11–20 of 348 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the round manhole covers just to make sure they can't fall in?
Less raw materials to produce, easier to transport by rolling, easier to place onto the manhole, easier to stack when transporting/storing in bulk, etc
https://blog.usejournal.com/rethinking-how-we-interview-in-m... is the original post by a PM at Microsoft. It doesn't have any useful information about a pure technical interview for software engineering. >(Note: I started at Microsoft when we were still asking questions about why manhole covers were round, how many ping pong balls would fill a 747, and how to reverse a linked list. In 20 years here, I’ve yet to have…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the round manhole covers just to make sure they can't fall in?
According to the Wikipedia [1] Reasons for the shape might include: * A round manhole cover cannot fall through its circular opening, whereas a square manhole cover might fall in if it were inserted diagonally in the hole. The existence of a "lip" holding up the lid means that the underlying hole is smaller than the cover, so that other shapes might suffice. (A Reuleaux triangle or other curve of constant width would…
I also think the casting argument is a good one and its a lot easier to cast a round object than a square one (its to do with how molten metal flows)
This is me. Hard to get that across in an interview, but once people work with me, they're cool with me coming back an hour later in an email with some thoughts on the last meeting topic. They know and respect that that's the way I work[0].
[0] I'm not the only one on the team who does this, so that helps.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the round manhole covers just to make sure they can't fall in?
According to the Wikipedia [1] Reasons for the shape might include: * A round manhole cover cannot fall through its circular opening, whereas a square manhole cover might fall in if it were inserted diagonally in the hole. The existence of a "lip" holding up the lid means that the underlying hole is smaller than the cover, so that other shapes might suffice. (A Reuleaux triangle or other curve of constant width would…
Making a manhole cover round is one of the first intuitive shapes you'd think to make them (along with squares and rectangles); and so you'd guess, as a construction company gearing up to sell the concept of concrete manholes with removable iron-plate covers to a municipality (back in the 1800s or whenever we first got them) that what the municipality will ask you to make is round manhole covers. So you provisionally set up your tooling for round manhole covers, and build a few for the demo. And the municipality assumes you're the expert about good manhole-cover shapes, and so just goes with the flow, rather than trying to figure out the best shape themselves. So you end up with "the first intuitive thing that worked" spreading via network/"system compatibility" effects.
Same with road widths; same with screw drives.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the round manhole covers just to make sure they can't fall in?
According to the Wikipedia [1] Reasons for the shape might include: * A round manhole cover cannot fall through its circular opening, whereas a square manhole cover might fall in if it were inserted diagonally in the hole. The existence of a "lip" holding up the lid means that the underlying hole is smaller than the cover, so that other shapes might suffice. (A Reuleaux triangle or other curve of constant width would…
https://blog.usejournal.com/rethinking-how-we-interview-in-m... is the original post by a PM at Microsoft. It doesn't have any useful information about a pure technical interview for software engineering. >(Note: I started at Microsoft when we were still asking questions about why manhole covers were round, how many ping pong balls would fill a 747, and how to reverse a linked list. In 20 years here, I’ve yet to have…
Isn't the round manhole covers just to make sure they can't fall in?
Was the clickbait title part of your plan? [ edit ] I am interpreting the amazingly rapid swarm of downvotes in response to a valid critique of a poorly drafted clickbait title which HAS SINCE BEEN EDITED to be due to a concerted campaign of paid advertisers, not probono janitorial effort of an impartial-ish tech community. Community management is important people.
I think the downvotes/flags were because your comment was unsubstantive and snarky. We're trying for better than that here. Would you mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and following the rules when posting here?
Also, please don't post insinuations of astroturfing or similar abuse like this. That's also in the site guidelines. We're happy to investigate if you're worried about abuse, but the thing to do in that case is email us at hn@ycombinator.com, not take a thread further off topic and/or into flamewar.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Less raw materials to produce, easier to transport by rolling, easier to place onto the manhole, easier to stack when transporting/storing in bulk, etc
Flies like a frisbee when Superman throws it...
https://blog.usejournal.com/rethinking-how-we-interview-in-m... is the original post by a PM at Microsoft. It doesn't have any useful information about a pure technical interview for software engineering. >(Note: I started at Microsoft when we were still asking questions about why manhole covers were round, how many ping pong balls would fill a 747, and how to reverse a linked list. In 20 years here, I’ve yet to have…
Of course I know right answer, but it has zero to do with me being smart and a lot to do with me being in right culture and thus having heard about it before. Which is exactly what it test along with other brain teasers - have you encountered this sort of question before?