Computer Geeks Enter Here

[AtomSmasher]

First off, I don't need help fixing anything, I'm just looking to stir up a discussion to stop a brain freeze I seem to have.

Okay, heres the story, feel free to skip this part if you don't care about the back story.  For the last two years the the mortgage market has been real slow, but the past two months it has taken a complete nose dive, and since I'm a real estate appraiser that means I have almost no work/money coming in.  I thought I would be able to wait it out, but this month I'm barely going to be able to pay my mortgage, and next month will be even worse, so I've decided to go job hunting again.  My background is in computers, but I graduated shortly after the internet company collapse, so computer jobs were scarce at the time, which is why I got into appraisals.  Now I figure would be a good time to get back into the computer industry, so I sent out a couple resumes.  Yesterday I got an email from one of the companies that included a programming test (which was easy) and a couple questions, and I'm drawing a complete blank on a few of the questions.  They said I can feel free to ask other people if needed, so here I am.

I mainly just want to get a discussion going to break this brain freeze I have going, so here's the two questions I can't think of good answers for:
1. Write up a bug for an application you use often. Please be sure to include
steps to reproduce, as well as any other information you feel would be
relevant to a developer who would be addressing the issue.

2.Give an example of an application you've used which has exceeded your
expectations and a brief summary of why it stood out.

So basically I'm wondering, what bug in an application really gets on your nerves, and which programs are better then you expected.

[shmokes]

WTF?  Why would they ask these questions on an application/interview and specifically say you can ask other people?  What possible good could it do them to know how I feel about the subjects?  That makes no sense whatsoever.  That said, since I'm not bothered in the slightest by your cheating and I always like to help out a fellow BYOACer, it ---smurfing--- bothers me that when I open XVID files on my computer, Windows Explorer crashes.  Every time.  The video plays fine, but Windows Explorer ALWAYS crashes and sends an error report and any instances of explorer that were open (and maybe IE as well) disappear.  Googling tells me this is really common.  It's obnoxious.

Intervideo DVDCopy is a program that amazes me with its ability to make ripping and encoding DVDs to DIVX files an extraordinarily simple (and, more importantly, consistent and stable) single-step process. 

[AtomSmasher]

Well technically I think they meant I could get help for the test section and not this Q/A section, but I figure since I thought the test section was easy and didn't need help, a little help ending my mental block of programs with bugs and programs that are exceptional wouldn't hurt (and I did answer a number of other questions on my own already).  I think they just want to know how you do in a real world situation, since when I'm working for them I'll be asking friends and checking books anytime I get stuck.

Thanks for the thoughts on the programs, but I never had problems with xvid unfortunately.  It seems like I did have problems with some other video codecs though, time to go digging through some old files 

Oh, and here's the last question they asked, which was an easy one for me to answer  (although it may not be the best one to give to a potential employer)
What is your favorite youtube video ever?

I've always thought this one was hilarious:

[AtomSmasher]

Hmm, I just remembered a bug thats been bugging me a lot lately, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.  I have an epson printer connected to this computer, on my other computer I have a network install of the epson status monitor and drivers, so that I can print from that that computer.  After I installed Vista on this machine (in dual boot with XP) I setup the other computer to be able to print through the new OS, which meant it had to install a second copy of the epson status monitor.  Ever since anytime I shut down the other computer, the epson status monitors refuse to close, so I have to press "end program now" several times (usually 4 times for some reason).  I've tried uninstalling one and the error went away, but I like Vista but play games in XP, so this computer switches back and forth pretty regularly, so both status monitors have to be installed making me unable to get rid of the problem.

See, there we go, just needed to get my mind going to remember things that have been slaping me in the face     Now to think of an exceptional program I use.

And anyone else reading this, free free to still post any programs with bugs or ones you love.  Like I said earlier, I'm just trying to get a bit of a discussion going.  I think my main problem is that every program I use, I've used for a long time, so I'm just conditioned to their greatness or flaws and don't think about them anymore.

[RayB]

A BUG? what a stupid question. Why would you use buggy software? BAD design, now that's different.  I'd just reply that I don't use buggy software, so none really come to mind.

[AtomSmasher]

Heh, well I don't think its the best idea to avoid answering the questions when the job is for a company I really want to work for.  I decided to go with Open Office as the program that exceeded my expectations.

