The Ultimate Interview Question For (not only) Java Developers

Last week I spent 2 days in a workshop Java EE, SE and "cool stuff" in Germany. The team was great and experienced. Although it was a midsize company, both CEOs were still CODERS - and had deep programming experience. It's a Mac / OpenSolaris / Linux shop. They are hiring Java developers now - and a really interested in good programmers. So we chatted a little bit about the interview questions. Actually it was only one: "Tell me, how you started with computing / programming, what was your first machine?". The CEO wanted to hear the story - and filter out the motivations and interests. Although this question is simple and not Java related - it emphasizes the only thing, which matters - the passion. Experience just doesn't matter - the passion and motivation really counts in long term (actually already in few weeks) :-). So stop learning JSR-numbers, and be passionated!