Discussion on:

10 interview questions to help make the best geeky hire

I'll surprise him with them. Now..what, exactly, am I looking for?

He was the fourth incarnation and was the Doctor for seven series. The special effects are really clunky (as they would be in the 1970s) but he was a fun character. It will be intereting to see how today's FX-by-CGI youth get on with Tom Baker and his rubber-suit villains.

The final part of the "City of Death" four-part story was watched by a higher audience than any before or since.

Look out for "Genesis of the Daleks" and "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" as well.

The three above are in the "Best Dr Who Episodes Ever" top ten.

If you can get them, let us know his verdict.

Tom Baker did a really good run.
the 4th and 6th Doctors wasn't it.
the 300 mile long scarf
the TARDIS in spare parts in his pockets
and the sonic screwdriver.

considering that the originals were done with an annual budget that was less than the money made for one episode of Dynasty by Joan Crawford they did pretty good with the FX.

Yes, my omission of Dr. Who was definitely questionable! Esepcially since "who is your favorite Doctor" is almost as common as "Star Wars vs. Star Trek" and "Kirk or Picard?"

J.Ja

We rarely get the "Star Wars or Star Trek?" and are much more likely to get "Star Trek" or "The Next Generation" which, I think, is a much more defining question.

Me? TNG, certainly.

Star Wars were just three (very good) movies" and another three movies. TNG spanned seven years.

to know what tickles the ribs of a person from India!

Can't blame them for not getting it!

Agreed, this article is a bit immature, and slightly scary. IT people are smarter than this, thankfully, otherwise the industry is heading for trouble !

I don't have a place on an interview committee for this guy...or ANY type of meaningful employment.

Oh, as an aside, multiple puctuation marks are a sure sign of a deranged mind.

You're fired.

Mitchell_webb I agree with you 100% lol

What??? maybe 200% Stupid

Rubbish

you forgot to ask them what SPAM stands for

Oh! I Like SPAM...

SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...SPAM...

Cue Monty Python music and credits...

De

These are old geek questions. The new guys wouldn't even know what you are talking about.

You have got to find the clip from "The Big Bang Theory" where Sheldon quizes Lenoard "Kirk vs Picard" - If I recall the accepted reply was "Kirk as Captain, The Next Generation as a series" ... or was it the other way around

I think you got it right.

Here, let me correct the title of this article for you...

"10 interview questions I would ask to help make the best geeky hire for my childish IT department"

Ahh, much better.

I remember meeting Gary Gygax back in the 1970's at a gaming convention. At the time, he was hawking stuff for TSR. At the time, I was more interested in TSR's Tractics(micro-armor), but he was also selling Chainmail rules. Chainmail was the prototype for D&D. I guess this would make me a "Geeky hire", albeit an old one!

From all accounts, Gary was a really cool guy. Sad to say, I knew about the Chainmail history, but I did not know that they also had "Tactics" as a seperate game! If you look at the D&D rules carefully, they really do read like a boardtop table game. For something that is supposed to be about "roleplaying", 75% of the rulebook is rules that support combat in one form or another.

J.Ja

...which is why that question should be amended to "...invented by Gygax AND Dave Arneson". Arneson played a lot of military wargames, which is probably why the rulebooks are as Justin has noted.

Now, please excuse me while I cast Magic Missle at the darkness.

There are some pairs of people where one is the visible, known person and the other... well, history barely remembers them even though they were fully half of the team. Gyry Cygax, for whatever reason (no clue, really), is the one who gets all of the credit for D&D even though Arneson was half of the effort; Arneson is only known to the most obsessed of fans. It's like Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, or Buzz Alrin, Neil Armstrong, and "the third guy", Michael Collins. If Neil Armstong hadn't been the first out, he probably would have been forgotten too, as Aldrin managed to become the public face of that event to this day.

J.Ja

Yes, I like me my obscure people...

Oh, that's actually really funny, because I find APP fans all over the place at random times and through the most random things. I got started on them by a friend of my mother dumping some old tapes on her that he no longer wanted, and listening to "Vulture Culture" was better than the "Halloween Hits" type tape that my aunt had sent me where the only good song on it was "Thriller". When my son was an infant, "Turn of a Friendly Card" would calm him down in the car.

J.Ja

But can't afford to travel from where I am to where they are playing.

Should we start a campaign to get them to the Township? Or even Newberry?

Bonus question to # 10.... Where is a memorial to G.Gygax?

This is the lamest and most stupid way of determining a candidates ability.

There was no doubt this was nothing but a yuk-fest as soon as you read:

> Han Solo shot first

What a joker! But, man, I'd sure hate to have to manage any of y'all's IT teams where the commenters were offended by this humorous article. I laugh and joke with my team all the time, it's part of what makes coming to work fun. And while we don't ALWAYS riff on geek subjects (personally, I could get into that Star Wars vs Star Trek debate), I do appreciate having folks on my team who are fun (and funny) to talk to.