[shardian]

I hate that when I right click on a video file associated with Windows Media Player, the entire screen goes black for 1/2 a second.  Drives me NUTS.

You could also talk about that Corel Draw vector glitch that was discussed on this forum earlier this week.  That glitch has been around for at least 10 years.

I abandoned WMP a few months ago because it has gotten ridiculously bloated, and after I closed a video file, my computer would lock up. VLC media player all the way for me. That program is no frills/all performance...the way it should be. I don't want to see a fancy interface, I want to see my damn videos!

So there you go: WMP for a buggy program, VLC for a program that does it right.

[ahofle]

This one's pretty old, but funny (and very reproducible).   

http://epiclogon.ytmnd.com/

[shardian]

This one's pretty old, but funny (and very reproducible).   

http://epiclogon.ytmnd.com/

Awesome! That would have been pretty handy to have known...you know, back in 1998.

[RayB]

Heh, well I don't think its the best idea to avoid answering the questions when the job is for a company I really want to work for.  I decided to go with Open Office as the program that exceeded my expectations.

Yeah, I'm just saying that the questions come off a little lame. They might be a small company and the interviewers "amateurs"...  Know what I mean? Be wary.

[AtomSmasher]

Heh, well I don't think its the best idea to avoid answering the questions when the job is for a company I really want to work for.  I decided to go with Open Office as the program that exceeded my expectations.

Yeah, I'm just saying that the questions come off a little lame. They might be a small company and the interviewers "amateurs"...  Know what I mean? Be wary.

Well it is a pretty small company, but they have been around for a while and the track record for their software makes them a company I really want to work for.  I would say who they are, but I'd kind of like to keep it a secret until I find out whether or not I got the job.  I'm weird that way 

As for WMP, I agree with a number of the comments below, but I just keep it in compact mode so all I see is the essential player info, which is why I still use it.  I used to have a number of problems with it, but its been quite good for me lately.

ahofle, that is a pretty crazy bug that I don't ever remember hearing about, funny stuff.

[tetsu96]

For whatever it's worth, it doesn't sound like the question is that out there - even the fact that they said you could ask other people.  Being a "code monkey" is certainly an option especially when you're a bit green and learning, but technical expertise can be hired offshore for much cheaper than locally in most cases.  What they're looking for I would think is someone that is critical of design with an eye for fixing and improving software.  Being able to interact with others and discuss / analyze these things is also quite important.  That's the type of stuff which adds value which can't be as easily off shored.

Or so I would think - I don't do development so what do I know?   

The youtube thing?  Probably just looking to see if you "fit in" with the rest of the crew.  Maybe the question is a bit amateurish, but if you and your coworkers don't get along in a small company, that could be tough.

[AtomSmasher]

Well I just got an email from the company saying they went with someone else.  I'm rather surprised I didn't at least get an interview since I'm well above the minimum qualifications they listed and I know I did very well on their test.  Oh well, they probably went with someone who has more recent experience (as I mentioned, I've been a real estate appraiser for the past few years).  I guess I'll just have to rely on one of the backup jobs I applied for since I won't be getting the one I want, or maybe the mortgage market will turn around in the next few weeks and I won't need a new job...ok, probably not.

And if your wondering, this job I wanted was at Insomniac games, who created the Rachet & Clank series and Resistance: Fall of Man.  It would of been a fun job to have 

[DrumAnBass]

You should check out Pandemic and THQ - both in the LA area.

[Flip_Willie]

Well I just got an email from the company saying they went with someone else.  I'm rather surprised I didn't at least get an interview since I'm well above the minimum qualifications they listed and I know I did very well on their test.  Oh well, they probably went with someone who has more recent experience (as I mentioned, I've been a real estate appraiser for the past few years).  I guess I'll just have to rely on one of the backup jobs I applied for since I won't be getting the one I want, or maybe the mortgage market will turn around in the next few weeks and I won't need a new job...ok, probably not.

And if your wondering, this job I wanted was at Insomniac games, who created the Rachet & Clank series and Resistance: Fall of Man.  It would of been a fun job to have 

   I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like it would have been a neat job. 

Just as it is,
Flip Willie