Interview question - What is your favourite Perl CPAN Module?
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From: OwlHoot on 20 Jul 2010 11:04 I have an interview for a perl contract soon, and the job spec mentions "familiarity with CPAN", which leads me to believe they may ask some off-the-wall question about this. In an interview I was once asked what was my favourite Perl CPAN module, and instantly gave the honest answer Data::Dumper. As I didn't get that role, despite successfully contracting in perl for several years, I gather they were looking for something more impressive, (or something other than a core module :-P ), such as those modules summarised on the excellent perl Advent calendars. So anyway, to help me "gird up my loins" and prepare for this interview, perhaps some Perlites here might like to suggest answers, or offer their opinion (with reasons ideally) on the following: 1. What is your favourite Perl CPAN module? 2. Which (realistic) CPAN module or framework would you most like to see that doesn't currently exist or is only partially complete? and please feel free to suggest other "interviewy" kinds of questions relating to CPAN. Perhaps that will be more useful than anything - Answering questions I haven't even thought of asking! Cheers John Ramsden
From: Sherm Pendley on 20 Jul 2010 11:30 OwlHoot <ravensdean(a)googlemail.com> writes: > 1. What is your favourite Perl CPAN module? Favorite? They're tools, not puppies. > 2. Which (realistic) CPAN module or framework would you > most like to see that doesn't currently exist or is only > partially complete? Mine. :-) > and please feel free to suggest other "interviewy" kinds of > questions relating to CPAN. IMHO, you're *way* over-thinking this. The interviewer is simply trying to see if you're familiar with it, not trap you with trick questions. If you're not familiar with CPAN, the best answer you can give is an honest "I don't know - but I can find out." In any programming job, what you can learn is *far* more important than what you know. sherm-- -- Sherm Pendley <www.shermpendley.com> <www.camelbones.org> Cocoa Developer
From: Peter Makholm on 20 Jul 2010 11:39 OwlHoot <ravensdean(a)googlemail.com> writes: > In an interview I was once asked what was my favourite Perl CPAN > module, and instantly gave the honest answer Data::Dumper. As > I didn't get that role, despite successfully contracting in perl for > several years, If this is the primary reason for not getting the job I wouldn't like a job there. They are too simplistic in their view of perl knowledge. I like the question, but as a interviewer I couldn't care less about the exact module you answer would be except for a few modules like Chooser.pm (What the hell that it abount?). What I would really like to use the question for was to start a more free form discussion where you could prove or disprove you general knowledge of perl. For you favourite module you should be able to talk what you would use it for, existing alternatives on CPAN, how to implement you own alternative, possible improvements, the worst part of the API, when not to use you module, and probably much more. Not neccessary a long discussion about each question, but at least something sensible about many of them. For example I wouldn't expect a lot knowledge about reimplementing PadWalker if that was you favourite module. > So anyway, to help me "gird up my loins" and prepare for this > interview, perhaps some Perlites here might like to suggest > answers, or offer their opinion (with reasons ideally) on the > following: > > 1. What is your favourite Perl CPAN module? JSON::XS would be high on my list even though it is even more primitive than Data::Dumper. The interesting thing is where the interviewer and I could take the discussion from there. > 2. Which (realistic) CPAN module or framework would you > most like to see that doesn't currently exist or is only > partially complete? I would very much like Moose and Plack reach a point where the versions provided by my OS-vendor was sufficient for 95% of the uses. But just saying this is the boring answer. The interesting part is the 'why?' that the interviewer shoudl follow-up with. Just being able to give pre-cooked answers isn't going to get you an intersting job. You should be able to argue for you answer. //Makholm
From: Scott Bryce on 20 Jul 2010 12:00 OwlHoot wrote: > 1. What is your favourite Perl CPAN module? Whichever one best helps me solve the problem I am currently working on.
From: Martijn Lievaart on 20 Jul 2010 12:36
On Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:04:35 -0700, OwlHoot wrote: Apart from the other great answers: > 1. What is your favourite Perl CPAN module? The one I need, and is installable as a package in my current OS. I install modules from CPAN as needed, but try to keep to the ones distributed with $current_OS. Obviously, this is only mildly portable. M4 |