Ruby Forum Rails I18n > Easy Puzzle Mountain problem

Hello everyone,

Did you guys work on UTF-8 before? If so, could you take a look at the
problem below. I'd like to hear your thoughts about tackling this kind
of problems.

It is about the software internalization. I couldn't find the specific
group to ask, so I ask here and I hope you don't mind.

////////////////////////////////////
//////////////
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Easy Puzzle Mountain

Part 1:
How many bytes long is the sequence for the code point whose UTF-8
representation begins with 0xE3?


Part 2:

0xA9 0xE3 0xB4 0xB1 0x54 0x98 0xB4 0x77
0x88 0x01 0xB2 0x8E 0x5D 0xAA 0xBB 0x66
0x9A 0xC4 0xB2 0x3F 0x8C 0xA3 0xDF 0xA0
0x90 0x4A 0x83 0x90 0x00 0xA2 0xA7 0x94
0x83 0x5C 0x5B 0x86 0x91 0xBF 0xAA 0x60
0xA1 0x47 0x89 0xB2 0xC4 0x89 0x50 0x99

FYI everyone this is a Facebook application question

Jamie wrote:
> FYI everyone this is a Facebook application question


That's true. The power of community is for learning and solving problem 
together. :) Right?

> That's true. The power of community is for learning and solving problem 
> together. :) Right?

Not if the point is to help somebody get a job that they may not be
qualified for

I guess you are working for facebook right now. Do you really think this
kind of problem will help the daily software engineer work in your 
company?
Often times it totally depends on if the candidates saw that kind of 
questions
or not. Isn't that a high qualification and smart of a person if he 
knows how to find the solution quickly and learn quickly from 
experienced people?

As a sofware engineer, will your honestly admit that the programming 
experience ,software development experience and business knowledge are 
the most important factors for an excellent software engineer, right? 
Bill Gates is one example,Mark is another example, right? Will they 
spend a lot of times to solve this kind of problems? It could be when 
they are in school, but I am seriously doubt once the real work started 
and there are a lot of pressures from all aspects...

Guest wrote:
>> That's true. The power of community is for learning and solving problem 
>> together. :) Right?
> 
> Not if the point is to help somebody get a job that they may not be
> qualified for

Actually I knew the answer already, but I don't want to disclose here. 
James, if you are the person, you should seriously think of more related 
questions to test a candidate, think that in the long term development 
of facebook, looking for the right skills, the ability to learn and the 
passion for work. Those are most important things! Don't use the craps 
until you can articulate the objective of this kind of questions toward 
work, otherwise, there may have another dot com failure awaiting...

Guest wrote:
>> That's true. The power of community is for learning and solving problem 
>> together. :) Right?
> 
> Not if the point is to help somebody get a job that they may not be
> qualified for

wtt wrote:
> I guess you are working for facebook right now. 

Nope

> Do you really think this
> kind of problem will help the daily software engineer work in your 
> company?

Nope, but its a good litmus test.

> Often times it totally depends on if the candidates saw that kind of 
> questions
> or not. Isn't that a high qualification and smart of a person if he 
> knows how to find the solution quickly and learn quickly from 
> experienced people?

There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)

That's one of the quick ways to get the answer, right? That's why I got 
the guidance quikly. Hard work and preparation is always the way to 
learn...

Actually, some replies, as you may know, questions the intention and 
effectiveness of the orginal puzzle. I agree with them, unless you have 
worked in that area for a while, sometimes it is totally senseless to 
ask this kind of question to a candidate...

And I don't see anything wrong to look into this issue and ask 
questions. If you hire a new people to work for, probably you expect 
he/she to ask questions whenever he/she is not clear to be quickly get 
productive, right? There is really nothing wrong to ask, it is another 
way to learn,IMHO.



Guest wrote:
> wtt wrote:
>> I guess you are working for facebook right now. 
> 
> Nope
> 
>> Do you really think this
>> kind of problem will help the daily software engineer work in your 
>> company?
> 
> Nope, but its a good litmus test.
> 
>> Often times it totally depends on if the candidates saw that kind of 
>> questions
>> or not. Isn't that a high qualification and smart of a person if he 
>> knows how to find the solution quickly and learn quickly from 
>> experienced people?
> 
> There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
> asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
> across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)

> There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
> asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
> across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)

On the other hand,  it really demonstrates why capital market values 
google
for so much. But I still believe there is way for google to improve. I 
couldn't get good answer from google on this matter, so I diligently to 
choose proper community to ask to..  Anything wrong with that?


wtt wrote:
> That's one of the quick ways to get the answer, right? That's why I got 
> the guidance quikly. Hard work and preparation is always the way to 
> learn...
> 
> Actually, some replies, as you may know, questions the intention and 
> effectiveness of the orginal puzzle. I agree with them, unless you have 
> worked in that area for a while, sometimes it is totally senseless to 
> ask this kind of question to a candidate...
> 
> And I don't see anything wrong to look into this issue and ask 
> questions. If you hire a new people to work for, probably you expect 
> he/she to ask questions whenever he/she is not clear to be quickly get 
> productive, right? There is really nothing wrong to ask, it is another 
> way to learn,IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> Guest wrote:
>> wtt wrote:
>>> I guess you are working for facebook right now. 
>> 
>> Nope
>> 
>>> Do you really think this
>>> kind of problem will help the daily software engineer work in your 
>>> company?
>> 
>> Nope, but its a good litmus test.
>> 
>>> Often times it totally depends on if the candidates saw that kind of 
>>> questions
>>> or not. Isn't that a high qualification and smart of a person if he 
>>> knows how to find the solution quickly and learn quickly from 
>>> experienced people?
>> 
>> There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
>> asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
>> across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)

wtt wrote:
>> There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
>> asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
>> across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)
> 
> On the other hand,  it really demonstrates why capital market values 
> google
> for so much. But I still believe there is way for google to improve. I 
> couldn't get good answer from google on this matter, so I diligently to 
> choose proper community to ask to..  Anything wrong with that?

