[vanderZwan]

> I tend to look for developers now that have a better sense of modeling and api design.

In the same vein: why are algorithms preferred over discussing data structures? Knowing a lot of data structures, when to use them and how to combine them is probably much more broadly applicable than knowing a lot of algorithms.

[crdoconnor]

I'd rather interviewers asked about database/relational theory.

I've never seen a project that went off the rails because the people on it failed to understand algorithms or the proper time to use a deque but almost every project I'm handed to work on has a data normalization issue.

Alas the Google cargo culting will probably continue...

[vanderZwan]

Well... I'm smart enough to stay the hell away from work where I have to deal with databases (and lucky enough to not having to had to deal with them so far). So I guess I'm saying that I agree.