Are there actual CS programs somewhere where people can graduate without actually writing any code? Maybe theory, HCI, or hardware tracks? Those could still be great employees.
And don't many candidates have code on github where you can just look at the commit log and ask them about the code they wrote?
Moreover, tech companies seem to be infatuated with awful technical interviews that not only make you write code but often require you to solve some difficult algorithm puzzle at the same time.
There are absolutely. I however, disagree with the idea they could lead to great hires.
I've also seen "masters" in CS that were really a lighter version of the undergrad coursework [0]. Of course, these were separate from the PhD track masters.
> And don't many candidates have code on github where you can just look at the commit log and ask them about the code they wrote?
Yeah. But the type of student that has an active github, even if it's full of assignments, isn't the type that will interview often. So you better make him/her an offer fast. There's a complete subset of great hires completely invisible to anyone because FAANG hired them first.
> Moreover, tech companies seem to be infatuated with awful technical interviews that not only make you write code but often require you to solve some difficult algorithm puzzle at the same time.
There's a reason they are doing it, to filter against these folks. Asking for algorithms also weeds out bootcamps where, more often than not, students are taught only one "trick" and stack and generally lack the fundamentals to be able to switch to an other stack or problem area.
Ahh, the non-programming programmer strikes again! [0]
[0] https://blog.codinghorror.com/the-nonprogramming-programmer/