[zozbot123]

> During big refactorings, I admit I sometimes find myself relying on compiler errors as a crutch to find (for example) which API layer I haven’t added the parameter to yet.

That's not a 'crutch' - it's literally what those compiler errors are for! The alternative would be for the compiler to do something non-sensical, which would error out at runtime.

And when it comes to white-board coding, you should arguably be using pseudo-code anyway - your goal is then not to come up with something that will run, but to convince your interviewer that the code is 'morally' correct and that any subsequent fixes are well within your skill level.

[seanmcdirmid]

My biggest problem with whiteboard coding is writing text in straight lines. You never realize how much of a liability being left handed is until someone asks you to do whiteboard coding (ya, many lefties train for this, but some don’t).

Computers have been a godsend for my penmenship. On the other hand, I guess I relied on them too much as a kid.

[gowld]

I thought lefties learn to read and write backwards and then mirror the final result before submission.

[pjc50]

No, we definitely do it forwards; fountain pens and cursive used to be a serious problem, as is having your hand over what you've just written, so I write "overhand".

(To see this, do a 45 degree '/' with your right-hand pen, then leave the tip in the middle and make your left hand into a mirror image in the plane of the '/')

[ams6110]

My dad was left-handed. He'd use ball-point pens that didn't smear, and when he was taking notes he'd flip the notebook so that the binding was on the right.

[seanmcdirmid]

Pens are the worst, they konk out so quickly! iPad pros are really useful here. I wish my hands were transparent, occlusion is also a real problem (it is hard to write a straight line of text if you can't see what has already been written).