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Joe Woodbury wrote: I quickly realized that my degree would have been obsolete almost as soon as I graduated
It was a very bad course then, 20+ years after graduating I still use what I learned every single day....data abstraction, object orientation, how to develop algorithms. If you think a degree is only there to teach you their chosen language (be it assembler, C, ADA, java etc) then you completely missed the point.
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My first computer course at college was writing FORTRAN on punch cards using a time share on a system a few hundred miles away. There was no data abstraction or object orientation. (The college I went to for the first two years was quite typical. Interestingly, many, if not most, colleagues I've worked with who went to college about the same time--late 70s to the mid-80s--majored in EE or Math.)
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That sounds about right. Many of my coworkers over the years lacked a bachelors and some without even an associates. Most of the upper level developers did have a bachelors or more.
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Technically, I don't have a degree.. I have a 3 year diploma in Business Administration: Electronic Data Processing from Canada - a college of applied arts and technology.
Once I was able to get past the bias of 'you don't have a degree', I was able to show my employer I had the skill set they desired.
After over 30 years as a developer, I've seen that HAVING a degree or graduate degree doesn't mean the person is capable - it means they were able to complete the course load. Unfortunately, I've met a number of people with 'graduate' degrees in computer related fields that do not have critical thinking skills, but they can check a box to say a task is completed!
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Tim Carmichael wrote: After over 30 years as a developer, I've seen that HAVING a degree or graduate degree doesn't mean the person is capable
Just you wait, the next batch of college graduates will have very little in the foundations of thinking. Most of the four year colleges (in the U.S.) graduate people based on who will pay instead of academic achievement. I have seen classes where they were graded on the curve and the top scores thrown out just to increase the number of students who pass. Students who should fail get to pass just to keep their butts in the seats and tuition coming in. 
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
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Researchers Neil Gandal, JT Hamrick, Tyler Moore, and Tali Oberman have written a fascinating paper on Bitcoin price manipulation. Entitled “Price Manipulation in the Bitcoin Ecosystem” and appearing in the recent issue of the Journal of Monetary Economics the paper describes to what degree the Bitcoin ecosystem is controlled by bad actors. I really need to figure out how to drive my bank account up 10x
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Kent Sharkey wrote: I really need to figure out how to drive my bank account up 10x
It's easy...
0) Insert money
1) Wait 1464 years!
OR
0) Insert money
2) Insert 9x more money
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"The manipulation happened primarily via two bots, Markus and Willy, that seemed to be performing valid trades but did not actually own the bitcoin they were using."
..you can hardly trade in BC without having it. If that were possible, banks would already be involved. This way of manipulation works on (electronic traded) gold, yes, but not on a blockchain.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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... such stuff as dreams are made on
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The article was about Mt. Gox, which was a wretched hive of scum and villainy. In short, it was a fraud machine and hacking a fraud machine meant the hackers could pretty much do what they wanted.
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Another point is that in most markets, trades are settled at the end of the day (or two or three.) Thus, whatever is being traded doesn't actually transfer ownership until the settlement, even if there were several owners on paper (and for tax purposes) in the meantime.
Assuming A owns a bitcoin and in the course of a day sells it to B who immediately sells it to C, does the bitcoin record A, B & C as the owners or just A and C? (Coinbase appears to use off-chain transactions, though I'm not clear when they finalize a transaction on-chain.)
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Joe Woodbury wrote: Another point is that in most markets, trades are settled at the end of the day (or two or three.) Thus, whatever is being traded doesn't actually transfer ownership until the settlement, even if there were several owners on paper (and for tax purposes) in the meantime.
It does. Even if the official markets are closed, due to a holliday, trading continues, as does price-discovery.
Joe Woodbury wrote:
Assuming A owns a bitcoin and in the course of a day sells it to B who immediately sells it to C, does the bitcoin record A, B & C as the owners or just A and C? (Coinbase appears to use off-chain transactions, though I'm not clear when they finalize a transaction on-chain.)
A BC blockchain does not need to wait until official markets are open.
