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Topics in Advanced Data Structures [pdf]

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Re: Topics in Advanced Data Structures [pdf]

#82

Post by Frost1x »

01100011 wrote: post #50
lame88 wrote: post #5

Does anyone in their work find that they are able to employ data structures like this, and if so, what do you work on? I've almost always had to delegate all my state to a database using default indexes, etc., which is productive, yet a little disappointing, because I'm always applying my brain power instead toward more mundane tasks.

I think the reality is that >80% of SWEs will never need any of this, because most SWEs are high-level integrators and consumers of these algorithms via libraries. For a lot of people, their time is better spent learning how to architect and use available tools to quickly solve problems while writing bug-free code. But then life changes and you may find yourself in need of this knowledge. I used to laugh at graph alg…

That means the graph questions were only really relevant for the position where you maintain a graph based API. They were completely irrelevant for the other positions.

My guess is, even after working with graph algorithms for awhile, you still needed more than 20-30 minutes to make implementation changes and still needed to have a reference to look at while doing so.

I know for a fact graphs are quite useful. I also know complex algorithmic questions during an interview for most cases are also not useful. The fact you obtained the position and were able to adapt and still manage graph structures shows that those questions didn't gauge your fundamental abilities. Maybe you didn't hit the ground running day one, but after a little bit of learning/practice, you were fine under reasonable delivery conditions.

Re: Topics in Advanced Data Structures [pdf]

#83

Post by dominotw »

dominotw wrote: post #67
amelius wrote: post #41

> Traditional data structures assume a single-threaded execution model and break if multiple operations canbe performed at once. (Just imagine how awful it would be if you tried to access a splay tree with multiplethreads.) Can you design data structures that work safely in a parallel model – or, better yet, take maxi-mum advantage of parallelism? In many cases, the answer is yes, but the data structures look nothing…

would all of scala's default( immutable) datastructures fit the bill?

I was just curious. Not sure why this is downvoted.

Re: Topics in Advanced Data Structures [pdf]

#85

Post by mcguire »

jhayward wrote: post #12

I was going to roll my eyes about stuff no one will ever hear of, much less use in their day job, but there are some really relevant structures here. Finger trees, cache-oblivious structures, R-trees, etc., just to name a couple from a random page or two. The "why they're worth studying" summaries are gold. Thanks!

When was the last time you wrote a finger tree? At work?

[I'm just responding to your first clause. :-)]

Re: Topics in Advanced Data Structures [pdf]

#86

Post by jhayward »

bhaavan wrote: post #80
jhayward wrote: post #12

I was going to roll my eyes about stuff no one will ever hear of, much less use in their day job, but there are some really relevant structures here. Finger trees, cache-oblivious structures, R-trees, etc., just to name a couple from a random page or two. The "why they're worth studying" summaries are gold. Thanks!

A doctor has to mostly always treat common cold, and influenza. But that's no excuse for her / him to not know the purpose of the left pulmonary vein. The more basics they know, the better doctors they are. Sorry if this analogy is a bit extreme, but I want to make a point.

I think a more apt analogy would be if you would disqualify doctors who don't know the nucleotide sequence of the genes that code for the cytochrome p450 enzyme process from treating your cold or flu.

The left pulmonary veins are gross anatomy, akin to knowing what an 'if' statement is. Knowing the current state of the art in determining a minimum complexity for an operation on an obscure tree implementation is deep domain knowledge used by only a few specialists.

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