why Google, FB, etc start with whiteboard tests. Anyone can search and implement.
> Can the applicant draw on knowledge of complexity to distill their Google search? Without that types of test your answer is "hopefully."
It isn't difficult to structure a complex question that requires research and have the answer you claim is impossible to find.
> That's why Google, FB, etc start with whiteboard tests. Anyone can search and implement.
I'm sure that is what you believe but that doesn't make it true.
> 2) and 4) and 5) are strawmen. It is -in fact- possible to understand the fundamentals and look things up.
I've never met an engineer (or any professional implementing complex processes) who simultaneously grasped the fundamentals of all areas where they needed to possess competence from memory. (Yes, that includes myself in case you are wondering.)
>
It isn't difficult to structure a complex question that requires research and have the answer you claim is impossible to find.
An answer? Sure. THE answer? No. Too much subjective reasoning in that; something that performs well with clock time may be far worse in some other metric. It always depends. You need to be able to explain it, and that's what complexity is about. Fundamental comprehension of the tradeoffs of approaches.
> I'm sure that is what you believe but that doesn't make it true.
Great. Same with you. Unfortunately, those companies agree with me and do fairly well filtering candidates.
> I've never met an engineer (or any professional implementing complex processes) who simultaneously grasped the fundamentals of all areas where they needed to possess competence from memory.
Me neither. But then again that's not what we're talking about.
As to your assertion that there is one "true algorithm," the merits of that stand for itself, but regardless being able to explain WHY is what an interviewer should look for.
"Go Google and implement some algorithm" does not provide a useful metric other than "can use a computer."
All of this also ignores a more pressing issue: that looking something up often means getting bad results. Can the applicant draw on knowledge of complexity to distill their Google search? Without that types of test your answer is "hopefully."
That's why Google, FB, etc start with whiteboard tests. Anyone can search and implement.