[tensor]

I've literally had to use knowledge of binary and number representation just last month in order to implement a lower level protocol. You may not use it in your simple CRUD app jobs but it's absolutely not "some old thing people only had to use back in the day."

[Hirrolot]

I occasionally have to manipulate binary numbers too. But, aside from bitwise operations, I almost always forget what I had learned last time and have to re-read the material again.

[bamfly]

I've gotten to use bitwise operations like twice in a 20-year career.

Trivial applications of things that might go in the first couple weeks of an algo class, about the same rate of use.

I always get a little excited when I get to use those things. Like spotting an old acquaintance in a restaurant in another city. "Hey! It's that thing they said was really important but in fact my career would basically be identical if I never learned it at all! Long time no see!"

[EDIT] Still waiting to use math past what I learned in 6th grade, aside from extremely rare use of very simple linear algebra or plugging in stats formulas that I looked up anyway because I don't trust my recollection since I use them so rarely. Doubting I'll even once need any of it before I retire, at this point. Which is great, because I've entirely forgotten all of it, on account of never needing it.

[joshmanders]

> You may not use it in your simple CRUD app jobs but it's absolutely not "some old thing people only had to use back in the day."

My point is that most jobs are simple CRUD app jobs or positioning divs on a screen, not deep seeded CS stuff.

[jlarocco]

> My point is that most jobs are simple CRUD app jobs or positioning divs on a screen...

It's really not "most jobs." Although I do agree that a CS or software engineering degree is overkill for that type of stuff.

Also, "knowing binary" is a strawman, and not a very good one. A newbie developer getting confused by bit flags isn't a big deal. Point them to Wikipedia and let them read about it.

The much bigger problem is when inexperienced developers go off and write a ton of bad spaghetti code, re-invent a bunch of wheels they never learned about, and generally just write crap because they're clueless about best practices (or even any practices at all). Now the clueless newbie is slowing down everybody else and creating a maintenance nightmare.

TBH, most new developers are pretty bad (self taught, university taught, or whatever). The important thing is having experienced people around to point them in the right direction and help them get "real world" experience.

Gate keeping isn't always a bad thing.

[foobarbecue]

FYI https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/deep-seated-de...