[prof_hobart]

If you're in a small company, possibly. In a large organisation, I fairly regularly find myself having to explain technical stuff to people I've never met before. Some are non-technical, some are very technical. Some are external suppliers, or people working in one of our many overseas divisions.

Admittedly, my job may not be typical of what the average dev has to do. But if that's the kind of role that this company was looking for, then asking someone to talk through something on a whiteboard doesn't seem too unreasonable.

I don't know the company, but I'm guessing that they aren't going to be that bothered that you can't remember the exact syntax of a particular function without checking it on Google. What I assume they're looking for is someone who can clearly communicate their thought process.

[nan0]

Sorry, meant to clarify that with only small focused teams that could be working a specific feature etc. Yes if the job was for a more responsible role like the one you describe, I would hope they would give the applicant a while board and more to show his/her skills.

I can disagree that for a just a technical interview that a while board isn't the best tool to bring out people's collaboration skills.

I don't know what the whiteboard should be replaced with, though.