Today, this article was posted to hacker news and made the front page. I would like to address the assertion made in the article that if one knows the answers to these types of questions, they will be more prepared for an interview. This kind of thinking about interviews is wrong.
The primary purpose of a programming interview is to assess the candidate's ability to solve problems. If there is any question asked about syntax or language features, a candidate should be wary of accepting any offer.
About six months ago I interviewed with four companies. Having had time to ponder the differences between their interview techniques, I now understand better what I am looking for, as a candidate. One company I interviewed with quizzed me on syntax and language features, and asked me how to do specific things in a specific language. This was not at all what I had prepared for. Now, I know that if I encounter such an interview, I will not work for tha