[meshko]

I've interviewed probably dozens of people who couldn't code, but never worked with one. I've had plenty of bad coworkers, but all of them could write code to a degree where they would pass basic coding interview. I assume there is just a large population of people who can't do anything at all, and they just migrate from one company to another, coasting there w/o doing anything for a couple of years, because firing is hard. I keep remembering this story i heard from a co-worker. He worked at a giant laptop repair shop. There was a guy there who didn't know how to fix anything. He stayed for a year or so, and then finally was let go. They found dozens of spare parts in his drawers -- he would just order random parts from the warehouse to imitate work, and leave them in his desk. This is part of the unspoken dues that corporations pay to the society, creating this hidden safety net for people who are just not good at what they do, or perhaps just can't do anything. It is both good and terrible. I am glad that this safety net exists, but it is really disparaging to these people. I wish society had a better way of helping them.