1.You have a portable fan on your desk with a robot head with the eyes that light up.
2.You drink from a 64 oz Seven 11 cooler mug, that's seen better days.
3.You belong to the battery of the month club at radio shack.
4.Your desk is covered with senseless memo's from 4 years ago.
5. Your garage is full of old network and computer gear you pulled from the dumpster or snatched from the dock before disposal. (which is against company policy)
6. Your shirts haven't felt an iron - EVER!
7. You have 8 fish sticks on Wednesdays.
8. You where a bow tie on Tuesdays.
9. You think white socks and black shoes are a good combo.
10. You think white pants, white shirt, white tie - and you're styling. Ice cream man.

11. People avoid you like the plague because you annoy the crap out of em.
12. And finally - you think you know everything but only piss off the people that do. So go get your fish sticks - it's Wednesday.

Why? Waist of energy. They just get wrinkled again when I ride the bus to work or wherever.

1 no, 2 sipping from it now (Mr Gattis), 3 used to, 4 used to, 5 yes, even though the wife keeps trowing it away, 6/7/8/9 no, 10/11/12 yes.

Do I pass?

1. Yes fan. No robot head, but USB hub shaped like a whale with light up eyes.
2. 80 oz plastic cup from Valero quick shop.
3. Nope, but probably should. I love batteries.
4. Once I've had the desk a few more years, then yes.
5. Work in progress. I'm doing my best.
6. I do use an iron rarely.
7. Been over a decade since last fishstick.
8. I can't "where" a bowtie cause mine are always lost.
9. Wear to work and church regularly.
10. I couldn't dress like that out of respectful deference to the Ice Cream Man.
11. Nah, complete opposite in all facets. I'm way too nice, actually.
12. I don't "think" I know everything. I'm too busy knowing everything to think about thinking about it.

I hope I've passed, so I can go fill my Valero cup with a celebratory spiked Icee.

Also, great article, Justin.

*goes to find some fishsticks*

This is SOOOO much better than the original!
1. No. But I sell USB fans.
2. No. Have updated to Bubba Keg.
3. No, but my son would love it. I prefer solar powered stuff.
4. No, but still have textbooks from 10 years ago. I don't bother with memos.
5. No. the garage is full of cars and car parts dating back 40 to 50 years. I'll make a fortune on eBay someday. The computer parts are in my office, basement, kitchen and son's room. My old TRS80 might still be lurking somewhere.
6. Figured out how a dryer really works. Haven't ironed in years.
7. No, no. Fish sticks are still for Fridays.
8. For women, the bow ties were different and thank God disappeared about 20 years ago.
9. Shoes? I wear socks with my sandals if the snow gets too deep, and rarely white ones.
10. Gack!
11. I avoid people because they annoy the crap out of me.
12. No, I don't know everything. Most people just think I do. If I get fish sticks on Wednesday it's a bonus.

There is no doubt, proper drier control and the right fabrics have made the iron obsolete!

Really funny comments all! I must admit, I spend too much time avoiding people to notice if I annoy them much! =D

Good thing I'm self employed, I'd never make it in the private sector!

Since I'm a mild Asperger's case, it's really hard to tell if people are annoyed or not. :-p

I'm spoiled, own my own biz and teach networking and pc architecture for one of the colleges here in town. Used to being left alone to manage my own domain. Love it.

That's what I want to do when I grow up! I teach intro-comp class at a local college, but have not saved enough to quit my day job and start my business.

taking a deep breath and jumping in. Get your marketing materials ready, start advertising and working, and when you can't stand the long hours anymore quit the day job. The water might be cold and deep, but you have to start swimming!
BUT - caution - the chances of getting rich owning your own shop are very, very slim. If you are under 40 and at the peak of your earning power, wait. Keep socking those dollars back. If you don't believe me, just look at the thread "When overqualified and overpaid becomes a liability". I am over 50, have 2 Master's degrees and a salary history that has made me just about unemployable in the mainstream corporate world (which I do not miss at all). So while I enjoy a lot of flexibility and freedom, I have also sacrificed the big bucks. That's my preference, though.

I'm very similar. 2 masters, mid forties, fed up with the corporate world. Not looking to get rich, just looking for fullfilment.

Knew a dentist that retired and became a locksmith. How's that for follow your dreams

that quit to teach college! Go figure! He said the old job was too rough on his back. He was my MCSE instructor, and pretty damn good!

Ironically there was another article on Tech Republic last week, about how to get past being over qualified. I was considered such, some of the time despite only having tech degrees. You just never know about these employers!?

from picking teeth to picking locks...interesting *geeky grin*
People's dreams are very often different from their careers. It's great when you can actually do what you want to do, not what you have to do to earn a living. Not many of us ever get that chance.
I know what you mean about fed up with the corporate world! I climbed my way up to a corner office and a nice title, and absolutely HATED it. My Husband hated it, too. I was never home. Always working.

From picking teeth to picking locks. Not much of a change.

You don't have to anesthetize the lock before you go to work.