Hiring guide for AMOS BASIC Engineers

AMOS BASIC Developer Hiring Guide

AMOS BASIC is a user-friendly programming language developed for the Commodore Amiga computers in the late 1980s. Created by François Lionet and Constantin Sotiropoulos, it was designed to provide an easy-to-understand environment for beginners interested in game development (Source: "Amiga History Guide"). The software offered a range of commands specifically tailored towards handling graphics, sound, and user input (Source: "The AMOS Manual"). Despite its simplicity, AMOS BASIC was powerful enough to create commercial games such as Valhalla and Blobz (Source: "Retro Gamer Magazine"). Today, it remains an iconic piece of software that played a significant role in democratizing game development during its era.

Ask the right questions secure the right AMOS BASIC talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General AMOS BASIC app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in AMOS BASIC application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you declare a variable in AMOS BASIC?
In AMOS BASIC, variables are declared implicitly when they are first used. For example, 'A = 5' would declare a variable 'A' and assign it the value 5.
What are the basic data types in AMOS BASIC?
AMOS BASIC primarily uses two types of data: numeric and string. Numeric data can be integers or floating point numbers, while string data is any sequence of characters.
Describe the difference between a FOR loop and a WHILE loop in AMOS BASIC.
A FOR loop in AMOS BASIC executes a block of code a specific number of times. A WHILE loop, on the other hand, executes a block of code as long as a certain condition is true.
How would you handle errors in AMOS BASIC?
AMOS BASIC uses the ON ERROR command to handle errors. When an error occurs, execution jumps to the line following the ON ERROR command.
What is the purpose of the PRINT command in AMOS BASIC?
The PRINT command in AMOS BASIC is used to output data to the screen. It can display strings, numbers, or the results of expressions.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of AMOS BASIC?
Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?
Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?
Does the candidate have experience with similar projects?

Next 20 minutes

Specific AMOS BASIC development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

How would you create a subroutine in AMOS BASIC?
In AMOS BASIC, subroutines are created using the PROCEDURE command, followed by the name of the subroutine. The END PROCEDURE command is used to mark the end of the subroutine.
What are the key features of AMOS BASIC?
AMOS BASIC is known for its simplicity, ease of use, and powerful graphics capabilities. It also includes commands for handling sprites, playing sounds, and managing user input.
Describe the difference between the IF and SELECT CASE statements in AMOS BASIC.
Both IF and SELECT CASE are used for conditional execution in AMOS BASIC. IF is used when there are one or two conditions to check, while SELECT CASE is used when there are multiple conditions.
How would you implement recursion in AMOS BASIC?
Recursion in AMOS BASIC can be implemented by creating a subroutine that calls itself. However, care must be taken to ensure that the recursion has a base case to prevent infinite recursion.
What is the purpose of the DIM command in AMOS BASIC?
The DIM command in AMOS BASIC is used to declare an array. It specifies the name of the array and the number of elements it can hold.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the AMOS BASIC engineer at this point.

At this point, a skilled AMOS BASIC engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in AMOS BASIC programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with AMOS BASIC.

What does this simple AMOS BASIC code do?
Print "Hello, World!"
This code prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What does this AMOS BASIC code do?
For a=1 To 10 : Print a : Next a
This code prints the numbers 1 through 10 to the console, each on a new line.
What does this AMOS BASIC code do?
Dim a(10) : For i=0 To 10 : a(i)=i*i : Next i
This code creates an array of 11 elements and assigns each element the square of its index.
What does this AMOS BASIC code do?
Procedure DoSomething() : End Proc : DoSomething
This code defines an empty procedure named 'DoSomething' and then calls it.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for AMOS BASIC Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle AMOS BASIC application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you read and write files in AMOS BASIC?
AMOS BASIC uses the OPEN IN and OPEN OUT commands to read and write files, respectively. The INPUT# and PRINT# commands are then used to read from and write to the file.
What are the key differences between AMOS BASIC and other BASIC dialects?
AMOS BASIC is specifically designed for game development, with built-in commands for graphics, sound, and user input. It also has a simpler syntax compared to other BASIC dialects.
Describe the difference between global and local variables in AMOS BASIC.
Global variables in AMOS BASIC are accessible from anywhere in the program, while local variables are only accessible within the subroutine in which they are declared.

AMOS BASIC application related

Product Perfect's AMOS BASIC development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your AMOS BASIC engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in AMOS BASIC projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.