[ItsMe000001]

This is the first time ever I hear about "max heap", or quite possibly I heard it and promptly forgot it. No, I don't accept your implication about my credentials and how I fared in practice since getting the degree in 1997 supports me (it's quite algorithm-heavy for the last few years). Some people take their own favorite subjects waaayyyyy too seriously.

I have no intention of becoming or finding good becoming a walking lexicon of obscure algorithms and minutiae. Thank god I'm really good at forgetting stuff I don't need - as well as learning stuff I do need but never did before, but only when I actually need it. Dynamic learning capability (let's just call it that) seems far superior to me than static learning. We have Google to outsource a lot of that to.

Anyway, looking up max heap it's trivial, no idea what my benefit would be if I knew every variation of a tree structure somebody came up with by heart. Often it's just a name for something that anyone who needs it would come up with by themselves anyway if they understand the greater concept because it's kind of obvious. I have used plenty of data structures for which I'm sure someone invented a name for without knowing that name.

[OskarS]

Anyway, looking up max heap it's trivial, no idea what my benefit would be if I knew every variation of a tree structure somebody came up with by heart.

It's not just any other tree structure. It's the tree structure that is by far the most common way of implementing a priority queue, and it's the tree structure at the heart of the algorithm "heap sort", which is not exactly obscure. It's also the tree structure that gives "the heap" its name (though modern operating systems and allocators don't use heaps for this purpose anymore). I've personally implemented heaps in a variety of languages and contexts throughout the years as part of my work.

I don't want to sound too dismissive here, but this is not some obscure data structure with only theoretical interest. It's perfectly fine to not know off the top of your head what splay trees, Fibonacci trees or skip lists are or how they work. But if you have a degree in computer science, you should know what a heap is.

[ItsMe000001]

You are not saying anything that I did not already respond to. I know trees, I know priority queues, I completely understand the data structure. What's the point of being able to assign some completely made-up and arbitrary name to it? If you think being a walking lexicon is an achievement, okay. That's spelling contest kind of "knowledge". I get it - some people really like it. Everybody is different and that is fine. Names (by themselves) mean a lot to many people. It's a low-effort signaling thing I guess. It is fine if I was ever selected against in such an interview - it would be entirely mutual. I do not believe it tests what you think it does. If you need a priority queue and don't happen to be able to come up with a good data structure on your own - or if you are too lazy to think about it - you can just google it. As long as you understand the basics of the underlying data structures - trees, arrays, lists, graphs (in general) - you easily understand the nuances of the particular variation of the base structure.

[gpderetta]

Heaps are not exactly obscure datastuctures and they are practically useful. They are also relativity simple to implement. I wouldn't ask about them in an interview, but wouldn't be surprised if I were asked.

[ItsMe000001]

I don't understand the purpose of your reply. You built a straw man which you now attack. I didn't say "data structures don't matter" or whatever else you interpret into my comment. Also read my other reply to another reply.

I understand that it is highly unpopular that some particular knowledge is unnecessary - for every piece of knowledge there are people who feel very strongly about it. I guess that's partly because getting the knowledge was quite an effort, and then psychology kicks in, what was hard to obtain has value by that proxy. Makes it hard to talk rationally and calmly about what is actually needed. That's why questions such as what children or students need to learn are so hard, the discussion always becomes extremely heated, and removing anything from the list can only be done against lots of screaming. So sure, me saying that being able to immediately connect some name and immediately have the respective thing, here some algorithm, available without looking it up is not popular maybe not with everybody, but those who are opposed to what I see feel very strongly about it. Unfortunately that includes interpreting things into what I say/write that is not really there. I mean, obviously, a good and thorough education in algorithm fundamentals is extremely valuable.

[gpderetta]

From your previous comment:

> I have no intention of becoming or finding good becoming a walking lexicon of obscure algorithms and minutiae.

This implies that you think that heaps are obscure and minutiae. If that wasn't what you meant I'm not sure why you brought it up in a discussion about heaps.

> I understand that it is highly unpopular that some particular knowledge is unnecessary -

what is highly popular today is the idea that knowledge is unnecessary because you can always google it. You can't google what you do not know it exist.

[ItsMe000001]

Why are you being so nasty?

> This implies

Why don't you stick to what I wrote? You respond to the straw man your own imagination creates.

> is the idea that knowledge is unnecessary

See above. You are being quite ridiculous.

http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-06-07

[gpderetta]

I do agree we have a 'dick from the internet issue here'.

[ItsMe000001]

Hello Dick, oh so you found a mirror, great! I doubt self-reflection is something a troll like you is capable of though, given that your ability to parse simple English without self-projecting your own - pretty limited and frankly a bit stupid - thoughts into other people's content. That's some narcissism component that you have here.

EDIT: I knew it, you narcissist use alt accounts for voting manipulation. LOL, I won't even report you, sick little child (no sane person would go through such trouble for literally nothing). I knew it was only you all along, and this comment was a provocation test - nobody else is reading this any more at this point. The only way to get such a quick within-minutes reaction to this comment is if you cheat (and use a notification service, which was already likely in your case so I counted on it). Got you! My own personal troll, I feel honored!