[eranation]

> I’m not advocating ignorance, but making that a part of the interview process is too much. Leave it. I’ll know that sort of thing when I need to know it by googling.

This is spot on, there are some JavaScript "advanced" topics that people should be aware of, but I don't think someone who doesn't know all the answers to this one: https://github.com/nathansmith/javascript-quiz/blob/master/R... is by definition a bad developer, yes variable scope is one of the things you have to know, and the meaning of "this", but there are things you can just experiment in the console, or as you said Google and not have to memorize and still be a great developer.

[hifier]

These kinds of questions are very different from questions about browser quirks. These questions get at the depth of understanding of the language itself. It is akin to understanding how a C++ program is going to use the stack and the heap, etc. Only after understanding the language fundamentals can you answer these questions and only then can you truly understand the code you are writing. With depth of understanding comes an ability to make better decisions about how and when to use and tool. Almost anyone can use jQuery, but writing it or something like it requires a different level of knowledge.