Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What skills to acquire in 2019?

news.ycombinator.com

191–194 of 194 posts

Re: Ask HN: What skills to acquire in 2019?

#192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe that is what the big corps think? Then why not just replace CS programs with boot camps that focus on passing the tech interview?

Could someone pass the LeetCode style tech interview without understanding computer science terms? For the record: I see nothing wrong with having a two year degree that spends the first year focusing on algorithms and the basics of computer science and the second year focused on a practical emphasis where graduates can hit the ground running. Whether that be embedded programming, game development, big data, web deve…

Mostly, sure. They could definitely do it with just a two or three of classes from the program I went through (a first quarter theory course + the algorithms course + the data structures course). You could compress those into a couple of classes really easy.

My first year also included digital logic, computer architecture, and compilers. None of that would help with LeetCode, so get rid of it. My second year in the program consisted of Programming language paradigms, operating systems, data structures, and final year advanced digital logic, advanced computer systems, and an independent capstone project...again, not relevant to LeetCode. I never bothered with the algorithms course (my plate was full, it was an elective) because LeetCode wasn't needed for interviewing back then (but most algorithms don't seem foreign to me either). This was (and still is) a top ten world-ranked CS program.

You could totally master LeetCode taking only a few non-major courses and then augmenting that with math courses. Heck, you could master LeetCode by singularly focusing on mastering LeetCode in a 6 month bootcamp.

Re: Ask HN: What skills to acquire in 2019?

#193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This! If you have time off, do something risky that you wouldn't do normally. Why? Because soon enough you'll likely be back in the normal swing of things and unable to take that risk. Examples: Work on a farm Do the Appalachian trail (or similar) Take the train across Australia Learn to ride a motorcycle Learn to play guitar Etc Etc

I worked on an organic farm this past year for two weeks (through WWOOF) and it was probably the best two weeks of the year for me. It really opened my eyes to how food is produced and just how much humans have changed the landscape of the planet - well worth the effort

I spent 6 months at home and abroad travelling and WWOOFed for 3 weeks of it. Those 3 weeks had the biggest impact and resonate through my life even today, years later.

Re: Ask HN: What skills to acquire in 2019?

#194
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This! If you have time off, do something risky that you wouldn't do normally. Why? Because soon enough you'll likely be back in the normal swing of things and unable to take that risk. Examples: Work on a farm Do the Appalachian trail (or similar) Take the train across Australia Learn to ride a motorcycle Learn to play guitar Etc Etc

Take the train across Australia Learn to ride a motorcycle Learn to play guitar Are these risky endeavors?

I take your point. Maybe "difficult" or "alien" would have been better adjectives.
Post reply on HN