How do you identify a great software developer in an interview?
gaius: I interviewed someone recently, someone much older than me, and it was a strange experience. We talked through his career, early on he had done some really interesting things, attacked some problems from unexpected angles and won big. But as we progressed through his career, it seemed to fade. Gradually all that early fire was crushed out of him and he became a 9-5er. So I thought, do I hire him and maybe try to turn him back into what he was? Or is it too late? In the end he was rejected by the other interviewer anyway, but it was a tough decision, and I could have forced it if I really believed in him. But it just goes to show, an interview can open up more questions about a person than it answers, and there's just no way to tell without actually working with them for some time.