If Google could solve random programming problems there would be no need 
for programmers.

Guest wrote:
> wtt wrote:
>>> There's a difference between being able to use resources well and just 
>>> asking for the answer, which is what you were doing. (On multiple forums 
>>> across the internet (Wilmott Forums, DevMountain Forums, etc.)
>> 
>> On the other hand,  it really demonstrates why capital market values 
>> google
>> for so much. But I still believe there is way for google to improve. I 
>> couldn't get good answer from google on this matter, so I diligently to 
>> choose proper community to ask to..  Anything wrong with that?
> 
> If Google could solve random programming problems there would be no need 
> for programmers.

But it takes a programmer to use google to find the right information, 
it takes a programmer to learn that information, it takes a programmer 
to code that to the system...

In the future, there may have artificial software, but it takes time to 
realize that...

However, the human nature is to make things simple instead of complex. 
So we can focus on solving next problems...

If you look at the history of Internet, you will find things is becoming 
more and more easy, right? If facebook want to test your assemble 
language, while you are applying for a Php or Ruby programmer position, 
do you think that is reasonable?

If facebook want to test your assemble
> language, while you are applying for a Php or Ruby programmer position, 
> do you think that is reasonable?

Anyone can learn a random programming language, the same algorithms and 
logical thinking are applicable across languages. I think thats what the 
test is about.

Guest wrote:
> If facebook want to test your assemble
>> language, while you are applying for a Php or Ruby programmer position, 
>> do you think that is reasonable?
> 
> Anyone can learn a random programming language, the same algorithms and 
> logical thinking are applicable across languages. I think thats what the 
> test is about.


But this puzzle will not test your logical thinking, right? It is 
specific
geared for some unicode knowledge, right?

You guys probably need find some Microsoft or D.E. Show questions to 
test the smartest of a candidate. :)

BTW, if possible, could you display your real name? What group are you 
working
for facebook?

> But this puzzle will not test your logical thinking, right? It is 
> specific
> geared for some unicode knowledge, right?
> 
> You guys probably need find some Microsoft or D.E. Show questions to 
> test the smartest of a candidate. :)
> 
> BTW, if possible, could you display your real name? What group are you 
> working
> for facebook?

Jamie
- Not working for Facebook -

Jamie wrote:
>> But this puzzle will not test your logical thinking, right? It is 
>> specific
>> geared for some unicode knowledge, right?
>> 
>> You guys probably need find some Microsoft or D.E. Show questions to 
>> test the smartest of a candidate. :)
>> 
>> BTW, if possible, could you display your real name? What group are you 
>> working
>> for facebook?
> 
> Jamie
> - Not working for Facebook -

Personally I believe it is great to learn from a community like this one
if I want to learn and practice this particular language, so you have 
the
chance to work in a virtual team worldwide and you can contribute sonce 
you
have learned a lot.

> Personally I believe it is great to learn from a community like this one
> if I want to learn and practice this particular language, so you have 
> the
> chance to work in a virtual team worldwide and you can contribute sonce 
> you
> have learned a lot.

I agree, but there is a large difference between asking for answers and 
proper collaboration.

Jamie wrote:
>> Personally I believe it is great to learn from a community like this one
>> if I want to learn and practice this particular language, so you have 
>> the
>> chance to work in a virtual team worldwide and you can contribute sonce 
>> you
>> have learned a lot.
> 
> I agree, but there is a large difference between asking for answers and 
> proper collaboration.

Essentially, there is no difference. you can not give any answer, if you
don't know. Or you can give some guidance if you have some clue.

Personally I didn't see any difference, however, you can interprete on 
your
way, though...

>Actually I knew the answer already, but I don't want to disclose here.

hahahahahahahah, yeah right

OB wrote:
>>Actually I knew the answer already, but I don't want to disclose here.
> 
> hahahahahahahah, yeah right

That's true. Someone mentioned that to me elsewhere. That is one shining 
example of my quick learning and I would appreciate if you have better 
way to learn new things...

OB wrote:
>>Actually I knew the answer already, but I don't want to disclose here.
> 
> hahahahahahahah, yeah right

The answer to the question is extremely simple to anyone who understands
UTF-8.  It's clearly not so much a test to find "who is qualified" as to
weed out who is definitely UNqualified - it's a question that any good
candidate can answer easily, but being able to answer it doesn't
necessarily mean a candidate is good.

The second part seems to test actual intelligence and puzzle-solving
ability.

http://www.facebook.com/jobs_puzzles/?puzzle_id=6

I solved it:
http://jocohp.hu/?o=user_post&id=59&l=1