Product Perfect

LINC (Laboratory INstrument Computer) is a 12-bit, 2048-word computer. It was developed in the early 1960s as a laboratory instrument controller by Wesley A. Clark and Charles Molnar at Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The LINC was considered to be the first minicomputer and nearly 50 units were built over time. The LINC programming language is an assembly language that allows users to program at machine level, offering direct control over hardware operations of the computer - this made it especially useful for real-time laboratory applications. Over time, high-level languages for LINC such as LAP6 (an extension of FOCAL), evolved which offered more abstraction from machine code while retaining some low-level features like bit manipulation operations and direct memory addressing capabilities.

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

First 20 minutes

General LINC app knowledge and experience

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

How would you describe LINC programming language to a non-technical person?

LINC is a high-level language used for business applications. Think of it as a tool that helps us create, modify and manage software applications that handle data and perform various tasks in a business.

What are the key features of LINC?

Key features of LINC include its high-level nature, simplicity in coding, robustness, and its ability to handle large volumes of data efficiently.

Describe the difference between LINC and other high-level languages.

Unlike many other high-level languages, LINC is specifically designed for business data processing. It allows for efficient handling of large volumes of data and is known for its robustness and simplicity.

How would you handle errors in a LINC program?

In LINC, errors can be handled using error handling routines that are built into the program. These routines can be designed to take specific actions when an error occurs.

What are the steps involved in creating a LINC program?

The steps include defining the problem, designing the program, coding the program in LINC, compiling the program, testing the program, and finally implementing the program.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of LINC programming?

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?

Did the candidate communicate effectively?

Did the candidate display an ability to work under pressure?

Next 20 minutes

Specific LINC 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 optimize a LINC program for performance?

Performance optimization can be achieved by efficient coding, minimizing I/O operations, using appropriate data structures, and optimizing database queries.

What are some common challenges you might face when programming in LINC and how would you overcome them?

Challenges might include handling large volumes of data, optimizing for performance, and ensuring robustness. These can be overcome by efficient coding, using appropriate data structures, and thorough testing.

Describe the process of debugging a LINC program.

Debugging involves identifying the error, isolating the section of code where the error occurs, correcting the error, and testing the program to ensure the error has been fixed.

How would you ensure the security of a LINC application?

Security can be ensured by following best practices such as using secure coding techniques, implementing appropriate access controls, and regularly testing for vulnerabilities.

What are the best practices for testing a LINC program?

Best practices include writing test cases that cover all possible scenarios, testing in a controlled environment, and using automated testing tools where possible.

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At this point, a skilled LINC engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in LINC 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 LINC.

What does the following simple LINC code do?
READ FILE=EMPLOYEE KEY=123456
This code reads the record with key 123456 from the EMPLOYEE file.
What will be the output of the following LINC code?
DISPLAY 'Hello, World!'
This code will output the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What does the following LINC code do?
READ FILE=EMPLOYEE KEY=123456
IF NOT SUCCESS THEN
DISPLAY 'Record not found'
END-IF
This code reads the record with key 123456 from the EMPLOYEE file. If the record is not found, it displays the message 'Record not found'.
What does the following LINC code do?
READ FILE=EMPLOYEE KEY=123456
IF SUCCESS THEN
DISPLAY 'Record found'
ELSE
DISPLAY 'Record not found'
END-IF
This code reads the record with key 123456 from the EMPLOYEE file. If the record is found, it displays the message 'Record found'. If the record is not found, it displays the message 'Record not found'.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for LINC 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 LINC application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you handle a situation where a LINC program is not performing as expected?

I would first try to identify the issue by debugging the program. Once the issue is identified, I would make the necessary corrections and test the program to ensure it is now performing as expected.

Describe the difference between synchronous and asynchronous processing in LINC.

In synchronous processing, operations are performed in a sequence, with each operation waiting for the previous one to complete. In asynchronous processing, operations can be performed concurrently, without waiting for other operations to complete.

How would you manage a large LINC project with multiple developers?

I would use version control systems to manage code, implement a coding standard for consistency, and use project management tools to track progress and manage tasks.

LINC application related

Product Perfect's LINC development capabilities

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

LINC Consultive assessments

LINC Application Conversion Assessment LINC Application Integration Assessment LINC Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom LINC development projects

Custom LINC App Conversion LINC Custom App Development Process App UI Design for LINC Facelifts

Hiring guide for LINC Engineers

LINC Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

LINC Consultive assessments

Custom LINC development projects