And no, there is no "short selling BitCoin between bots" to influence the price. That was their entire point, and the basis for their title.
It is made up, fiction, nonsense.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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I think you still misunderstand; for several exchanges Bitcoin is traded off-chain.
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Like where? 
--edit
Also, the price of such exchanges is not leading, so no way for such a fraud to exist.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Joe Woodbury wrote: coinbase for one: Coinbase implements zero-fee microtransactions off the block chain[^]
Nope, not a market where you can spoof trades.
Joe Woodbury wrote: Edit: Not sure you understand how fraud trading works.
There's a brilliant argument. Let me point out that one of the driving forces behind BC is the fact that there is a blockchain. To repeat your argument, I'm not sure you understand how that works.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Eddy Vluggen wrote: one of the driving forces behind BC is the fact that there is a blockchain
So what? Trading can happen off-chain. Moreover, a corrupt (and hacked) exchange can report fake trades. Hell, they can even do legitimate trades with blockchain and lie about the price.
The issue isn't blockchain (other than the faith people put in it) but the integrity of the exchanges and transactions. You assume that buyers (and sellers) are doing due-diligence in identifying the legitimacy of every trade. They aren't. (I'm still amazed that the con of selling of real estate the hustler doesn't own still works in this era since determining ownership of such is easy.)
For example: The US government is charging three bitcoin companies with fraud – BGR[^]
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Joe Woodbury wrote:
So what? Trading can happen off-chain.
True, but you can't trade a BC off chain, since they don't exist off chaibn.
Joe Woodbury wrote: Hell, they can even do legitimate trades with blockchain and lie about the price.
They may lie all they want; the price they name is not leading.
Joe Woodbury wrote: are doing due-diligence in identifying the legitimacy of every trade. They aren't.
What due dilligence?
Here's a new one; you can't trade BC unless you have them. The trade does not have to be legal, ethical or anuthing else.
Joe Woodbury wrote: For example: The US government is charging three bitcoin companies with fraud – BGR[^]
Yes, the only reaction a government can take to discourage the use of a money that they cannot control. Even the IMF called for "regulation", showing how it is more a political entity than anything else
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Kent Sharkey wrote: the paper describes to what degree the Bitcoin ecosystem is controlled by bad actors.
It begins to make sense, now. The Scientologists control Tom Cruise and Tom Cruise controls BitCoin!
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
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As well as locating Hussein's movements, the phone also suggested periods of more strenuous activity, including two peaks, which the app put down to him "climbing stairs". "Every step you take, I'll be watching you"
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Have to love third party data...
In 2005 a firefighter was arrested for arson based on data from his grocery store's loyalty card
Loyalty Cards: Reward or Threat?[^]
Director of Transmogrification Services
Shinobi of Query Language
Master of Yoda Conditional
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The latest build release also improves the reading experience across devices. Does it work on Windows Update?
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When it comes to this age-old interview question, don't hate the player or the game. Instead, do this. A set of coloured rocks left over from my home planet
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Starting a new position tomorrow, this is somewhat current to me.
The question I was asked was: what is the personality trait people most dislike about you.
After some introspection, I answered: What I know, I know and it may be perceived as overconfidence or being cocky. If I don't know, I'll tell them I need to research and get back to them.
I called some people I used to work with and asked them what their impression was of my response. They agreed.. what I know, I know. And, after having been gone from my last site for over 6 years, I can still answer, in detail, how a particular system/application works.
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Whilst I am an advocate of self reflection and being self critical, I'm not convinced that a job interview is the right place for it. Maybe during a one-to-one with your line manager (when you've already got the job), but not before you get the job.
If everyone else being interviewed was to be self reflective and self critical, then fine. It's a level playing field at least. But as the others most certainly won't, why risk losing the role just because you're more honest than the other candidates.
Let's be honest, how many people asking the question truly care about the answer. They've probably googled some standard inverview questions to pad out the interview. As the authord states themselves, it's a game, so I would strongly suggest that you play along too.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
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