Will@cup.portal.com (Will E Estes) (04/16/89)
I am looking for written tests and answer sheets that can be used to test a person's technical skills in any of the following software environments: Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows or Presentation Manager, PC-DOS, OS/2, SunWindows, X Windows, UNIX, DECwindows, or VMS. I would also like to test the person's knowledge of C, C++, and 80x86, 680x0, DEC, or IBM 370 assembly languages. Finally, I would like to test the person's knowledge of compiler writing theory and practice. First, does anyone know of a company that produces examinations that test for knowledge in any of the above areas? Second, does anyone happen to have such a test (maybe from school or ...?) that they could share with me? Thanks, Will
Ed.Maurer@f6.n135.z1.fidonet.org (Ed Maurer) (04/18/89)
> I am looking for written tests and answer sheets that can be used > to test a person's technical skills in any of the following > software environments: Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows or > Presentation Manager, PC-DOS, OS/2, SunWindows, X Windows, UNIX, > DECwindows, or VMS. I would also like to test the person's > knowledge of C, C++, and 80x86, 680x0, DEC, or IBM 370 assembly > languages. Finally, I would like to test the person's knowledge > of compiler writing theory and practice. Having been in charge of Corporate support for Fortune 500 (and I don't know of many that use tests - IBM reviewed and threw them out 10 years ago), I can assure you there ain't no such thing worth the paper its printed on. Over the years, I have had a few sales pitches for same tossed my way, and I always ask the producers of such junk if the illustrious Dr. Einstein or, more recently, Dr. Land or Stephen Jobs, or even my best staff would 'pass'- for which they have no answer. For more on the general subject, read "Essays on the Mis- Measure of Man" by Stephen Jay Gould. I do recall a major study commissioned, I believe, by the GSA, comparing technical test scores with peer-management evaluations. The CE (correlation co-efficient) was in the vicinity of .35 (.50 being pure chance), but, since it was merely tax-payer money, Uncle bought it anyway. If we in the computer science community are light-years away from true AI, why would you think that the Testing/Psychological community (in whose ranks I also reside) is any closer with a pencil and paper? Why not just use a lie detector? Perhaps a Ouija board? To a large extent, technical-programming skills, like most 'human' work is nebulous if not <shudder> 'artistic' in nature, and any test scores mean less than Binet numbers in the long run. Because of real philosophical as well as rational problems I have with testing, I will not give you sources, but If you're insistant on mediocrity, I do know (having walked out on a job offer upon being told of the requirement) that the Miami Herald (aka Hearst aka "the Inquisition") uses a battery of written tests. C:\Ed /\\aurer > run techtest.exe > bad command or filename -- Ed Maurer - via FidoNet node 1:135/3 Medical Software Exchange BBS (305) 325-8709 UUCP: ...uunet!gould!umbio!medsoft!6!Ed.Maurer ARPA: Ed.Maurer@f6.n135.z1.fidonet.org